Milford chronicle., 1904-12-09
Calmage
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmass, DID.

sue approaching Christmas festivities
which, the preacher contends, should
be characterized by eheerfulness, kind.
ness and benefcenee to the poor and
the distressed The text is Psalm
acvi, "oh, sing unto the Lord a new
sonep'
S'sing Unto the Lord = New ,sOnN''
David, the psalmist, was a great mE-
sie3l composer. He always strove te
originate new musical themes If he
could not compose new ones, then he
waRTed to hear what some one else had
composed. The first time Mozart heard
one Of Bach's hymns played he cried
out in ecstasy, THANK God. learn
something absolutely neww So David
again and again in his psalms cries out
for something new in musical praise.
We not Only find the words of my text,
'Sing unto the Lord a new song" in
hhe Ninetyssixth Psalm, but we find
Chem in the Ninety-eighth and in the
One Hundredth and Forty-ninth, and
we also find fthe same words in the
book Of Isaiah. The song they longe6 /
80 hear will vet ibe sung in the heaven
~ land. The Seer Of Patmos caught |
the echo Of it as ne listened to the new
song that no man could learn but the
host that had been azedeemed and stood
around the throne What exquisite
music It will be we cannot conceive.
but We know the ,theme that will in
spiEe II. 1t is the theme of salvation.
the incarnation Of the :Soa Of God, the
coming to earth of that aJivine Being
whose birth AFnong us we are about to
celebrate. Let the same theme inspire
our humble strains; let us even now,
as we mediate on that wsadrous
event, attune OHF hearts to that glori- 4,
GUS harmony.
Our holiday song, in the first place,
should be 6 cheerful song. 1t should =
not be sung in a minor key; it should
not be dirge or requiem, a lament or =
a dead march in SAUL" it should not Y
be Rl antiphony for the mathis of the y
dead' IL should be joy on the wing; it z
should he the chorus of Laughing Wa
teFsi" 1t should be a hosanna, a hal o
leiulal' paean. doxOlogy and a g
praise, Tears and sobs have no place 81
IN the new song which we should sing j
during our coming holiday season. W
What said David In reference to this m
new song-mafe a sad song unto the So
Loldf NO, In seven distinct places in
Lhe Psalms the great singer of Israel
cries. Make a joyful noise unto the 10
Lord" The fpst great essential of our Is
coming Christmas song should be OF
'heertulness. We should hear 1t in ey. Ist
Try sound that is uttered; we should th,
lear 1t in the loud notes; we sbould III,
lear it in the soft notes as well. 0n
A Cheerful Message. the
The new song of Moses and the mt
iamb should be a cheerful song. And ing
ct the strange fact is that many peo- to
le, when they try to sing their gospel on
ohgs' nave the chargers which they gai
arness to their musical charlots walk try
18th leaden feet instead of flying with the
le wings Of the song birds. No min litt
ter Of the Lord Jesus Christ, no Sun sorl
ny school teacher, no Christian teach ed
, VIII ever make the new songs for han
lrlst truly tuned songs when they pub
art them in the minor key THE sucl
eat success Of your fathers minis was
" said DR.. Reed, the president of arol
lcklnson college, TO me some months into
o was his unbounded cheerfulness silvt
one day, some years ago. nv
uiu not nave any service in the mott
'hson race Methodist church, of need
ilch was the pastor. determined holiC
go over to the Brooklyn Tabernacle. ful
was a stormy winter night, yet the nini'
lrch was practically filed with stree
out 5000 people. l took a seat in for
,,e s"lleiy ana looked over that vast hush
Hence. wanted to study the faces of ami
people. As far as could make ont vou
EN- first looked at them, they were ond
discouraged and tired and weary oipo
OF Iaees. Your father first gave w,
some bright, inspiring hymns. The t,,.',,a
eS OF the people began to change. 9hn r. ,.e
toll,od ~, a,S So'iiiiiellccu 10 '"ik. heav
sweet ,ne,,aI,aol on "oou. holhe ana our !
9 ,vbo, +i,o,- 80, u lne younger Char
e alive. Then hostalked about their 1rao,
10 live like the old folks. Then Inc =
talked about the reunions that were .a1.,S .e :
al In heaven. And as he talked oa',,a
races, under his cheerful gosDel bIs :,
'ching' became more cheerful. Your t,,rs
er sent those people away with the - 80,
fiction that God would help them oDsrI on" =
heir battle Of life" Then DR.. Reed 60 60"
In kind of a sOliloquy, "oh, that 1gG,' vI,t5
gospel messengers could make 60.
sermons a cheerful message for a. a
men and womenw n'4 .ne =
The Lo..s.a soHe we sing ougnt TO whent
e first great essential. Why should zoccL
It be cheerful? If we believe in and :,
II we believe in what Christ has sro-,
for US, have not we a belief which saJd
ID uplift every heart into the high ,rrsa+
ealms Of Christian joy? Suppose thor, ,
.i....e - "I''sl' suppose l send one Of the rel
- = ~ 'ue "oriu lalr at ST. with {
= ~ ne s"iou OF Farls' Sup song