Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1893-07-07
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
Subject: ssThe Song of Birds"

Text: "By sn shall tie fo,cls of ne
hearen haze thear h1bitdtion, ,chich sing
among the branches. Psalms, CIV, IL.
There is an important and improving sub
| ject to which most people have given no
thought and concerning which this is the
first pulpit discussicn-namely, 1.-THE Song of
Birds" II all that has been written concern
ing 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 fill a hundred alcoves of the
national Libraries.
First, L remark that which will surprise
many, that the song of birds Is a regulated
and systematic song, capable OF being written
out in note and staff and bar and clef as
much az anything that Wagner or Schumann
or Handel ever put on paper. As we pass the
grove where the iocks are holding matin or
vesper service we are apt to think that the
sounds are extemporized, the rising or falling
note Is mere accident, it Is flung up and
down by haphazard, the bird did not know
what it was doing, it did not care whether It
was long meter psalm or madrigaL What
a mistake
The musician never put on the music rack
before him Mendelssohn's Elijah" or Bee
thoven's Concerto in G or Spohr's B fiat
symphony with moro 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
chants, the carols, the overtures, the inter-
ludes, the ballads, the canticles that this morn
ing were heard Or will this evening be
heard in the forest have rolled down through
the ages without a variation. Even the
chipmunks song was ordained clear back in
the eternities. At the gates Of paradise it
sang in sounds like the syllables ''Kuk 20
"Kuk! ~ "Kukn' just as this morning in
Long Island orchard it sang "Kuk - ''Kuk ~
"Kukr' The thrush at the creation uttered
sounds likethe word Teacher - Teacher"
''Teacher!' now it utters sounds like
''Teacher. ~ Teacher w ''Teachern'
In the summer of the year l the yellow
hammer triled that which sounded like -
''If!' ''IfI" as in this summer it trills ''If.,'
"1f!' 'Ifn' The Maryland yellowthroat in
herits and bequeaths the tune sounding like
the words "Pity me- pity me, pity n1en' The
white sparrow's "Tseep, tseep' woke our
great grandfathers as it will awaken our great
grandchildren. The Observation-Disclosures
of the birds in the first century was the same
as the Observation-Disclosures of the nine
teenth century.
The goldfnch 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 if there is this
order and decentralization and rhythm
all through Gods creation does it not
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? If God stoops to educate every blue
bird, oriole and grosbeak in song, how can
parents be 50 Indifferent about the musical
development ofthe immortals in their house.
hold?
We want hemisphere campaign of hosan-
mas. From hearing blind beggar 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 the holy Sab
bath. If the church of God universal is 60
ing to take this world for righteousness,
there must be added a hundredfold of more
harmony as we'll as a hundredfold of more
volume to sacred music.
Further, I notice in the song of birds
that it is a divinely taught song. The
rarest prima donna of all the earth could
not teach the robin one musical note. A
kingfisher flying over the roof of a tenn
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 way of carol or
anthem. The feathered songsters learned
all their music direct from God. He gave
them the art in a nest Of straw or moss or
sticks and taught them how to lift that song
into the higher heavens and sprinkle the
fashioned, God tuned, God launched, God
lifted music! And there is kind of music
that the Lord only can impart to you, my
nearer.
Songs like that which Paul commended to
the Colossians when he said. "AGmonish one
another IN psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing, with grace in your hearts, to
the Lord" Songs like Moses sang after the
tragedy Of the Red sea, songs like Deborah
and Barak sang at the overthrow Of Sisera,
songs like Isaiah heard the 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. It was the highest result of sweet
sound when under the playing OF Paganini
one auditor exclaimed reverently, "Oh,
Cod" and another sobbed out, sob, Christ ~
Further, remark in regard to the song of
birds that it is trusttul and without any fear
of what may yet come. Will you tell me
how it is possible for that wren, that SPAR
row, that chickadee, to sing so sWeetly when
they may any time be bounced upon by q
hawk and torn wing from wing? There are
cruel beaks in thicket and in sky ready To
slay the song birds. Herods on the wing.
Modocs Of the sky. Assassins armed with
iron claw. Murderers of 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 it sings in the dawn
without any certainty of breakfast or dinner
or supper. Would 1t not be better to gather
its food for the day before vocalizing.
Besides that, the hunters are abroad.
Bang goes gun in one direction Bang
goes a gun in another direction. The song
will attract the shot and add to the peril.
For every bird a thousand perils and disas-
tiers lowering and sweeping round and round.
Yet there it sings, and it is a trustful song.
The bird that has it the hardest sings the
sweetest from ~ har