Birmingham state herald., 1896-07-25

persensuous of all the arts; the most sensuous because it so easily affects the nervous system; the most supersensuous because it belongs only to the realm Of spirits. It is kind of Jacobs ladder, down which the angels of God have de- scended to man and up which man has ascended to God.'
 Mrs. Rivers then went back to the man primeval and followed the history of mu- sic along the misty paths of the past up to the present time. Her paper show ed the widest and most careful research and was instructive in the extreme. She began with the legends and dance songs of the music loving Hindoos. to whom we are indebted for one of our sweetest musical instruments, the modern violin. The Hindoos and the Greeks attributed the origon of music to the gods; not so the Egyptians. They considered it the strongest spell employed by the powers of darkness.
 Mrs. Rivers spoke of the universal love of music among the ancient peoples and the strange aptitude each possessed for the cultivation of this art. "The He- brews cared most for poetry, the Greeks for sculpture, the Romans for warare, but all united in praising their gods in music.'
 The Italian music of the Renaissance period and of modern times, the music of the Vivacious Ffenchman and the rythmical melody of the German were all discussed and criticised.
 Mrs. Rivers then took up our American music She asserted that we owe all our folk songs" to the negro and the Indian. They derive them from four sources: Q The tunes caught about the Canadian lagoons; @ the Scotch reels; (0 the French opera songs heard about New Orleans, and (D those purely Afri- can in origin. Music is the art universal, which unites all men, irresponsive of col or, race and condition into one brother hood. As for song in Dixie, there is only one immortal composition that the south can lay claim to-John Howard PayneS Home. Sweet Home," and that was written abroad. The reason why such is the condition is this: The genius of mu- eical composition is masculine and here in the south how few of our boys know anything whatever of the technique of music?
 She spoke, too in a charmingly sensi- ble way of how many girls here pursue this sublime art so frivolously, and made an earnest plea against "dilettantism In music.
 At 8 D. m. Grambs' orchestra played the following selections; Capitol City Post" "Mikado," King Cotton" and All Around the City" It is the unanimous vote of the Chautauquans that these or chestral concerts grow better each day.
 At S:30 Rev s. R. Belk of Rome, Ga, was introduced and delivered his lec- ture, "The Crest of the Continent Rev. Mir Belk is an eloquent orator and by his lecture here last night made quite faVora ble- impression. He is patriotic to the hearts core and possesses keen sense of humor. He declared that America Is the pivot upon which turns the worlds civilization. As goes the west so goes America; as goes America goes the world. It is no optimistical il- fusion when I declare to you that the re- sources of America well developed would hal 10 nf ilized world. We of the nineteenth cen- tury stand upon the Gibraltar of oppor- tunity. From the pyramid top of oppor- tunity we look down upon forty centu- ries."
 He drew a graphic picture of that great force in the west, the cowboy. "The cowboy is a genius of his own. He is kind, earnest, polite and always courte- ous to women." The tramp, the product of the westward rush. was also duly con- sidered The lecture throughout was en- livened with humorous sketches and well drawn caricatures. In speaking of go- ing west to investigate MT. Belk said: There are some things you can't find out by investigation-for instance, the top end of the north pole, who knocked out. Billy Patterson or the other end Of a womans talking apparatus"
 That other important factor in the civ ilization of the far west, Johnny China man, was considered. MT Belk's contrast between the American and Chinese glrl was quite felicitous. 'The American girl cultivates her waist places and lets her feet run wild; the Chinese girl culti- yates her feet and lets her waist places run wild"
 The descriptions of the grave of that divine singer and worker Helen Kent Jackson, and of the ascent of Pike's Peak were exceedingly interesting.
 MT. Belk insisted that the great prob lem before the west today is: How shall we Americanize the tide of foreign immigration steadily rolling upon our shores?" Upon the correct solution of this question depends the future welfare of all our people,
 Although firmly believing that west ward the course of empire takes it's way" MT. Belk's parting advice to young men was: Stay at home and make your own country the paradise of God"
 On Friday at 8:30 a. m. the Chautauqua Literary Social circle held an important and interesting meeting.
 At 10 a. m. Prof. c. l.. McCartha de- livered his fourth lecture on Bible histo- ry. The Exile Period" was the subject for discussion.
 Only few days remain now until the close of this years assembly. The fol- lowing is the programme for Sunday, the last day:
 10 a. m.-Service of Song.
 II a. m.-Sermon by Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage of Washington, D. c.
 D. m.-Sacred concert.
 5 D. m.-Lecture, "The Lost Tribes Prof. c. l.. McCartha.
 7p. m.-Chautauqua vesper service.
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