The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-09-24

are not expected TO sing. the whole
work Is done by delegation Of four or
six or ten persons and the audience
ara silent
In such church in syracise an old
elder persisted in singing. and 30 the
choir appointed a committee TO go and
ask the squire Ii he would not stop.
You know that Ia great multitude Of
churches the choir are expected to do
all the singing. and the great mass OF
the people are expected to be silent,
and II you utter your voice you are in
terfering. There they stand, the four.
with opera glass dangling at their side,
singing Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me,
with the same spirit that the night be
fore, on the stage, they took their part
in the ''Grand Duchess" or Don Clio
vanni.''
ALL SHOULD SING WHO CAN.
Ny Christian friends, have we a
right to delegate to others the dis
charge Of this duty which God de
nands Of usl Suppose that four wood
thrushes should propose to do all the
singing some bright day when the woods
are ringing with bird voices. 1t is de-
cided that four wood thrushes shall do
all the singing of the forest. Let all
the other voices keep silent. How beau
tifully the four warblel 1t is really
fine music. But how long will you
keep the forest still: Why, Christ
would come into that forest and look
up as he looked through the olives,
and he would wave his hand and say,
''Let everything that hath breath
praise the Lord" and, keeping time
with the stroke of innamerable wings,
there would be five thousand bird
voices leaping into the harmony.
Suppose this delegation of musical
performers were tried in heaven; sup
pose that four choice spirits should try
to do the singing of the upper temple
Hush, now, thrones and dominions and
principalities. David! be Still, though
you were 1.-THE sweet singer of Israel. P"
PAUL. keep quiet, though you have
come to that crown ofrejoicing Rich
ard Baxterl keep still, though this is
the Saints everlasting Rest" Four
spirits now do all the singing. But
how long would heaven be quiet3 How
long3 "Hallelujahl" would cry some
glorified Methodist from under the
altar Praise the Lordl' would sing
the martyrs from among the thrones.
Thanks be unto God who giveth us
the victory" great multitude of re-
deemed spirits would cry.
Myriads of voices coming into the
harmony, and the one hundred and
forty and four thousand breaking forth
into one reclamation. Stop that loud
singing! Stopl Oh, no. they cannot
hear me. You might as well try to
drown the thunder of the sky, or beat
back the roar of the sea, for every SOU
in heaven has resolved to do its own
singing. Alasl that we should have
tried on earth that which they cannot
do in heaven, and instead of joining al
our voices in the praise of the most
high God, delegating perhaps to I'm
consecrated men and women this mos
solemn and most delightful service.
Now, in this church. we have re
solved upon the plan of conducting tht
music by organ and cornet. We do it fo
two reasons-one is that by throwing
the whole responsibility upon the mas
of the people, making the great mul
titude the choir, we might rouse NOR
heartiness. The congregation coming
on the Sabbath day feel that they can
not delegate this part of the great serv
ice to any one else, and SO they them
= selves assume it. We have had glori
Gus congregational singing here. Peopl
. have come many miles to hear it. The,
are not sure about the preaching, bu
! they can always depend on the singing
a We have heard the sound coming u
\ like ''the voice of many waters" but
n will be done at a better rate afte
o awhile, when we shall realize the height
and the depth. and the immensely @
- this privilege
!. forgot to state the other reason VIII
= we adopted this plan. That is, we d
:, net want any choir quarrels. You kno'
very well that in scores of churche
there has been perpetual contention i
! that direction. The only church figt
;, that ever occurred under my ministr
q was over a melodeon, in my first settle
! ment. Have you never been in churc
on the Sabbath day and heard th
:. choir sing, and you said, THAT
splendid music" The next Sabbath
you were in that church, and there We
- no choir at all Whyl The leader we
- mad. or his assistants were mad. {
, they were all mad together Some
the choirs are made up of our be
It Christian people. Some of the warme
W friends l have ever had have stood U
IN In them, Sabbath after Sabbath. col
. scientiously and successfully lea,
IT ing the praises of God. But Il
N majority OF the choirs throug
20 out the land are not made up
a Christian people and ! three-fourtl
of the church fights originate in the Q
gan loft ! take that back and S:
in nine-tenths. A great many of o.
ia churches are dying of choirs.
70 We want to rouse all our families
IN the duty of sacred song. We wa
SO each family of our congregation to
#. a singing school Childish petulanc
ne obduracy and intractability would
10 soothed if we had more singing in t
IL household, and then our little on
a would be prepared for the great co
"a. gregration on the Sabbath day. ths
n voices uniting with our voices in L
Al praises of the Lord.
nj After a shower there are scores
a streams that come down the 1nounta
Id side with voices ripping and silver
an pouring into one river and then rolli
" In united strength to the sea- So | won
va have all the families in our chur
10 send forth the voice of prayer al
n praise, pouring 1t into the great tide