The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-07-12
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIvINE's SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: "1,he Song OF Birds"

TEXT. "By h, shall the fo,cls Of the
!heacen hare ,... hdbitation, which sing
among the branches. Psalms, CIV, II.
. There is an important and improving sub
ject to which most people have given no
fhouGht and concerning which this ls the
first pulpit discussion-namely, ''The Song OF
Birds" II all that has been written concern
Ding music by human voice or about music
sounded on instrument by finger or breath
were put together, volume by the side OF
volume, it would flI hundred alcoves ofthe
national libraries.
First. I remark that which will surprise
many, that the song of birds is Il regulated
and systematic song, capable OF being written
out in note and staff and bar and clet as
much as anything that Wagner or Schumann
or Handel ever put on paper. AS we pass tho
grove where the fiocks are holding matin or
vesper service We are apt to thlnK that the
sounds are eXtemporzed, the rIslnG c. falllng
note is mere accident, 1t 1s flung up and
down by haphazard, tho bird did not know
what it was doing, 1t did not care whether 1t
was long meter psalm or madrigal. What
q mistake!
The musician never put on the music rack
before him Mendelssohn's ''Elijah" or Bee
thoyen's Concerto" in or Spohr's B fiat
symphony with more definite idea as to
what he was doing than every bird that can
sing at all confines himself to accurate and
Predetermined rendering. The oratorios, the
ohants, the carols, the overtures, the inter-
hudes, the ballads, the canticles that this morn
ing were heard or will this sveninS be
heard in the forest have rolled down through
the ages without q variation. Even the
chipmunk's song was ordained clear back IN
the eternities. At the gates OF paradise It
sang in sounds like the syllables "kuk y
t'Kukr' "Kuk."' just as this morning in
Long Island orchard 1t sang ''kuk "huk !!
"Kukr' The thrush at the creation uttered
sounds likethe word Teacher " Teacher !"
h'Teacher" as now 1t utters sounds Like
i'.Teacher ~ Teacher ~ Teacher"
In the summer Of the year l the yellow
hammer trilled that which sounded like III ~
stIf!'' ST !" as in this summer it trills ''1f !"
"Ifw "Ifw The Maryland yellowthroat in
herits and bequeaths the tune sounding like
the words "PIty me, pity me, pity me-" The
white sparrow's ''Tseep, tseep' woke our
great Grandiathersa as it will awaken our great
grandchildren. The ''Tee-ka-tee-ka-tee-ka ka"
OF the birds in the first century was the same
as the ..Tee-ka-tee-ka-tee-ka" Of tho nine
teenth century.
The goldtinch has for 5000 years been
singing "De-ree-dee-ee-ree But these
sounds, which We put in harsh words,
they put in cadences, rhythmic, soulful
and enrapturing. Now II there ls this
CIDER and systematization and rhythm
iall through Gods creation does it rct
imply that we should have the same
characteristics In the music we make or
TRY to make? Is it not wickedneSs that
so many parents give no opportunity for the
culture OF their children in the art OF sweet
sound? II God stoops to educate every blue
bird, oriole and SroSbeak in song, how can
parents be so Indifferent about the musical
development ofthe immortals In s1eir house
hold?
We want hemisphere campaign OF hosan-
mas. From hearing blind beSSar sing Mar
tin Luther went home at forty years OF age
to write his first hymn. In the autumn
hope to have a congregational singing school
here during the week which shall prepare
the people for the songs of tho holy Sab-
bath ii the church OF God universal Is go
ing to take this world for Righteousness,
there must be added hundredfold OF more
Harmony as we'll as a hundredfold Of moro
volume 10 sacred music.
Further, notice in the song OF birds
that 1t Is divinely Taught song. The
rarest p-ima donna of oaa the earth could
mot teach the robin one musical note. A
lkingtsler flying over the roof Of tenn
pie aQuake with hermo1ies would not
Catch up one melody. From the time
that the first birds throat was fashioned
on the banks Of the Gihon and Hiddekel
until to-day on the Hudson or Rhine the
winged creature has learned nothing
from the human race in the wey OF carol or
anthem. The .feathered songsters learned
- all their music direcr from God. He ave
them the art in nest OF straw or moss or
sticks and taught them how to lift that song
into the higher heavens and sprinkle the
iearJh with It's dulcet enchantmentS. God
fashioned, God tuned, God launched, God
lifted music! And there is kind OF music
that the Lord only can lmpart TO you, my
nearer.
Songs Like that which Paul commended to
the Coiossians when he said, "Admonlsh one
another In psalms and hymns aud spiritual
BongS, singing, with grace in your hearts, to
the Lord" Songs like Moses sang after the
tragedy OF the Red sea, songs like Deborah
and B.rak sang at the overthrow OF Slse-a,
songs IKE Isaiah heard tho redeemed sing As
he came to Zion. Oh. God, teach us that
kind OF song which Thou only canst teach
and help US to sing it on earth and sing it In
heaven. 1t was the highest result OF sweet
sound when under the playing OF Paganini
one auditor exclaimed reverently, ION,
God - and another soobed out, "Oh, Christ !!
Further, remark in regard to the song OF
birds that it is trusrful and without any tear
tof what may yet come. Will you tell me-
how 1t is possible for that wren, that spar
row. that chickadee. to sing so sweetly wnen
they may any time be pounced upon Dy 2
hawk and torn wing from wing? There a.3
cruel beaks in thicket and In sky ready TO
slsy the so1g birds. Herods on the wing
Modocs OF the sky. Assassins armed with
iron Claw. Murderers o. song floating up
and down the heavens. How can the birds
sing amid such perils? Besides that, how is
the bird sure to get food? Millions of birds
have been starved. Yet 1t sings in the dawn
without any certainty Of breakfast or dinner
or supper. Would it not be better to gather
its food for the day before vocalizing.
! Besides that, the hunters ara abroad
Bang! goes gun in one direction. Bang
goes gun in another direction. The song
will attract the shot and add to the peril.
, For every bird thousand perils and disas-
ters lowering and sweeping round and round.
Yet there it sings, and it is a t-ustfui song.
The bird that has it the hardest sings the
sweetest. The lark from the shape OF her
claws may not perch on tree. In the grass
her rest is exposed to every hoofthat passes.
One OF the poorest shelters OF all the earth is
the larks nest. If she sings at ALL you will
expect her to render the saddest OF threno-
dies. No, no. She sings exultingly an hour
without pause and mounting 5000 feet with
out losing note.
Further. in the sky galleries there ere
songs adapted to oil moods. The meadow
lark is mournful. and the goldanch joyous.
and the srosbeak prolonged OF note. But
the libretto of nature is voluminous. Are
you sad? You can hear from the bowers the
echo Of your grief. Are you glad2 You can
hea1 an echo OF your happiness. Are
you thoughtful? You can hear that
which vii! plunge you into deeper
profound. Are you weary You
may catch restful air. SO the songs OF
birds are administrative in all circumstances.
And we would do well TO have q hymnoIogy
for all changes OF condition. You may sing
your woes into peace and rouse your joys
into greater attitudes. Upon every condition
Of hndr md v,n,l LOT lls fry the nOWar OF SOnr