The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1898-01-25


the words were arranged by Mr.. Sankey.
The words of the song in question begin
s'I'ye Found Friend In Jesus" written
on the words 81 am the Rose of Sharon
and the Lily OF the Valley" Now
these words a-e said to be ir-
reverent. Is it irreyerent to say
GIVE found a friend in Jesus?' VIII
son g one show The tune was composed,
] believe, by G. w. Fly. Do not all we'll
Informed people know that manv OF the
best hymn tunes were once set TO songs?
You can never pollute music. If there is
but ore thing on earth immaculate, that
thing is music. You may associate 1t
with the impure, but you can never make
it partake of the impure. And az to the
"rule (of which he speaks) Of infiicting
upon the pupils of the Sunday school the
veriest trash" know Of no such rule in
the Methodist Church, South, or any
other church. will admit that 1t il an
exception. There are Sunday schools In
which are sung such music as That to
which reference is here made, but it is
not the rule.
am prepared to say that our church
not only makes provision for. public wor-
ship, but for all other services. If our
critic will, he can find on examination
that our hymns and music are credit to
"the history, and genius Of Methodism,
or any other church. But suppose you
find in a Sunday school a book in which
there are songs of the class you cannot
use. There may he some songs in 1t that
are good-use them land such mag be
found in almost all the books.
The writer further says that in Sun
day school the children were made TO sing
81 have left the path of sin that long
have wandered in" lie seems to think it
ridiculous that children should tie taught
suck hymns, Do 've not all know that in
divine worship that everything that is
said and sung will not apply to some.
Must..that number withhold their assist
ance because they feel such and such
things do not apply TO them: Not at all.
There way be class of persons in a Sun
day school to whom these words are ap-
plicable. Sing them for their benefit.
Our children sing national songs. No one
objects to that and they are taught to sing
1--WE fought aud won our indepe ndence."
when they never saw battle and it was
accomplished before our parents were
born.
The writer goes on to say "that the
trouble Is that the Sunday school music
is machine made-it is ground out to
meet the demand" 1t Is distressing, if
trne, that such is the state Of affairs.
Now IL the demand cannot 6e supplied in
better wav,is it not fortunate that even
this can be done? But We are compelled
from the circumstances in the case to
differ with the gentleman on that point.
Many of our best singing books for Sun
day schools are composed of selections
made by com petent committees of musl"
and words of suitable character.
He goes on still to say that "the songs
in the Epworth and similar collections
are not quite So bad, but they are still
far from being satisfactory" 1t is graf
flying to see that he has found an eXcep-
ton to the rule. AS to the fact that
"they are far from being satisfactory, 2"
is not surprising. The Washington. Post
is far from being satisfactory as news
paper to its editor unless he is knave or
a fool. neither one of which will admit
and Instantly deny in defense of the &C.
cupant of that Office on that paper. He
will admit that it is not su good news
paper as he would like to see it. and that
he is far from being perfect.editor.
The most unkind thing in the article Is
what was said of those to whom the work
of compiling and arranging the Sunday
| school singing books was committed. W. Ii
was said of them, "but it would seem
| that those upon whom the respons' hility
of selection rests are either ignorant or in
different" OF course this refers to all
classes of Sunday school music. have
never heard such charge before made
against these men. Now is it possible
that any one man on the face of the earth
| has had time enough to examine all the
music books of this class: And even il
he had time to get them all in his hands
and turn over each leaf at a time. and eX-
am inc each hymn and tune, could he then
| know enough about all the hooks to make
| such n SWeeDinp charge as that? Gould
any man do such thing: And if one