Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-09-21

the choir, we might rouse moro neAEei-
ness. The congregation coming on Sab
bath day feel that they cannot delegate
this part of the great service to any one
else. and so they themselves assume IL.
We have had a glorious congregational
singing here. People have come many
miles to hear 1t. They are not sure
about the preaching, but they can al
ways depend on the singing. We have
heard the sound coming up like the
voice of many waters" but 1t will be
done at a better rate after awhile when
we shall realize the height, and the
depth, and the immensely OF this prlVi-
lege.
/ forgot to state the other reason why
we adopted this plan. That is, we DO
not want any choir quarrels. You know
very we'll that In scores OF churches,
there has been perpetual contention In
that direction. The only church night
that ever occurred under my ministry
was over melodeon, in my first settle
ment. Have you never been in church
on the Sabbath day and heard the choir
sing, and you said THAT Is splendld
music" The next Sabbath you were In
that church, and there was no choir at
at all. Why? The leader was MAD or
his ASSISTANTS were mad, or they were all
mad together. Some OF the cholrs are
made up of our best Christian people
Some OF the warmsst friends have ever
had, have stood up in them, Sabbath
sitter Sabbath, consclentiously and sue
cessfully leading the praises OF Goa.
But the majority Of the choirs through
out the land are not made up OF
Christian people, and three-fourths OF
the church fights originate In the organ
loft. take that back and say nine
tenths. A great many OF our churcheS
are dying Of choirs.
We want to rouse all our families to
to the duty of sacred song we want
each family of our congregation TO De
singing-school. Childish petulance, OBJ
duracy and intractability would be
soothed If we had more singing in the
household, and then our little ones
would be prepared for the great con-
gregation on the Sabbath-day. their
voices uniting with our voices In the
praises of the Lord. After shower,
there are scores of streams that come
down the mountain side with voices
ripping and silvery, pouring In
to one river and then roll
ling in united strength to the
sea. So, l would have all the families
in our church send forth the voice OF
prayer and praise, pouring it into the
great tide Of public worship that rolls
on and on to empty into the great, wide
heart Of God. Never can we have our
church sing as it ought, until our fam
lilies sing as they ought.
There will be a great revolution on
this subject in all our churches. God
will come down by his Spirit and rouse
up the old hymns and tunes that nave
not been more than half awake since
the time of our grandfathers. The ST.
lent pews in the church will break forth
into music, and when the conductor
takes his place on the Sabbath day,
there Will be q great host of voices
rushing into the harmony. My Chris
tlan friends, If we have no taste for
this service on earth, what will we do
in heaven where they all sing, and sing
for ever?
l want to rouse you to ananimlty In
Christian song that has never yet been
exhibited. Come, now! clear your
Threats and get ready for this duty, or
you will never hear the end of this. l
shall never forget hearing French
man sing the "Marseillaise" on the
Champs Elysees, Paris, just before the
battle Of Sedan in 1870. never saw
such enthusiasm before or since. AS he
sang that national air, oh! how the
Frenchmen shouted! Have you ever in
play "God save the Queen?" II you
have, you know something about the en-
thusiasm Of a national air. Now, l tell
you that those songs we sing Sabbath by
Sabbath are the national airs of Jesus
Christ and of the kingdom OF heaven,
and If you do not learn to sing them
here, how do you ever expect to sing
the song of Moses and the Lamb?
should not be surprised at all II some of
the best anthems Of heaven were made
up OF some of the best songs OF earth.
May God increase our reverence for
Christian psalmody, and keep us from
disgracing it by our indifference and
frivolitY. When Cromwell's army went
INTO OdICle, ne SOoOu dI bHe ucdu VI GueH
one day, and gave out the long-metre
daxology to the tune of the "Old Hun
dredth," and that great host, company
by company, regiment by regiment,
battalion by battalion, joined in the
doxology:
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Hin above, ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
And while they sang they marched,
and while they marched they fought,
and while they fought they got victory.
o men and women of Jesus Christ, let
us go into all our conflicts singing the
praises Of God, and then, instead of
falling back, as we often do, from de-
feat to defeat, we will be marching ON
from victory to victory.
Glory to the Father and TO the Son
and to the Holy Ghost, as it was In the
beninning, is now and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.