Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-04-11

glorious garden We know from all his
works that he loves beauty and are
sure that when we strive 10 make his
worship sweet and harmonious with
his gift Of voice and with musical In
strumentS we are pleasing him
Is not the voice of a great congrega-
ton lifting IT'S song IN praise like the
sound Of many waters: Have sou ever
noticed how many times the Bible
tells Us to sing the praises of Cod?
Not once. hut many times, is the COM
mandment given Sing" !, the word
Let everything that hath breath praise
the Lord" When the time Of worship
which we spend in the Lords house is
50 precious. would God be- willing TO
waste any of the time OF church service
IN singing IL music was not Il divine
means of spiritual grace Yes. here
after we must look upon music as a
preacher We must rcvcrcntly consider
our hymn books as second only in iul-
portance to the holy Bible itself God
has placed his divine approval and in
dorsement upon them
The Importance OF Mutic.
Why does God honor sacred music IN
the salvation OF men; This fact should
be easily analysed when You open any
hymn book and begin to sing the grand
old songs which have come ringing
down the corridors OF the centuries.
What is the keynote OF nine tenihs-
uya ,,fuetV. nina IuuJr.Jfl. ~ tho
HYMNS which are sung? Gods wrath?
No II Is Gods love OF course there
are some Of the old hymns which con.
tain warnings TO the sinner but in
nearly all the hymns that we love the
central magnet OF our affection is the
story they contain of the cross and
Gods protecting care Tor his children
Hell and the tcrrors OF future punish
mcnt may lift their red lights OF warn
ing but II Is only the cross OF Christ
that can make men cling to God rs a
heavenly Father lust read over the
fayorite songs Of your hymn book ana
see II what say is not true And
this Is the reason why the song which
is sung after the sermon often does
more good than the whole sermon.
upon which the minister has expended
weeks Of labor Why? because the
preacher too often yields the gospel
bludgeon He is bound 10 declare the
whole counsel Of God. and sometimes
It must sound harsh lie says. The
end Of sin is death and God VIII not
BY any means accept the mpcnitcnt."
Then some sweet throatcd songstrcss
arises in the choir loft and lifts up her
voice in praise to him for his mercy
In redemption Is the sweet message
Of Gods love wings It's way 10 the
heart 81 The worshipcrs men say. Il
viii do this not because fear he'll. hut
because Christ died for ne and he
cause christ loves me" Was not this
fact demonstrated in the great services
Of Dwight l.. Moody
Moody and sankey.
No intelligent man can study the
work Of Americas greatest evangel.
istic preacher unless nj the same time
he follows tile wonderful career Of
Americas most wonderful gospel sing
or What do you think Of the work
Of Ira H. Sankey:" | asked Que OF the
greatest and most influential ministers
OF the west He Is emphatically the
messenger of ecntlcuess This fact
was never better illustrated than by
comparing the work OF Moody and
Sankey" Great team that" said;
"YcS. great team" Why? Because
each mans work supplemented the
work of the other man Moody was
an earnest conscientious preacher.
Moody would stir an audience until
men and women could see their sins
marching before them in an appalling
procession aud they could realize the
peril of their condition Then Sankcy
would sing Of the life line OF the nine.
u and nine and the love o: God touch
ed the hearts of men until the whole
audience would he melted into tears.
Moody was essentially the power and
the sower Ira u. Sankcy was the
reaper. He was the one who could
soften the heart ana make sinners feel
the love of God 10y the power of gospel
song The blowing had 10 be done.
Each man supplemented the work %
the other man Moody aud Sankey
formed the most potent evangeliStlc
team Of the past century
But there is another reason why Cos
pei singing has been baptized 10y the
Holy Spirit for the salvation of men.
Gospel singing stimulates the worship
er to do something for Christ. 1t is his
part Of the church service The min
lister may be- praying but the members
of the congregation may not be follow
Ing him in his prayers. While the min
lister is preaching the solemn faced
elder sitting before him may he plan
ming how he is going 10 run his bust
ness the next day That was quaint
and beautiful compliment which Mark
Twain gave To- his minister some time
ago The great humorist met the
preacher at the door Of the church aft
er the sermon and said My dear doc
tor YOU Will have to make VOur SER