The Penn's Grove record., 1905-09-15

~ SCNAH oAN AOPAoAJV .
~CaIvanist, Rock of Ages" and Sarah
Adams, a Unitarian. Nearer Ny God
to Thee" and Whittier. a Quaker,
"The Eternal Goodness" and Faber,
a Roman Catholic, There's a Wide.
ness in Gods Mercy" and Doddridge,
a Baptist, 80, Happy Day" To-day
these wal-known hymns are sung by
all and claimed by all. In spite Of con.
troyersy and unbelief, Sle music of
the Christian ChnFc4 - saving the
world for the Christian Christ. The
hymn and the singer are often a long
way in advance of the sermon and
nearer in evangelizing influences.
Music refnes and ennobles. In the
days of chivalry the sir knights
studied music because of its elevating
and purifying influence. Music bright
ems life's dark places and sootbes the
heart in trouble. Many prison doors
nave opened and manacles burst asun-
der when troubled hearts have sung
songs in the night. Music was believed
by the ancients to have healing power.
and was used as a therapeutic. Many
a weary soldier, tired and footsore. has
ieaped on to victory under the magic
spell of fife and drum.
There is a quaint belief that singing
preceded speaking. Alasi perhaps one
or the entailments of sin is that sing
ing has degenerated into discordant.
rasping speech. Perhaps, when man
snail have reached his highest earthly
estate the means of communication
Will be in the soft tones of chastest
music.
Music, II not more perfectly than
printing, the art preservative of all
art, is surely the best interpreter OF
or all art and science. The mystery
and miracle of truth reveal their omen
sesame when studied through the at
mosphere of music. The minister.
graceful with gothic beauty, or
massive with Romanesque magnih.
cence, a only be filled to groined
"rches and spreading dome by music's
swelling tones. Music gives a motif
10 architecture. The art gallery's cor
rldors, or ~belvederes only reveal the
masters secret in marble or canvas
as dlvinest music fills up all the inter-
stices OF initeness. And poetry Y
reveals its most exquisite tints OF
beauty and truth except when in the
companionship of music, it's twin sis
ter. Theology would have noEe but
affairs to the unknown God il music
did not dream, and prophesy, and feel.
in the priestly Office. Music Is what
Walter Pater called "the great Anders-
Streben-reaching forward of all art"
IL is the soul of man endeavoring to
come to its own-to express and realize
and fulfill itself. IT helps Browning's
grasp to acquire its reach.
Music is thus an intellectual factor.
II is not SC much a truth seeker as II
is a truth finder. 1t does not deIve
among the rocks, but it comes down
like a dove from above. singing. This
Is My Beloved Son. 1t dwells in the
heights and shouts Excelsior" from
peak to peak, and makes life's dizzy
Alpine uplands echo with hope.
Granting that music furnished to cul-
ture its initial impulse, and that music
more than any other factor sustains
the quest of mans nature for the high
and hottest achievements, l dare
to submit the deliberate conclusion
that instrumental, and we'll as vocal,
music should be a part Of the public
school curriculum for every child.
Alasi that the children whom posterity
~ Tx OBpOA luLllN VI uuSlCdA
study often so little appreciate these
privileges, while many who crave these
are deprived of them by pow.
erty. Even the boys and girls who are
compelled to leave school to enter upon
the problems of making a living. would
live a larger and more hopeful life IL
their musical instruction had included
familiarity with an instrument.
AS is his Maker. so man is a spirit.
Muscle and brain are merely temporary
expedients by which man. as spirit,
shall for a brief season tarry upon this
earth. When painting, and sculpture
and architecture. aud. perhaps. even
shall have ~ended~their earthly
ministry, music will be revealing the
fathOmless mysteries of spirit and life
Music is the language of celestial,
True e~loquence is though.
winged with music. The Infinite Goo
IS more perfectly w~orshiped with mu
steal accompaniment because musit
goes beyond language and logic ane
opens up the vistas of faith through
which can be seer the King in His
Do you ask me which is the
mightier agency for culture. Bacon
or Beethoven? Spencer or Schumanni
Kant or Mendelssohn? and | will an
swer that science and philosophy have
their own important places in the
of intellect and character
AID are as necessary to the soul as
food to the body; music, however, moi
only has its mission side by side with
-hese, but when the present conclusion.
Of men shall be abandoned fn- +hs
~ ~