The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-05

New York, March 29.--In this sermon the preacher tells of the power of song as an influence on human life and char acter and especially of gospel song as a means for winning men from sin to righteousness. The text is 1 Chron. vi. 31: And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the Lord''
 well remember Sunday once spent upon the roof of the cathedral at Milan. l had been away from home many weeks and was very lonely and homesick. Fur thermore, I was hungry for an old fash toned Christian service of the type of the American meeting house. had been so long witnessing the European dissertation of the Sabbath that I yearned for the simple service of my own home church. I entered the cathedral of Milan that morning hoping that my longing for wor- ship might be gratifed: but, alas, none of 1t was there That huge cathedral is capable of holding 10000 worshiperS. Thousands of people were in the building that morning, but only a little handful were seated about the pulpit. Most of the people inside the church were tour ists wandering about examining statue here, tomb there, a beautiful column beyond. Sick at heart, I turned away and began to climb the stairs which led up to the roof. Higher and higher I went until I seemed to have left the world behind. Alone was walking upon these lofty heights amid the marble statues when suddenly I stopped short. Seemingly from everywhere and yet from nowhere in particular the sweetest anthem was rising in the upper air. Like the summer wind which kissed my cheek, could not tell from whence it came. Then as the voices rose and fell and finally died away in a plaintiff whisper l said to mysef: That must have been like the singing at the old temple of Jerusalem" It seemed as though the choir loft was taking up the refrain of choir loft, and the great Asaph himself. the chief of all the musicians and singers whom David appointed, was leading in the service or song.
 Sitting there that Sunday afternoon on that Milan roof I thought of that service of singers in Jerusalem 5000 years ago, and of the singing of the long succession of all the generations of singers that Tn the Christian church have won their tri. umphs during the past centuries. It seemed as if they were all united in one great service of song in stupendous har- monies, for wherever you go you find the love of music The English plowboy sings as he drives his team. The Scotch high lander makes the glens and gray moors resound with his beautiful songs. Tho nuleteer of Spain cares not who sits on the throne or stands behind it if they will let him have his early morning carol. The vintager of Sicily has his evening hymn even beside the fire of the burning mount The fisherman of Naples has his boat song to which his rocking boat beats time on that beautiful sea, and the gon- dolier of Venice still keeps up his mid night serenade. So when travelling by land or by sea we find the innate love of music waving her magic wand over the cradle as well as in the evening twi- light of the grave. And inspired poets and musicians of the past and the present have merely harnessed up that innate love of the heart of man and used it for God and for heaven.
 A Talk About Music.
 Today, God willing I want, to lead you away from pulpit and lectern. I want to lead you away from altar and chancel and out of the church auditorium and have you sit with me as I sat that day upon the roof of the Milan cathedral and give your thoughts to the sweet sounds in which the church in all times has given praise to God. I want to have little quiet talk with you upon the influence of gospel song. And after this talk is ended l want you, to go home and reverently take down your hymn books and gather your children about you and teach them