The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-01-03
DAVENP0RT'S NEW PASTOR
REV. MR. PRENTISS PREACHED 10
his People YESTERDAY.

His Text Was From Luke, Describing the
Appearance of the Heavenly Hosts
Praising God-The Special Theme Was
"The Music of the Gospel Dispensation"
reception by Sunday School to Pastor.
The Rev. George Foster Prentiss,
the new pastor of Davenport church.
was greeted by a large congrega-
ton yesterday morning. 1t was
the pastors first sermon and the
effort met with warm recep-
ton among the people of the church
During the services three new members
were taken into the church on profess
sion of faith. In the afternoon the pas
tor was given reception by the Sum
day school, Mr. Prentiss' sermon was
as follows:
Luke Ii. IS and IA. And suddenly
there was with the angel a multitude Of
the heavenly host praising God, and
saying "Glory to GOD in the highest;
and on earth peace among men in
whom He is well pleased"
Gospel Dispensation.'
Beginning with the advent the music
of the church has been continually
changing. The rude, discordant melody
of the unregenerate worship of the an
Client with whom noise counted for fidel-
ity, has gradually lost it's power and
prestige, until in this golden age of gospel
sweetness and concord rise supreme.
And this is a direct result of the adj
vent. The Prince of Peace never
brooled discord. There was not dis
cordant note in his whole person. The
lack of harmony about His pilgrimage
He did not suffer to disturb the tran
utility Of life perfectly proportionate.
And this evolution in worship began at
once The startling echoes of the an
nouncement had scarcely died away,
before suddenly with the messenger
gathered there the multitude of the &C.
1estial singers. And we may suppose that
what was there sung was sort OF ideal
setting of our ''Gloria in EXcelsis." 1t
must have had the breath of heavens
love in it. 1t had earth's coming joy
certainly. The harmonies must have
been made from the commingling of the
two. Earth did not preserve the copy
Of that wonderful chorus But methinks
that in the passage of the years, as
men have come to know the spirit of the
Christ, they have discovered little by
little the bewitohing beauty of the an
gels anthem. And may we not sup
pose that, when the spirit of the Christ
shall have done it's work for the world
Of need and discord, the very same
~, Il, rybf oL 1al,a
heard, the whole tranquilized world
will hear?
A world redeemed cannot help sing
ing. And it is no difficult matter to
trace the progress of music identically
with the progress of the gospel If
you doubt the fact, go into one of the
heather temples In our own land Ca
Chinese joss-house, for instancel; listen
to what is miscalled music. Then enter
with me one of the Christian temples,
1jsten~to the organ, divine instrument,
and the voices of the choir. wherein
lips not only, but hearts. have been
touched with harmony, let the music
Of the gospel lift you
''Hark! bark, my soull Angelic songs are
swelling
Ger earth's green fields and oceans wave.
It beat shore:
How sweet the truth those blessed strains
are telling
more.
Onward we go, for still we hear them sing
Come, weary souls! for Jesus bids you
comet
And through the dark its echoes sweety
The music Of the gospel leads us home.
Far, far away. like bells at evening pealng
The voice of Jesus sounds Ger land and
And laden souls, by thousands meekly steal
ing;
Kind shepherd. turn their weary steps tt
thee"
Will you tell me the difference be-
tween the two kinds of music? Car
you tell me truly, unless you give the
gospel the credit for the transforma.
ton? And just so far as souls are
transformed by the renewing spirit is
there the concord and harmony which
makes true music possible. Now an6
then such men as Faber, Newman OIL
Brooks catch glimpses Of the kingdom
and breathe the perfected beauty of the
advent revelation. We catch something
of their vision when we hear Faber's
'Hark Hank my SOUL" or Newman's
LEAD Kindly Light" or Brooks 90
Little Town of Bethlehem"
Our best musical settings have beer
inspired by the gospel note. The words
that move us most are either angel.
words, or words from the minds of mer
with angelic hearts.
"Glory be to God on high, and or
earth peace 1--WE praise Thee, oh God
we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord,
ssThe Benedictus,' and the "Nunc Dim
titus" Lord now Iettest Thou Thy
servant depart in peace according tt
Thy word" as though with the comine
OF the Messiah all things were accom-
plished And those who have not hat
the poetic fire in their hearts, but hav,
felt the power of sweet sound to b,
moving them, have sometimes beer
1oath to trust the holy power to thu
companionship of mans words, an(
have used only the words of the hol,
scripture. I think 1t was Handel wht
was petitioned for the privileges t.
compose the words to one of his grea
oratorios, 1.-THE Messiah" shall l no
say his greatest oratorio? He refused
declaring that he had words that hu
manity knew nothing about. Indeed