The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-01-10
The Minister and Music.

when there is poor singing a congregations the
minister is to blame"
Let another country minister say what he did with
that paragraph about the minister and the music
First OF all, he eoiced to it and secretly thank
ed the editor for it, and at renewed his subscri
ton to the paper. He read the paragraph from the
pulpit, at the time commencing the paper from
which 1T taken. He cut the piece out and sent
1T to the local newspaperto give other churches the
dement, OF It, The newspaper did not publish the
remarks, perhaps, because the local ministers might
have thought they thereby criticised
Can the minister best help the singing by himself
leading the singing "a Country Minister seems
to imply? We think not He may thereby even
hinder the promotion of this exercise. The writer
VINO Is neither singer nor musician, succeed
ed pastor who raised his own tunes at prayer
meeting at least and he is convinced that the peo-
pies talent for that very reason neglected
minister may help the better if himself does
not sing. He is then in better position to call
forth the aid of those who ''can sing a little" but
who would never venture to claim liability to sing"
nor knowledge of music worth mentioning but
whose mingled voices go to make up congregational
singing
The minister promote congregational singing
lie may not be able to get the choir practice it is
true; he need not despair if he cannot HYMNS ac-
curatey rendered by the choir may not be that most
delightful part of worship that is felt when congre
CATION with melody in the heart at least joins IN
earnest and sincere praise to God. At the Old
Forge Church Cedar Creek, when the Rev. DR. w
H. Woods pastor there, the service of praise by
those farmers and their families with no choir made
an impression upon occasional visitor that has
not been equalled by many choirs and silent congre
cations. The writer recalls two instances in which
unsteady good choirs destroyed the effect of the SER
mon and the effect of their own singing by their
smiles and inatention during the prayer and the ser
The service of song would be made worshipful
and helpful if ministers initiated one of our most
promising pastors, who is not himself musician He
was called to churcn that put great emphasis upon
its choir and the choir had introduced highly arts
tic if not artificial, compositions and performances.
The young pastor shocked the choir leader by
questng that he substitute for such pieces, APP
proprate hymn and its natural tune "Why, Nj.
-, it would ramage my musical reputation to
sing such piece as that, SIR well" replied Rev.
DIR. -- Che told of this himself) when it be-
comes question between your musical reputation
and the worship of Gods people will not hesitate"
In that church there is sincere, singing
day, and it is artistic too.
The new Psalms and Hymns by its historical hints
is well calculated to stimulate interest in the hymns
themselves and the tunes. Let the minister fire.
quently call attention to these; let him often
nOunce the of the tune for few singers ever
know the of the tunes they sing), and above
all, let him strive to properly read the hymn. Let
HIM manifest in the Sunday-schOol this same zest,
let him induce few scholars to commit two
hymns (the name of n girl could be mentioned who
repeated twenty-five selected hymns for pastor)
let him stir up the superintendent to feel the i'm.
portance of teaching the school to know the church
hymns and tunes. The pastor who does these things
will have his reward in better singing
Finally two suggestions from experience have
proved helpful: DIR. Pecks rule was that the first
hymn should be OF general nature, and only the
one following the sermon should specially relate to
the sermon. 1t will be found helpful to follow the
Scripture lesson with hymn according in theme
with the passage read. Again, tune may be
made the peoples possession by a little management
Select two tunes that unfamiliar, say st. Mar
tins and Park Street, and let them be sung in the
IL IL GrrN
Sunday for three months. Then select too more
say Zerah and Geneya. and front then in the same