Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-03-15

sweep of their wings on mission inter-
constellation. Some of the crumbs q
that angels food fall all around our
wilderness camp today, and we feel like
crying with Paul, "Oh, the depth Of
the riches, both Of the wisdom and
knowledge of God" or with expiring
Stephen, Lord Jesus, receive my spir-
itW or with many an enraptured soul;
None but Christi None but Christ"
Pass around this angels food Carry it
through all these aisles. Climb with it
through all these galleries. Take it
among all the novels as we'll as among
all the palaces Of the great town. Give
all nations a taste Of this angels food.
Celestial Music.
Now, in the emerald palace of heav-
ell let the cupbearers and servants OF
the king remove this course from the
banquet and bring on another course OF
angels food, which is celestial music
You and | have seen at some concert
or oratorio a whole assemblage to whom
the music was feast. Never anything
that they took in at the lips Of the
mouth was so delightful to their taste
as that which they took in at the lips OF
the ear. have seen and you have seen
people actually intoxicated with sweet
sounds. OratOrios which are always too
protracted for those Of US who have not
had our faculties cultivated in that d.
rection were never long enough for
them. As at II o'clock at night the
leader of the orchestra gave the three
taps of his baton to again start the mu-
sic they were as fresh and alert as
when three hours before and at O'Clock
the curtain first lifted. Music to them
is food for body, food for mind and
food for soul. From what read in my
Bible think celestialized music will
make up large part Of angels food.
Why do | say "celestialized music?
Because though music may have been
born in heaven it had not all its charms
until it came to earth and took a bap-
tism of tears Since then it has had
pathos and tenderness that 1t could
not otherwise have possessed. lt had to
pass under the shadows and over stormy
seas and weep at sepulchers and to be
hummed as lullaby over the cradle OF
sick children before it could mount to
its present attitudes Of heavenly power
No organ Oh earth would be complete
without the stop 'tremolo" and the
stop "vox humana." And no music OF
heaven would be complete without the
"tremolo" of earthly sorrow comforted
and the "vox humana" of earthly SYM
pathies glorifed. Just take up the New
Testament and find it a notebook Of ce-
lestialized music
1t says Jesus sang hymn before he
went &c the Mount Of Olives, and If be
could sing OH earth with Bethlehem hu-
initiation close behind him, and sworn
enemies close on both sides Of him, and
the torments of Golgotha just before
him, do you not suppose he sings IN
heaven? Paul and Silas sang in mid
night dungeon, and do you not suppose
that now they sing Oh the delectable
SUBMITS? What do harps and trumpets
and choirs of revelation suggest If not
music? What would the millions of
good singers and players upon instru-
ments who took part in earthly worship
do in heaven without music? Why, the
mansions ring with it. The great halls
of eternity echo with it. The worship
of unnumbered hosts is inwrapped with
it. 1t will be the only art Of earth that
will have enough elasticity and strength
to leap the grave and take possession
of heaven.
The Highest Art.
Sculpture will halt this side the grave
because il chiefly commentaries the
forms Of those who in heaven will be
reconstructed, and what would we want
of the sculptured imitation when we
stand in the presence of the resurrected
original? Painting will halt this side
the grave because the colors Of earth
would be too tame for heaven, and
what use to have pictured on canvas the
scenes which shall be described to US by
those who were the participants One
of the disciples will tell Us about the
Last Supper" better than Titan with
mighty touch set up in art gallery.
The plainest saint by tongue will de-
scribe the Last Judgment" better
than Michael Angelo with his pencil
put it upon the ceiling Of the Vatican.
Architecture will halt this side the
grave, for what use would there be for
architects compass and design IN that
city which is already built and garnish'
ed until nothing can be added! All the
Tuileries and Windsor castles and st.
Clouds of the earth piled up not equal
ing its humblest residences; all the st.
Pauls and st. Peters and st. lzaaks
and st. Sophias of the earth built into
one cathedral not equaling the heavenly
temple.
But music will pass right on. right
up and right in, and millions in heaven
will acknowledge that, under God, she
was the chief cause of their salvation.
Oh. | would like to be present when all
the great Christian singers and the great
Christian players of all the ages shall
oongregate in heaven. OF course they
must like all the rest Of us, be cleansed
and ransomed by the blood Of the slain
Lamb. Alas, that some of the great art
lists of sweet sound have been as distin-
guished for profigacy as for the way
they warbled or sang or fingered the
keyboard or trod the organ pedal Some
who have been distinguished bassos and
sopranos and prima donnas on earth, l
feel, will never sing the song Of Moses
and the Lamb. or put the lip to the
trumpet with sounds Of victory before
the throne. But many Of the masters
who charmed us on earth will more
nightly charm us in heaven. Great
music hall of eternityl May you and /
be there some day to acclaim when the
"Halleluiah Chorus" is wakened. AS
on earth there have been harmonies
made up Of other harmonies, strain OK
music from this cantata, and strain
of music from that overture and bar
from this and bar from that, but one
great tune OF theme, into which all the
others were poured as rivers into sea,
so it may be given TO the mightiest soul
| i'm the heavenly world to gather some