The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-09-14
THE PULPIT.
A BRILLIANT SUNDAY SERMON BY
DR.. CHARLES EDWARD LOCKE.
Subject: Music ami Culture.


81. lis Il Factor in Culture" He took
his text from Psalms ell: Praise
vt the Lord" DR.. Locke said:
From that moment in the creation
when the morning stars sang toseth-
er and the brooks Went singing down
the hillSideS OF Eden. and The birds
made glad the dawn of time with their
thrilling melodies. music has had III
indiSputahle place in the world.
Tic study of music is liberal cdu-
cation. Music. like poetry. makes its
appeal to the noblest instincts of the
soul. 1t is said that the inhabitants
OF Cynette. who sighted music, were
the c.ue!leSt OF all the Greeks and no
ether town WAS so Immersed in luz
uries and debauchery.
Christianity WAS boru with song
OF. its lips. Mary san, iii thril!in"
measures 0f the Ma%&ifca;; he angels
sang in their luniU.tuoUS halieluiah
chorus; and the Shepherds sang in
plaintiyn strains o. CUi." ecstasy. And
the world has been singing ever Snce.
Pagansm does not sing: it laments.
PagodaS and mosques do not tighten
their SOmbre interiors with music.
but every Christian church. however
humble. is Il conservatory of sweetest
melodies.
Music is both science and an art.
AS an art it does not. rs DO painting
and sculpture. occupy Itself in repro
ducinS Eaturp-rOT II is Itself Il part
Of nature. aud seeks 10 reveal itself.
The EgyptianS first cxcGllel in music,
but great strides were made by the
Greeks under PythagoraS. The word
music is derived from Greek term.
which includes all theslearing Of the
MUSES.. or all the fine ar,s. music is
the most comprehensive. The majes-
u OF the architect. the pictures Of the
artist. the rhythm of the poet and the
themes of all these belong to the mu-
sician, whether lie sits at the inStru-
ment or pourS out his soul in vocal
melodies. The fable tells that Mer-
curry stretched strings Of Griet. skin
across shell. and. striking them with
his fingers. invented the Tyre. The
bow as a musical instrument was prob
ably first used by the warrior. who.
as be described his ;ucceSseS i'll bat
tie, twanged the string O. his bow.
1t was later discovered that the bow,
when drawn across certain hollow OBJ
jects. produced pleasing sounds
thence the lutte and the violin. Music
has been called the universal language.
and truly it is means OF commune
cation between all souls. whatever
cline may have given them bir!-. 1t
IS the most responsive of ill the arts
the most human. 1t more nearly
breathes and sees and fees. 1t pos
seSseS all the va:yinC hIeS OF the
soul. The music Of the siren would
allure Ulysses to his death and the
nonotonous tones of the bell buoy di-
rect the imperiled mariner to safety.
TumultuouS music is the completeSt
expression Of happy souls OH feStal
days. and tender. sombre strains in-
te"pret the language Of sad hearts
when nation morrns for its martyred
heroes. G!aL hallelujah. @" 2eniten-
tial psalm. expresses the contrasting
emotions of the soul.
Music was defined by our own Sid
ney Lanier rs love i'll search OF 4
word" There is IN ineXprcSsible
something in thc heart of mar which
seeks to define itself in speech. but,
failing in this. music flies to his re-
lief and il melody lie pourS out his inn
priSoned soul Music is the language
Of tie over-Soul: it is the sou. pro-
longing. or projecting itself. The high
ess music cannot be expressed in
words. This is the explanation OF the
angels advent anthem anG of all mu-
s:cs in worship. Tie deeper :he soul
life the more is one conscious Of feel
ings beyond the limitations OF articu-
late utteraucc. In the attempt Of the
finite soul to praise and glory tie H.
finite. all eatthly devices of language
utterly fail. and music only. which
is m adjunct OF the infn:ties. en-
ables man to sing what he can never
express. his alteration and gratitude
to his great God and King. Conse-
QueLtly. whenever religion is the Sill
cerest. then music will be the purCst.
Music is the echo OF Gods voice in
the soul Of man. Without that echo
mans soul is q cavernous abyss. filed
with specters of despair.
Music IS gift of God. Like all the
sciences, it is radiation OF divine
truth. Pythagoras taught close af-
finity between music and astronomy.
He was right so far rs lie went. hut
music leads men up TO the perpetual
throne of glory. OF which stars and
consultations are but glittering scin-
IillationS. st. Cecilia. receiving her
music from angel visitants. tells !he
secret Of tie musicians power Great
musicians are born. not made. Their
extra aordinary genius is an endo"'-
ment manifeStinS itself in phemone-
nal ways in childhood. rs in the cases
Of Mozart. List and Christine Mis-
son.
The divinity Of music further ap-
pears in the fact that the greatest mu-
SicianS have been good men: and to
develop the mighty impulses which
they have felt in their souls the great
| musicians have chosen lofty divine
themes. This was true of .Iubal and
Job, of David with his harp. and So
Omon with his sweet songs 1t WAS
true Of Beethoven. whose Sorlfu! son
atas have won for him genuine
priesthood OF the emotions: and OF
Bach. whose elaborate fugueS have
been likened 10 Gothic temples in their
! intricate details. 1t was true of Men.
! delSSohn. who. in thrty-eight years.
| filled the souls of men with musical
| pictures: ana OF Hatiste and Schu-
mann: and OF Chopin in his nocturnrS;
and OF wicrd il not unearth!y pa@.
| anini, with lis miraculous StraGivar.
| ius. 1t vas true OF Mozart. whose thir.
ty-Eve years gave the world such treas
ureS from tie Infinite that he is truly
| eSlauSllnSS: and Of List WIN lYin"