Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-08
THEIR WORK FOR RELIGION.
Musicians, Painters and Scu.pfOrs
Have GIOrifed Christ In Song, on
Canvas md In Stone.

Rev. DR.. S. A. Northrop preached last
night at the First Baptist church on Art
lists and Christianity"
Il have a delightful task Tonight he
said. Tin presenting to you the names and
testimonies of musicians, painters and
sculptors, under the general head OF art
lists who have Sloritied the Christ in song,
On canvas, and in stone. And, by the way.
have you ever noticed how utterly barren
OF music and psalmody are the cold realms
OF unbelief? No soul-stirring carols or
faith, but tuneless and silent the harp in
the cherries halls of infidclity. Let ME
suggest one hymn for the unbelieVer.
Let the English agnostic's creed, once or
dered to be carved as an epitaph on a mar
i died-and am not be the words of that
hymn. Some poor, disguised mortal, stand
irg on a suicidal grave, may be found 10
furnish the music. If a dirge could be writ
ten. keyed to the minor, sad enough to eN-
press the hopeless wall, there would be at
least one written hymn that skeptics might
a different song. They caught the keynote
at the birth of Ghristsia aa yybs and 1iit they Se haYs
here among the advocates OF Christ, as
very God. the masters of the worlds mu-
sic: Handel. Haydn, Zach niSI'' Wng z
and artists OF later time. Their majestic
olptorios have rung the hopeful changes OF
Il WOTlu ) ItuGiIlDliOll IiobSh NH>
fed and risen Son of God. To them CHRIST
was not only divine, but Deity Himself;
"Ir the line of painting. while many nave
eXgoCuded the sweet Gospel story IN song,
scores nave beautitied it in pictures. A
sceptical Raphael. a doubtful Angelo. or a
G,sbelievins Rubens are not conceivaoie.
Who can find a faint of liberalism IN the
works of Titan, Corregio, Hunt, Dore, Mil.
let, Allston, West, Story and Munkacsy:
So the noblest art has always been deeply
religious. So the great masters have caught
flai1. highest ideals at the 1901 OIL the
Gross! With a genius, born of heaven, they
have thrown on canvas ana cut IN stone
that which is immortal. l challenge or TINS
sacred platform. and from the printing
press, a man of the world to name among
the artists of Christendomo one intidel. Chris
tianity has been the birthplace, OF art; In
der her wings she has thrived and lived
Christianity has patroniZed more art than
any other religion. Ask Buddha, ask Mo-
artists? Pantheism. where is your artist?
Liberalism, where is yours? Church OF the
world. where is yours? 1 defy you to
name one!
Take out of the universe all the pic
lures, all the engravings, all the statuary
and all the music that represents some
Christian thought or ideal: burn all the
cratorios and all the songs that derive sub
Unity from Christian inspiration, and what
have you left? Take YOU pencil and spend
one long night. If you can, scratching
Christianity out of our literature and what
remains? Eliminate it from Shakespeare
and it falls in pieces as the worlds great
est drama.
Take out of poetry and out of states
manship the name of Christ and the fabric
OF sentiment and of civil government falls.
The piece OF money you carry in your pock-
et has the name of Christ upon it! You
6ate your letter, both Jew and Gentle, In
recognition of Christ. Proclamations of
kings, presidents, governors and edicts of
courts must put the date ammo domini.
Young men beware how you follow the
will-o'-the-wisps of unbelief. They will
lane you in the dark and lead you out on
the brink of a precipice and cast you into
the depths of despair and death forever.
Put your feet on the rock, Stand where
your mother stood! Bow down to her
Savior and all will be well!"