The Forrest City times., 1891-09-25
TALMAGE TALKS MUSIC.
THE rABERNACLE RINGS WITH
 SWEET MELODIES,
Lending Enchantmens to Last Sun. day's Sermon-The worth of Music as Viewed by che Great Divino-- s'The Voice Of Many Waters"


 "The Voice Of Many waterA"
 magnificent organ of the New Brook lyn tabernacle was dedicated to-day. The services were verlta ble musical festivals. While the regular musical programme at the tabernacle is all ways attractive, that of today was exceptionally beautiful, the congrega- tional singing, offertories, and inter- iudes being rendered with marvellous volume and expression. Dr. Talmage 8 sermon, which was appropriate to tho occasion. was on the text, Genesis |: 21: His brothers name was Jubal: he was the father of all such us handle the harp and organ"
 There has been much discussion as to where music was born. l think that at the beginning, when the morn ing stars sang together, and all the earth heard the echo. The cloud on which the angels stood to celebrate the creation, was the birthplace of song. Inanimate nature is full of Gods stringed and wind instruments. Silence itseif-perfect silence is only musical rest in Gods great anthem of worship. Wind among the leaves, insects humming in the sum- mer air, the rush of pillow upon the beach, the ocean far out sounding it's everlasting psalm, the bobolink on the edge of the forest, the quail whistlinQ up from the grass, are music. On Blackwells Island I h ard coming from a window of the lrnatic asylum. very sweet song. Itwas sung by one who had lost her reason, and I have come to believe that even the de- ranged and disordered clements of nature ould make music to our ear, if we only had acuteness enough to listen. l suppose that even the sounds in nature that are discordant and re- pulsive make harmony in Gods ear. You know that you may come so near to an orchestra that the sounds are painful instead of pleasurable; and think we stand so near devastating storm and frightful whrlwlnd, that we cannot hear that which makes to Gods ear and the ear of the spirits above us, music as complete as 1t is tremendous.
 The day of judgment, which will be | will bring no dissonance to the ears of those who can calmly listen; although it be as when some great performer is executing a boisterous piece of music, he sometimes breaks down the instru- ment on which he plays, so it may be on that last day that the grand march of God, played by the fingers of thun- der, and earthquake, and confiagration, l. h.. -vI which the music is executed. Not only is inanimate nature full of music, but God has wonderfully or ganized the human voice, so that in .hc plainest throat and lungs there are fourteen direct muscles which can make over sixteen thousand different sounds. and there are thirty indirect muscles which can make, it has been estimated, more than one hundred and seventy-th ee millions of sounds. Now, l say, when God has so con- structed the human voice, and when he has filled the whole earth with har- mony, and when he recognized 1t in the ancient temple, have right to come to the conclusion that God loved music. l propose, this morning in setting apart this organ for sacred use, to speak about sacred music; first show ing you it's importance, and then stat ing some of the obstacles to its ad- vancemcnt-
 draw the first argument for the i'm portance of sacred music from the fact that God commanded it. Through Paul he tells us to admonish one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs; and through David he cries out: ''Sing ye to God, all ye kingdoms of the earth" !" And there are hundreds of other pas sages might name, proving that it S as much mans duty to sing as 1t is his duty to pray. Indeed, think there are more commands in the Bible to sing than there are to pray. God not only asks for the human voice but for instruments of music He asks for the cymbal, and the harp, and the trumpet as we'll as the organ. And l suppose that in the last days of the church, the harp, the lute, the trumpet, and all the instruments of music whether they have been in the service of righteousness. or sin will be brought by their masters and laid down at the feet of of Christ, and then sounded in the church's triumph, on her way from suffering into glory. Praise ye the Lordl" Praise him with your voices Praise him with stringed instruments and with organs
 Many of you are illustrations oi what sacred song can do. Through it you were brought into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ You stood out against the argument and the warning of the pulpit; 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, then you sur rendered, as armed castle, that could not be taken by host, lifts it's win dow to listen to a harp's' trill. There was Scotch soldier dying in New Orleans, and a Scotch minister came in to give him the cancellations of the Gospel The man turned over on his pillow, and said Don't talk to me about religion" Then the Scotch minister began to sing familiar hymn of Scotland, that was composed by David Dickenson, beginning with the words.
 Oh. mother, dear Jerusalem.
 When shall come to thceg
 He sang 1t to the tune of Dundee. s and everybody in Scotland knows that; and as he began to sing the dy ing soldier turned over on his pillow, and said tO tho minister. ssWhere did vo,t