Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-04-23
FROsTBURG, Md, SATURDAY, APRIL %, 1898.

| rainbow. Its idCnt-bcarng god controlled
old Ocean, and while sporting Ncrci,l> gam
| boiled upon the yellow -Sanded shores, the
voices of Music are represented as heard
from The flashing waves.
Even Iniidclity has acknowledged its
| power Not content with assuming to itself
all the panoply of science, mingling its
d"gmas with the voice of history, poisoning
the fountains of literature, spreading its
| lures for the feet of the aged stealing with
velvet tread into the chambers of youth and
innocence, it has blended its notes in the
measures of poetry and chantcd its BIAS
| phemies in the witchcrv of the image y
said by one, to ''sing with golden tongue"
But its noblest employment is seen in the
mighty aid it renders Christianity The
plan of redemption was heralded in song
| upon the moonlt hills of ,Judea and no dav
since has passed wherein the Gospel has not
borrowed it as an angel of beSsedneSs to as
Sist i'll the achievement of its triumphS
Paul and Silas, singers as well as Apostles
as Roman captives in Caesars iails made
converts in Caesars household Tradition
tells that the royal family were attracted and
cnthrallcd by the songs of praise which,
morning and evening, filled and overtowcd
the prison walls. 'Surely,' thought they
there is a freedom which no captivity can
restrain there is Il liberty which no bondage
can limit" And straightway there were
those who accepted the peace which came
upon the wings of sweet. persuasive melody
To the dignity of musical art the Scriptures
| 1,.,,, ,1,,t l.. 81
it plays an essential part. and in the ante
Christian era its power was attcStcd in the
cNorcism of the evil spirit from ill-tcmpercd
Saul, and no less So when the favor of Deity
was manifested to Elisha in the Sublimest
prophetic inspiration.
To-day it challenges the admiration of the
scientist dead, comparatively to emotional
impulse. As Il mathematician he discovers
i'll every sound introduced into the scale the
multiple or divSor ofthe standard measure
He finds that Time is to Music what Space is
to Architecture, and that the relations and
proportions thus established make the reign
of sound under their auspices the lofticst
pleasure which blcsScS human intelligence
"ln a apre-cmincnt manner he may well say
-luNlN anu tNHltttl lIlt sweetest
and highest emotions by an inviolablc ar
| rangemcnt of mathcmatc, syllable cNprcS-
sion His survey of its scope may rise to
the Platonlc cmpyrcan where, with intinity
of revolution as the unit of all measure, its
ahquant rhythm rules the articulation of the
dynamic forces of Cosmos into melodies in
tcrpretcd by the gods as the music of the
spheres
1t Is not Il little remarkable, in this con-
nection, to observe how objects entirely dis
similar in substance and office are seem
ingly dominated by the same laws To the
profound student it is known that in the al
formations of labor and rcpoSc the brain of
man and the solar system rcvolvc together
the pcriodiciticS of mental activity and
a>tronomic cycles proceeding seemingly re-
sponsive to the same impulse To Il law
which thus pcrvadcS the Universe Music is
not an exception. Warm and glowing. as it
is, with the elements of the highest life, it is
indebted to the cold, unemotional lhcorcms
OF the lottieSt of all systems of logic for the
best development Of its Worldwide, cntranc-
ing power.
III WV li'N VI llS llllllli"TS ltttFN
agrees with this rhythmital adjuStmcnt-a
conSonance in which is discovered the prime
reason why it gives more pleasure than
prose,
This beautiful science should command
more attention than it receives. As stated
i'll the outset, it is of all our pleasures the
most intellectual. 1t is enioycd by all
classes, i'll all places, ut all times. So SwcctIy
does it paint to the ear, So richly docs it
master the emotions which dwell in every
breast that it becomes to man in every con-
dlti"n the interpreter of his own hidden in
dividuality. 1t floats around the cradle in
the soothing numbers of a lullaby. bcguIing
infancy to ElySian dreams; perfumes like
the mu>kwind, the dancing rippc> of child
hood cheers the footsteps of toll publishes
its Immortality in the lingering submarine
symphonies of the Sea-Shell ditfuScS the
balm of Paradise over the crushed spirit,
and uShers the worShipping assembly into
Shekina Far above all, i, is crowned with
halo borrowed from the light of Il scraph'S
smile when we remember that it is the only
one thing Of earth for which the saints will
have Use in Heaven.