Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-11-22

prison was made TO swing open, the
stocks fell from their feet, the
shackles from their hands, and they
walked out.
Then, lastly, the glad hallelujah
chorus heard by the inspired ear of
John upon the isle of Patmos, when
the veil between him and the other
world was rent, and for time he
beheld the inhabitants thereof.
THE PRACTICAL VALUE OF MUSIC.
must close; suffer me, before /
do, TO draw one or two practical con-
clusions. What of the practical
value of music?
First, in the national life of our
people, may l say, that there is moth
ing that 80 serves the purpose of in
spring and welding people of a
nation together as their national
hymn. Do you believe it? If you
do not, 60 with me into some foreign
land and experience what l have
experienced under the strains of our
national hymn.
One Saturday night was sitting
in my room in hotel in the city of
Amsterdam, the northern capitol of
Holland. l was homesick and sad.
There was not an American in the
hotel, so far as knew. While | sat
by my window reading heard the
strains of music. A company of
American men and women, who
were staying at the same hotel, were
sitting on the veranda, and broke
out singing:
"My country, tits of thee,
Sweet land of liberty"
1t never was 80 sweet. | threw
down my book, rushed across the
hall, and in a short time was a part
of the chorus. Suppose some Dutch
man had come up to see me, and
insulted the stars and stripes?
would have licked dozen of them
right then. My blood throbbed with
patriotism and my muscles became
like steel.
1t is said that when the Japanese
captured Metre Hill that more than
to anything else was the capture Of
that battery due to the singing of
the national hymn of Japan. Right
about half way up the hill, when the
japanese were being cut down like
leaves, instead of giving the charge
for au onward march, the general in
command took off his hat and started
the national hymn, and it was caught
up by the army, and the men, with
guns in hand and song in their
hearts, climbed the cliffs and crags
and captured the battery.
But l must speak of the practical
significance of music in religion. No
man can do justice to this phase of
the subject if he had whole day,
saying nothing of justice being done
in moment. Music in religion
Where is there man whose heart
has not been touched by the strains
of music? | was never impressed
with this more than when at North
field this summer. Mr.. Alexander
was conducting song service. He
stopped in the midst of the singh :
of an old-time song and said,
"Brother, tell me what song they
were singing when you were con-
verted." One brother spoke up and
said, Gall hail the power of Jesus
name" Another said this; another
said that. They were getting up
all over the great audience. | was
sitting on the platform, and he
turned to me and said, "What were
they singing when you were con-
verted? ? replied, 81 will arise and
go to Jesus" | believe the vast
majority of men and women gave
their heart to Christ while they were
singing some hymn. How could we
dispense with singing? Why should
we not lay stress upon it? Why
should we not come together to per-
| patnota tho old ti,no onpro ,,nlor