The Wahpeton times., 1891-10-01

d
draw another argument for the
Importance of this exercise. You
know something Of what secular music
mas achieved. You know it has made
its Impression on governments, upon
laws, upon literature, upon whole gen.
erations. One inspiriting National
air is worth 80, 600 men as a astanding
army. There comes a time in the bat
tie when one bugle is worth q thou
sand muskets. I have to tell you
that no nation or church can afford
to severely economic in music.
Many Of you are illustrations of
what sacred song can do. Through it
you were brought into the kingdom of
Jesus Christ. You stood out against
the argument and warning of the pull
pit; but when in the sweet words of
Isaac Watts, or Charles Wesley, or
John Newton, or Toplady, the love of
Jesus was sung to your soul, thenyou
surrendered, as armed castle, that
could not be taken by a host, lifts it's
window
TO LISTEN TO A HARP's THRILL.
Ihave also noticed the power. of
sacred song to sooth perturbation
and arouse to action. A singing
church is always a triumphant church!
If a congregation is silent during the
exercise, or partially silent, it is the
silence of death.
But l must now speak of some of
the obstacles in the way of advance
ment of this sacred music; and the
first is that it has been impressed in
hn ~f
am far from believing that music
ought always to be positively religious.
Refine art has opened places where
music has been secularized, and law
fully SO. The drawing.room, the
musical club, the orchestra, the con-
cert, by Disqualification OF pure taste,
and the production OF harmless
amusement and the improvement of
talent, have become great forces in the
advancement of our civilization.
Music has as much right to laugh in
Surrey Gardens as it has to pray in
st. Paul's.
Another obstacle has been an inor-
dinate fear of criticism. The vast
majority of people, singing in church,
never want anybody else to hear them
sing. Everybody is waiting for some
body else to do his duty. :, If we all
sang, then the inaccuracies that are
evident when only a few sing would
not be heard at all; they would be
drowned out.
GOD ONLY ASKS YOU
to do as we'll as you can, and then, if
you get the wrong pitch, or keep
wrong time, he will forgive any def
cheney of the ear and imperfection of
the voice. There are three schools of
singing, I am told-the German school,
the Italian school and the French
school of singing. Now, I would like
to add q school, and that is the
school of Christ.
Another obstacle that has been in
the way of the advancement of the
holy art, has been the fact that there
has been 80 much angry discussion on
the subject of music. There are those
who would have this exercise conduct
| ed by musical instruments. In the
same church there are those who. do
not like musical instruments, and so
it is organ and no organ, and there is
q fight. In another church, it is q
question whether the music shall be
conducted by precentor or by q drill
! ed choir. Some want a drilled choir
and some want q precentor, and there
is fight. Another obstacle in the ad-
vancement of this art has been the er-
roneous notion that this part of the
services could be conducted by delega-
cation. Churches have said: "Oh
what an easy time weshall have. This
minister will do the preaching, the
choir will do the singing, and we will
have nothing to do. And you know
as well as that there are great
multitude of churches all through this
land, where the people are not expect.
ed to sing, the whole work is done by
1 a delegation of four, or six, or ten
persons, and the audience are silent.
My christian friends, have we a right
to delegate to Others the discharge OF
this duty
WHICH GOD DEMANDS OF US?
Suppose the delegation OF musical
performers were tried in heaven; sup
pose that four choice spirits should
try to do the singing of the upper tenn
pie. Hush now, thrones and domin-
ions and principalities. David! be
sClll, ChOugn you were 1.-The singer OF
Israel" !" Paul! keep quiet though you
have come to that crown of rejoicing.
Richard Baxterl keep still, though
this is the Saints everlasting Rest"
Four spirits now do all the singing.
But how long would heaven be quiet?
How long? "Hallelujah!" would cry
some glorified Methodist from under
the altar. praise the Lordl" would
sing the martyrs from the thrones.
Thanks be unto God who giveth us
the victory!" q great multitude of re.
deemed spirits would cry. Myriads
of voices coming into harmony, and