The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-15

MAKING SERVICES MORE AT
TRACTIVE. - 4s&S.
Clergy Criticized for Not Permitting
Old-time Hymns to Be Sung in Full
by Congregations-Old Hymns Are
Inspiring to One and All.
To the Editor of The Journal:

To the Editor of The Journal:
Perhaps the most devoted followers
of the most successful or the most popu-
lar preacher have often asked, "WhY
does he do it9' No doubt it is hard
for a preacher, devoted as he generally
is to presenting the cause of Christ in
the most effective manner, to avoid fall
ing into ruts, .slovenly pulpit habits
or mannerisms that detract from his
presentation Of the word, but because
it is hard preacher should try all the
more to avoid them.
The question of managing regular
Sunday morning or evening religious
terested in it, take part in it, and grow
to love it, instead Of attending from a
preacher, If he would be successful,
must learn to apply. He can afford to
overlook nothing; everything is import
ant.
Is it not true that many preachers
fail to appreciate the power Of song
to arouse church: audienceY The
sided to be taken up here. There are
almost as many. opinions on the matter
as there are churches, and, indeed, the
question is one which every church
must solve for itself: Personally, the
writer loves congregational singing. the
more the congregation joins the bet
ter: Congregational singing led by a
ideal combination. Worst of all is the
paid quartet, hired to praise the Lord
with singing, which sings what it
pleases and coldly expects the congre-
cation to keep still. Was there ever
a congregation, religious audience in
any proper sense of the term, that was
satisfied with such music9
Why tho Failures7
Assuming, then, that congregational
singing is recognized generally as the
churches are, not situated so they can
afford to let out the job of singing,
why is it that the singing is 50 often
dismal failure7 Without wish to
be unkind to the great army Of we'll
meaning preachers, the answer, from
| long years of observation, is that tho
preacher himself is often to blame.
acted as IL If he beg1cudged the time re-
the writer has attended church when
every word and action Of the man in
the pulpit seemed to mean, "Well, the
! regular form of service requires that
we sing, and suppose I shall have to
!! allow little time for it: ~ Then he
announces, "Hymn One Hundred and
the last stanza''
| The idea Of treating a sacred melody
like thatl Hymn 156 may be a grand
old poem that for hundreds of wears
has been an inspiration to men and
women, filed with the love Of God:
IA mighty fortress is our God';
"From all that dwell below the skies -;
"Lead, kindly light" = I A1Si 10 1 destroy;
the continuity Of the thought by omit
ting two or three stanzas from the
middle Is little short of saorilege.
Time for Hymn.
Have you any idea how long it takes
a congregation, singing with proper
spirit, to sing one stanza Of hymn,
"Holy, Holy, Holy,' for example
Try it, and if one stanza requires
longer than thirty-6ve seconds the
music must be dragging 2 bit. There
fore, when the preacher tells the con-
gregation to omit three or four stanzas
Of q hymn he is saving one and a half
or two minutes Of time, and probably
be- upfted by e1 ths snsnR H tha5
too, often this time is devoted to the
petty announcement Of something
which has no place in a pulpit calen.
dar:. And, woe Of all woes, the preach
er, knowing that nearly every member
of the congregation has book In his
hands, will proceed to "line' the
hymn, read it thru from beginning tc
end, in bad style, and then ask the
people to cut out half Of it. Gould
anything be in worse taste, and neei
that preacher wonder sometimes thai
he has no better SUGGEST
It need not be added that the elisior
Of two or three stanzas from the frs
or opening hymn is often done for The
purpose Of making up time lost because
the pastor did not open the service al
the announced time; In the case of the
second hymn, when 1t is not omitted al
together, because the pastor has con
sumed an Unfortunately long time il
commenting on various auxiliary pro
grams; and in the case Of the las
at a good place, he has as wa and Sed~o or
until he has talked longer than he in
tended. The idea seems to be that time