Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1897-10-02
REV. DR.. flLEAGB.
The Eminent Washiagssl Divils's
sunday Sernsa.
Sacred Music. Its rsnvorfsnce. Power and
Influence In the Csnse of Chrtstisn-
ify-A Singing Chsrch is Success
fui Church-Obstsci>s 20 Overcome.

make one sound 20 be heart in praislng
and thanking the Lord. Chronicles ",
-.
The temple was done. II vas the very
chorus Of ALI magnincence and pomp.
Spleador crowded against Spendor. IL was
the diamond necklace OF The earth. From
the huge pillars crowned with leaves and
flowers and rows OF 2omegraaase wrought
out in Furnished metal down even 20 the
tongs and snurers made ont % pure gold.
everything was as complete A. the God di-
rectrd architect could make H. II seemed /
a II n vision from heaven bad alighted on i
the mountains. The day Tor denication /
came. Tradition says that there we're in !
and around about the temple On that dav /
200 900 silver trumpets. 40. 0o0 harps. 40 900 ]
timbrels and 200. 900 singers. so that all !
modern demonstrations ~ Dusseldorf or
Boston seem nothing COMPARED with that-
A. this great sound surgei up amid the
precious stones 81 the temple IL must
have seemed Ike the river oi life dashing
against the amethyst OF the vail ~ heaven.
The sound arose. and God. es m 90 show
that He was we'll pleased with the musio
which His children make fn all ages,
dropped into the midst OF the temple a
sloud OF glory 20 over1owcring that the
oficiating priests were obliged 20 stop IN
. the midst OF the services.
There has been much discussion az %
where music was born. think that az the
beginning. when the morninc stars sang
together and all the sons oi God shouted
cloud on which tho angels stood 10 cele-
hrate the creation was the birthplace OF
cong. The starr that glitter az night are
only so many keys OF celestial pearl on
which Gods nneers play the music OF the
spheres. Inaaimate nature II fgl Of Gods
stringed and wind instruments. silence
itself-perfect sience-is only a musical
rest in Gods great anthem q worship.
Wind among the leaves. insect hummtng in
the summer air. the rush of bllow upon
beach the ocean far out sounding its ever
lasting psalm. the bobolink on the edge ot
.he forest. the quail whistling mp from the
/ grass are music. While visiting BlagS we'll =
Island / heard coming from window q
the lunatic asylum. very sweet song. IL
was sung by one who had lost her reason.
aud have come 70 believe that even the
deranged and disordered elements Of na-
ture would make music 10 oar ears II We
only had acuteness cnoaci % listen. l
= suppose that even the sdNeas IN nature
that are discordant and repulsive maze
: harmony In Gods ear. You know that you
= NAV come 50 near 10 an orchestra that the
; sounds are painful instead OF pleasurable
p and think that we stand so near devastat
ing storm and frightful whirlwind we can
u not hear that which makes 10 Gods Ear An,
{ the ear Of the spirits above Us music a
l. complete a. II l. tremendous.
propose 10 speak about sacred music
l. first showing you It's Importance ana the
T stating some OF the obstacles 10 its advance
e ment.
- draw the first argument for the impor
tance OF sacred music from the fact tha
God commanded IL. Through Paul he tell
Us TO admOnish one another IN psalms an
hymns and spiritual songs. Through d avi
h cries out. sing We 20 God. all ye kine
dOms OF the EARTH Aud there are huT
Il dreds % other passages mignt name, pro-
-. ing that it i as much "A mans duty 20 sin
"a as il l. his duty 20 pray. Indeed ] thin
p. there are more commands IN the Bible
nj sing than there are TO pray. God not on
IN, asks FOR the human volee. but for the II
struments OF music. He asks for the cyn
~ bal and the harpfand the trumpet. Aud
81 suppose that in the last days OF the chur'
Iv The harp. the fute. the trumpet and all q
instruments of music that have given the
81 ! chief aid 20 the theater and baccbanal. "
re / be brought by their masters and laid dOy
,.h az the feet OF Christ and then sounded
49,, the church's triumph on her wav from 81
ferinc into glory. Praise We the Lord
ale Praise Him with your voices Praise II
with stringed instruments and with
gGns
= draw another argument for the impo
ance Of this exercise from the impresSi'
ness Of the exercise. You know somethi
Of what secular music has achieved \
- know 10 has made its impression upon e
ernments, upon laws. upon literature, uT
whole generations. One neinspiring natio
air IL worth 80 600 men as a standing arr
There comes time in the battle when
bugie is worth lOoc muskets- In the ear
posed 10 economic in bands OF music.
many OF them were sent home. but the z
erals in the army sent word TO Washingi
''You are making "A very great mistake.
are falling back and falling back We
not enough music" l have to tell you
no nation or church can AFFORD 10 seve
economize in music.
Why should we rob the programme
worldly gayety when we have so many
A propriate songs and tunes composed in
own day. as well as that II agnifcent In
itance OF church psalmody which has c
down fragrant with the devotions OF o
cenerations-tunes no more worn out
when our greatgrandfathers climbed u
them from the church pew to glory?
old souls, how they used TO sing An
those days there were certain tunes
rfed 70 certain hymn and they have 1
IL in peace q great while. these two old
y. pie, and we have no r;ghs TO divorce n
Born as we have been amid this <
-on wealth OF church music. augmented by
tOD compositions OF artists in our day, we OF
FRS not to be tempted out OF the spher
Christian harmony and try 10 seek un
IAL sscrated sounds. IL II absurd for . mil
aire to steal
Many Of you are Illustrations OF VII
sacred song can DO. Through il you
broug ght into the kingdom Of Jesus CT