Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-08-10

|
was practiced by Christ and his
disciples. Matthew 26, 30, and
again we find it practiced by the
people of God, under the reign OF
king David, and he was a man at
ter Gods own heart. King David
trained 1000 people in the house
Of God to Sing and pray for the
dedication Of the temple at 'lerusa-
lem and they were all sanctified
| people,, too. When the temple was
dedicated, the 1000 singers and
players stood at the east end of the
altar with 400 trumpeters extra and
they were so well trained that they
were to be heard abroad as one man
singing and playing.
| Now this seems to me that they
were pretty well up on music does
Mt it. The effect OF the music was
great as they came over the w"rl,
| for the lord il good. I'll. mercy
endureth forever. Th.rp was a
cloud Of glory flooded the house so
immensely that the ministers or
priests could not stand tn speak for
the glory of the Lord had filled the
house. Praise His name forever.
This WAS under the reign of King
David, the sweet singer Of Israel, l
Chro % and 25 chapters, 2 Chro 5
chapter. am aware Of the ia: t
that some of our ministers object
to what they call scientific singing
but the time has Come and now is
when people have to pay more at
tentirn to this part OF the Worship,
! for God demands Of us that we
worship him intelIigently accord
ing to / Cor IA, Is. Many times
when we feel cold and selfish
song viii break the mOnotony, and
turn our thoughts hea,enward.
There should b. thou ght in song
as we'll as vibration. ] have known
| the case where some good christian
would sing alone and it would
touch the heart OF some poor sir
ner, and cause him to reflect and
turn to God. When all that the
minister could do or say would OF
change his heart. May the Lord
help us all to profit with, the tai
ents he has given us. Does not
the divine word teach us to grow
in grace and il. the knowledge of
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?
Certainly it does, and that is what
| it means to cultivate these wonder
full talent He has given us to profit
with.
! | know that music becomes false
and lnperfections when it is not in
its proper place. But that is no
excuse for not learning to sing
Gods praise intelligently. Do not
let the devil haye all the good mus
ie, when perishing world is dying
for the want of spiritual songs. Now
let me give you a definition of the
word music. It is a bright and
glorious gift of God, the reflection
of the heaven harmonies.inwh
] his angels and all the celestial
fhosts ever praise and glorify their
Fcrentor. singing in sweet strains.
Holy. Holy, Holy, Lord God AL
mighty, God over all and best eter.
nifty. Music is Gods richest gift
to man. l3nt, not only that, what
II source of artistic and intellectual
pleasure it brings to us. Music is
ut home a friend. abr"ad an intro
duction, in solitude solace and in
society an ornament. The best
means of culture is music, 1t not
only fits us for the highest duties
Of life, but it cutivates within us
> taste for the good. he pure and
! the beautiful. 1t inspires us with
lofty aspirations for noble deeds
and actions. AS an art study it is
IL wonderful educator. Music is
universal language. Nav theLord
help all of Gods people everywhere
to cultivate this wonderful talent
that. God has bestowed upon them
That great divine, DIR. Jonathan
1 Edwards observes that where there
ia nc natural inability to sing and
people neglect to learn to sing as Il
general, thing live in sin. because
they neglect an ordnance of God
on them, that is%calculated
Ito further them on toward the
/ Kingdom of Glory. But, some of
|aur ministers say that it 10 making
j tie house of God honse of mer-
4 chandse to teach music in it, but
is it not fact that it is just as
much Of Il fault to pay our minis
tiers for preaching the gospel as it
is to pay some good man to teach
us to sing the gospel. | say that
'|it is and | say it upon the authori-
ty of Gods divine word. could
give niauy infallible proofs of the
fact that it is Gods command to
sing with the understanding, but
lime and space would fail me.