The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1898-02-15
WRAF / LIKE BEST IN CHURCH
MUSIC.
A Paper Read by Or. Howard Van.
Antwerp Before Mems Social
Club.

There are two views TO this subject
Objectionable music and non-objection-
able. If you remember the time the
cats fought to finish in the cellar
or when the dogs got up a Sunday
scrap in the side yard; or the night
the coon band discoursed its melan-
choly dlscords, 'endurin' our services ;
or the Sunday mornings we have
listened to the musical swat-swat of
our neighbours cook beating biscuit
and felt the board-feeling, because
company was present; you are suf-
ficiently reminded of some of the mu-
sic that none of us like.
If you had tramped eight miles
through the mud with me to certain
Easter service one attended down in
Whitley county, on the Cumberland
River, and looked over the congrega-
ton and seen the nineteen mothers
with infants in arms, you would have
seen the Objectionable source of all
kinds of vocal solos; and sometimes
stimulated by synchronous attacks of
eczema or simultaneous cholic, the
solo would swell into trio or quartet
and gathering head-or, rather lung
way, would burst into grand tu-
multuous chorus, only to be subdued
by the "mik of human Kindness"
administered on the spot You've
all heard the quotation, "music hath
charms to soothe the savage breast"
but on that beautiful Easter morning
it took the savage breast to soothe the
music.
Then there is another kind of music
that we often hear, in the other
churches of course; and that is the
music of the Tyre. The chin music of
the man or woman, (excusing her alb
sence) who says eve have fellowship
with Him" and whom we know "walk
in darkness" These are they whom
the Lord calls liars.
But, briefly to the music we like.
We, the deacons and the treasurer, DO
like to hear at church on a. Sunday
morning, just before the sermon, q
certain little silvery tune made up of
"quarter, half andfwhole tones" with
a few extra "notes" thrown in to
soften the harmony. We never get
tired of this tune and it has such
soothing satisfaction about it that we
can then sit back in comfort and con-
tent and 60 to sleep over "the kind of
sermon I like to hear"
Seriously, / like to hear just about
the music in church that we have had
in times past. The bright, catchy,
joyous Sunday School music, specially
for and adapted to the children; the
grand old hymnal with its DoTology
and Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty,
for the more formal morning service
the familiar Gospel Hymns, present.
ing Christ as our only Savior, for the
more popular and evangelistic evening
service; and for the social prayer
service, the family favorites, HYMNS
dear to us from past associations,
hymns expressing our joy in His ser.
vice and our desire to live nearer t
Him, or as some one has said, "prayers
set to music" II you think of it, we
have different kinds of songs for each
of the services, best adapted 10 where
they are used wholly out of place if
changed around.
l am sorry to say that it is useless
to speak of musical "extras" in the
way of vocal and instrumental work,
as at present the musical outlook in
our little church is far from attractive.
We, each one of us,must sing heartily,
as unto the Lord and make the most
of our congregational singing, which
after all, is the best music we can have
in the church.