New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-16
SURPLICED METHODIST CHOIRS.
THE

years later there eame storm which rent the
Chureh asunder Brunswick Chapel in Leeds, got
an organ without consent The question of
liturgy also came into the controversy which
sued and which occupied nearly all the time OF the
Conference of 1925 The result was secession of
1000 members and three times many attendants
and the Organization OF a Society Protestant
MISUNDERSTANDING protest being directed against
organs and liturgies. In City Road Chanel over
which Charles Wesley. who was artistic his
musical tastes settled minister for some years.
there was organ late s 1873 Up to 1850.
however, there was the customary parish band,
composed of bass viol (violoncellol, double bass,
flute and clarionet There be no question that
the views of John Wesley on church music
the views OF Methodists generally in the half
of the nineteenth century; and they would prob
ably have remained the views of the Church till
had it grown marveIlously IN wealth cult
ure and social power and been endowed by its
fundamental law with large degree Of liberty in
the ordering Of the manner of worship From the
secular point of view Wesley had no interest in
music A keen student and close questoner,
scholar interested in all forms culture, ancient
and modern he gave attention to inquiry
into the nature of music but he studied it
art Inspired by the legend of Timotheus and
the inspection of alleged collection of Greek
music which Dr. Pcpusch showed him. he pub
Mshed essay in 1881 in The Armenian Maya
zine entitled Thoughts the Power of Music"
In this essay he attacked harmony and counter
point. The music of the antique world had affected
the passions and emotions Of its hearers so power
fully because it was all melody. Harmony
ingenious dalliance with sounds which had moth
ing 10 do with JOY. hope or fear, and appealed only
to the ear or the imagination Had Timotheus
pursued The resonant fugue, he says, his
music would have been quite harmless. 1t would
have affected Alexander more than Bucepha-
lus." Mere instrumental music had no mission,
and ne rallied against different words sung by
different persons at the same time Wesley was
an emotionalist and his rotion of church music
iora and nTh
sects of Germany whose hymns God and Christ
sometimes approa cned eroticism. Wesley hated
choirs. After preaching in the parish church in
Meath in 1853 he in his diary: Il was greatly
disguised at the of singing. Twelve or
fourteen persons kept ii to themselves, and quite
shut out tie congregation" He described an organ
voluntary & unreasonable and unmeaning imperu-
hence" Charles Wesley proud of the musical
talent of his sons and gave subscription concerts
at his house which affected by the aristoc
racy John attended one of these functions, but
as he records. he felt OF his element among
lords and ladies' i love plain music and plain COM
pany best" he added Charles wrote TO him: 7
clear without a doubt that my sons concert is
after the will and order of Providence; L am
clear of another mind" says John Wesley in
footnote when printing his brothers letter
Whatever may have been the attitude of print
tive Methodism the subject organs and choirs
came into the Methodist churches of New-York
many decades ago and came to stay. ritual
service will doubtless follow. Perhaps there will
come storm. A writer in The Christian Advo-
cate of June b. this year. sounds of alarm.
He tells of church which claims have been
the first to introduce a vested choir, and which
has gradually adopted order OF service almost
entirely Episcopal; of another which is to have a
ritual, rector, early morning communion and fasts
in addition to the vested choir. The rector IS to
assume the title Of father and is TO be gowned
ITO don these garments, install choirs have
ritualistic service and the other things and yet
preach the Methodist doctrine. is absurdity."
Why? Because of the Methodist denial of the doc
trine Of sacerdotal ministry drawing its authority
from the apostolic succession. Here is the way in
which the old fashioned Methodist brother whose
name is H. B. Cochran, and who lives in German
town. concludes
IT. however, seems TO such fad5 will be with
US US put snort time. The foundation principles of
Methodsm immortal, and the grand old faith