The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1897-10-08

terfering. In that church they stand,
the four, with opera glasses dangling
at their side. singing: Rock of Ages,
Cleft for Me-" with the same spirit
that, the night before on the stage.
they took their part in the Grand
DEchesse" or ''Don Giovanni"
My Christian friends, have we right
to delegate to others the discharge Of
this duty which God demands of us?
Suppose that four wood thrushes pro-
pose to do all the singing some bright
day, when the WOODS are ringing with
bird voice. 1t is decided that four
wood thrusfes shall do all the singing
of the forest. Let all other voices keep
silent. How beautifully the four war,
BILE. 1t is really fine music. But how
long will you keep the forest still?
Why, Christ would come into the for
est and look up, as He looked through
the olives and He would wave His hand
and say; Let everything that hath
breath praise the Lord;" and, keeping
time with the stroke of innumerable
wings, there would be 5000 bird
voices leaping into the harmony. Sup
pose this delegation of musical perform
ers were tried in Heaven; suppose
that four choice spirits should try to
do the singing of the upper temple.
Hush now! thrones and domlnions and
principalities. David, be still, though
you were the sweet singer of Israel.
Paul, keep quiet, though you have
come to that crown of rejoicing. Rich-
ard Baxter, keep still, though this is
the saints everlasting rest" Four
spirits now do all the singing. But
how long would Heaven be quiet? How
long? "Hallelujahp would cry some
glorifed Methodist from under the
altar. Praise the Lord!" would sing
the martyrs from among the thrones,
Thanks be unto God who giveth US
the victory" great multitude of re.
deemed spirits would cry-myriads of
voices coming into the harmony, and
the one hundred and forty and four
thousand breaking forth into one ac-
clamation. Stop that loud singing!
Stop! Oh, no; they can not hear me.
You might as well try to drown the
thunder of the sky, or beat back the
roar of the sea, for every soul in Heaven
has resolved to do its own singing.
Alas! that we should have tried on
earth that which they can not do in
Heaven, and, instead of joining all our
voices in the praise of the most high
God, delegating perhaps to unconse-
Grated men and women this most
solemn and most delightful service.
Music ought to rush from the au-
dience like the water from rock
clear, bright, sparkling. If all the
other part of the church service is dull,
do not have the music dull With so
many thrilling things to sing about,
away with drawing and stupidity
There is nothing makes me so nervous
as to sit in a pulpit and look off on an
audience with their eyes three -fourths
closed and their lips almost shut, num-
bling the praises of God. During
my recent absence l preached to a
large audience, and all the mu-
sic they made together did not
equal one skylark. People do not sleep
at a coronation. Do not let US sleep
when we come to Saviour's browning.
In order to a proper discharge of this
duty, let US stand up, save as age or
or fatigue excuses us. Seated
N an easy pew we can not do this duty
half SO well as when, upright, we
throw our whole body into it. Let our
song be like an reclamation of victory.
You have right to sing. Do not sur
render your prerogative:
We want to rouse all our families up
IN the subject. We want each family |
IF our congregation to be singing
school. Childish petulance, obduracy |
and intrac ia bility would be soothed if |
We had more singing in the household, |
md then our little ones would be pre-
pared for the great congregation |
IN Sabbath day, their voices |
uniting with our voices in the |
praises of the Lord. After a |
shower there are scores of streams |
hat come down the mountain side with |
yoices ripping and silvery, pouring |
nto one river, and then rolling in |
united strength to the sea. So would |
lave all the families in our church |
end forth the voice of prayer ana |
praise, pouring it into the great tide of |
public worship that rolls on and on to |
mpty into the great, wide heart of |
Tod. Never can we have our church /
ing as it ought until our families sing |
IS they ought.
There will be great revolution on
his subject in all our churches. God |
will come down by His spirit and rouse
Up the old hymns and tunes that have
lot been more than half awake since
he time of our grandfathers. The ST.
ent pews in the church Will break
orth into music, and when the con-
uctor takes his place on the Sabbath
ay there will be a great host of
oices rushing into the harmony. Ny
christian friends, if we have no taste
or this service on earth, what will we
o in Heaven, where they all sing. and
ing forever? l would that our sing
ng to-day might be like the Satur-
ay night rehearsal for the Sabbath
lorning in the skies and we might
egin now, by the strength and
y the help of God to discharge duty
7hich none of us has fully performed.
md now what more appropriate thing
an do than to give out the doxology
f the heavens: Unto Him who hath
0ved US, and washed US from our sins
a His own blood, to Him be glory for