The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-10-12

prominent characteristic ought to bs
adaptiveness to devotion. Music that
may be appropriate for concert hall,
or the opera house, or the drawing
room, may be Inappropriate in church.
Glees, madrigals, ballads, may be a.
innocent as psalms in their places. But
church music has only one design, and
that is devotion, and that which comes
with the toss, the swing and the display
OF an opera house is hindrance to tho
worship. From such performances We
go away saying: "What splendid execu-
tion! Did you ever hear such q soprano?
Which of those solos did you like the
better?" When, if we had been rightly
wrought upon, we would have gone
away saying: "Oh, how my soul was
lifted up in the presence Of God while
they were singing that first hymn! I
never had such rapturous views Of
Jesus Christ as my Saviour as when they
were singing that last doxology.n
My friend, thereis an everlasting dis
tinction between music as an art and
music as help to devotion. Thoughts .
Schumann composed it, though Mo-
zart played it, though Sontag sang it,
away with it if it does not make the
heart better and honor Christ. why
should we rob the programmes Of
worldly gayety when we have so many
appropriate songs and tunes composed
in our own day, as well as that mag
nificent inheritance of church psalm
ody which has come down fragrant
with the devotions of other genera
tions-tunes no more worn out than
they were when our great-grandfa-
theirs climbed up to them from the
church pew to glory? Dear old souls,
how they used to sing! When they
were cheerful, our grandfathers and
grandmothers used to sing "Colches-
ter" When they were very medita-
tive, then the boarded meeting house
rang with South Street" and ST. Ed
mund's." Were they struck through
with great tenderness, they sang
Woodstock" Were they wrapped in
visions of the glory of the church, they
sang ''Zion." Were they overborne with
the love and glory Of Christ, they sang
"Arich." And in those days there were
certain tunes married to certain hymns.
and they have lived in peace great
while, these two old people, and we
have no right to divorce them. "What
God hath joined together let no man
put asunder." Born as we have been.
amid this great wealth Of church mu-
sic, augmented by the compositions OF
artists in our day, we ought not to be
tempted out of the sphere of Christian
harmony and try to seek unconsecrated
sounds. 1t is absurd for a millionaire
to steal. All. -. Eg3 5
| / remark, also, that correctness ought
to be characteristic of church music.
While we all ought to take part in this
service, with perhaps few exceptions,
we ought at the same time to cultivate
ourselves in this sacerd art. God loves
harmony, and we ought to love 1t.
There is no devotion in howl or .
yelp. In this day, when there are SO
many opportunities of high culture in
this sacred art, declare that those
parents are guilty of neglect who let
their sons and daughters grow up
knowing nothing about music. In
some Of the European cathedrals the
choir assemblies every morning and
every afternoon of every day the whole
year to perfect themselves in this art,
and shall we begrudge the half hour we
spend Friday nights in the rehearsal
of sacred song for the Sabbath?
Another characteristic must be spirit
and life. Music ought to rush from the
audience like the water from rock
clear, bright, sparkling. If all the other
part of the church service is dull, do not
have the music dull. With SO many
thrilling things to sing about, away
with all drawing and stupidity. There
is nothing that makes me SO nervous
as to sit in pulpit and look off on an
audience with their eyes three-fourths
closed, and their lips almost shut,
mumbling the praises of God. During
one of my journeys preached to an
audience of 1000 or 5000 people, antl
all the music they made together did
not equal one skylark! People do not
sleep at coronation; do not let ua
sleep when we come to q Saviour
crowning.
In order to proper discharge of this
duty, let us stand up, save as age OF
weakness or fatigue excuses u.s. Seated
in an easy pew we cannot do this duty
half so well as when upright we throw
our whole body into it. Let our song be
like an acclamation of victory. You
, have a right to sing-do not surrender
: your prerogative. II in the performs
ance of your duty, or the attempt at IT
, YOU should lose your place in the mn,
| sical scale and be one C below when yot
ought to be one c above, or You should
come in half bar behind. we will ex
S cuse you! StiA. it is better to do as Pau
E says and sing with the spirit and TIL
t understanding ALSO"
l want to rouse you to an unanimity
a in Christian song that has never We
l been exhibited. Come, now; clear YOU
0 throats and get ready for this duty.
Il never shall forget hearing Frenchma1
e sing the "Marseillaise" on the Champ
e Elysees, Paris, just before the battle o