The Penn's Grove record., 1893-06-30
REV. DR.. TALMAGR.
The Brooklyn Divine's
Sunday Sermon.
Subject 1.-The Song of Birds"

TEXT "Ey A. sail Me Jo,rIs Of The
Rdcen hare thrtr hdbitati0n, SrhicG sing
among lie branches. Psalms, CIV, 70.
There is an important and improving sub
!et to which most people have given no
thought and concerning which this is the
first pulpit dlscussion-namely, "The Song OF
L-res.' 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, 1t would I'LL q hundred alcoves ofthe
national libraries.
First, l remark tina which will surprise
many, that the song of birds is a regulated
and systematic song, capable oibeing written
out in note and staff and bar and clef as
much as anything that Wagner or Schumann
or Handel ever put on paper. AS we pass the
grove where the tiocks are holding matin or
vesper service we are apt to think that the
sounds are extemporized, the rising or falling
note Is o mere accident, 1t is flung up and
down by haphazard, the bird did not know
what 1t was doing, II did not care whether it
was a long meter psalm or q madrigal. What
o mistake!
The musician never put on the music rack
before him Mcndelssohn's "Elijah' or Bee
thoven's Concerto" in G or Spohr's B fiat
symphony with more definite idea as II
what he was doing than every bird that can
sing at all confines himself to accurate and
predetermined rendering, The osatorios, the
chants, the carols, the overtures, the inter-
ludes, theballads, the cantieles that this morn
ing We're heard or will this evening be
heard In the forest have rolled down through
the ages without a variation. Even the
chipmunk's song was ordained clear back in
the eternities. At the gates OF paradise 1t
sang in sounds like the syllables "Kuk ~
"Kuk ~ 'Kuk !" Just US this morning in n
Long Island orchard 1t sang ''Kuk !''Kuk ~
"Kuk!' The thrush at the creation uttered
sounds likethe word "Teacher " "Teacher ~
''Teachert !" as now 1t utters sounds like
'Teacher !" Teacher ~ ''Teacher"
In the summer of the year l the yellow
hammer trilled that which sounded like ''lf ~
'Itw CTR as in this summer 1t trills "If! p
"Itr' ''IfP' The Maryland yellowthroat In
hertts and bequeaths the tune sounding like
whks sparrow's ''Iseep, 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 "Tee-ka-tee-ka-tee-ka' of the nine
teenth century.
singing Tas s? a6 3 has t9s 5000 E{s st , Sssa
sounds, which we put in harsh words,
they put in cadences, rhythmic, soulful
and ennpturing. Now II there Is this
order and systematization and rhythm
all through Gods creation does ii not
imply that we should have the same
characteristics In the music We make or
try to make? Ia It not q wickedness that
80 many parents give no opportunity for the
culture Of their children In the art of sweet
sound2 II God stoops to educate every blue
bird, oriole and gyosbeak In song, how can
parents be 80 Indifferent about the musical
development ofthe immortals In their house
holdf
We want q hemisphere campaign of hosan-
mas. From hearing a lin beggGr sing Mar
tin Luther went home at forty years of age
to write his first hymn. In the autumn |
hope to have o congregational singing school
here during the week which shall prepare
the people for the songs OF the holy Sab
bath. II the church of God universal Is 60
ing to take this world for righteousness,
there must be added a hundredfold of more
harmony as well as q hundred;old OF more
volume to sacred music.
Further, l notice In the song of birds
tina. 1t Is q divinely taught song. The
rarest prima donna Of sA the earth could
not teach the robin one musical note. A
kingfsher flying over the roof OF a tenn
pie aquske' with ~harmonies would not
catch up one melody. From the time
tina. 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 mes. of straw or moss or
| sticks and taught them how to lift that sou;
into the higher heavens and sprinkle the
earth with its dulcet entertainments. Goo
fashioned, God tuned, God launched, God
lifted musicl And there Is a kline OF music
that the Lord only can impart to you, my
hearer.
Songs like that which Paul commended to
the Colossluns when he said, "Admonish 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
lind 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 reyerently, ION,
God - and another sobbed out, "Oh, Christ %
Further, / emark in regard to the song OF
birds that 1t Is trustful and without any fear
Of what may yet come. VIII you tell me
how 1t Is possible for that wren, that spar
row that c~hickadee. to sing SO sweetly when
they may any time be bounced upon by a
hawk and torn wing from wing2 There arc
cruel beaks In thicket and in sky ready to
STAY 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
the bird sure to get food2 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 yocalizing.
Besides that, the hunters are abroad.
Bangl goes a gun in one direction. Bang
goes a gun in another direction. The soma
will attraat the shot md add IN tho rann
For every bird a thousand perlls and disas-
tiers hoverinG and sweeping round and round,
Yet there 1t sings, and 1t is q trustful song,
The bird that has Il the hardest sings the
sweetest. The lark from the shape Of her
claws may not perch on a tree. In the grass
One of the poorest shelters of all the earth is
the lark's nest. II she sings at all, you will
expect her to render the saddest OF threno.
dies. No, no. She slngs exultingly an hour
without a pause and mounting 5000 feet with,
out losing Il note.
Further, in, tho sky galleries there are
songs adapted 10 oil moods, The meadow
lark Ia mournful, and the goldfnch Joyous,
and the grosbeHk prolonged of note. But
the libretto OF mature is voluminous. Are
you sad? You can hear from the bowers the |
echo OF your grief. Are you glad2 You can
hear an echo OF your happiness. Are
you thoughtful? You can hear that
Nhioh "" PNhS0 lOu mtO utepef
profound. Are you weary? You
may catch q restful- an, 50 the songs of |
birds are administrative In all circumstances. |
IND we would do well to have q hymnology
for all changes Of condition. You may sing |
your woes into peace and rouse your Joys
into greater attitudes. Upon every condition |
OF body and soul let us try the power OF song.
The m~ultitudinous utterances OF grove and
orchard and garden and forest suggest most
delightful possibilities.
Some q the most deeply impressive songs |
We ever Sing are family songs. They have
come down from generation to generation. |
You were jung to sleep In your infancy and
childhood by songs that VIII sing In your soul
forever. Where was 1t, my brother my or sis
ter, that you heard the family song-on the
banks of the Ohio, or the Alabama, or
the Androscoggin, or the Connecticut,
or the Tweed, or the Thames, or the
Raritan2 That song at eventida. when you
were tired out-indeed too tired to sleep, |
and youicried with leg ache, and you were
rocked and sung to sleep-you hear 1t now,
the soft voice from sweet lips, she as tired,
perhaps more tired than you, but she rocked,
and you slumbered. Oh, those family songsi
M5theFs,| be careful what yop" sing your
ahiIANan fn a1oan xviAh q 7 81 IL ~ nnth{nu |