The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-02-01
CEN TE N A z Y
SER Y ICE
GIVEN
AT THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH LAST EVENING.
Audience Enjoy Musical Treat and
Discourse Upon Life and Work Of
Mendelssohn.

The MendelS6ohn praise service In
the First Presbyterian church was a
musical treat last evening. Miss Bid
die was at her best in interpreting the
masters music. Miss Ellen II. Thomas
sang the soprano solo in the well
known chorus. Hear, oh Hear My
Prayer" This solo calls for much
feeling In It's rendition and this Miss
Thomas very impressively bestowed
Mr.. Saunders, though suffering from
severe cold. sang the famous tenor
solo from Elijah. "If With All Your
Hearts," In way which clearly re-
vealed the rich power Of his voice.
Speaking from Acts 1926, Rev. Car
yer said in part:
Paul and Silas were in prison where
they had been placed because of their
publicly preaching in the name OF
Christ. They had had busy day
and doubtless had no time for their
private devotion. 1t is midnight and
they are not only worn and wearied
with the days toll, but, having been
beaten with many stripes, are doubt
less in pain as well. None OF these
things, however, can deter them from
their private devotions. They soon
changed the jail into a chapel, as they
join In prayer and praise. Now the
singing of some OF the psalms was a
new thing in that Jail. and the other
prisoners were soon eagerly listening.
Poor wretches. they had doubtless
heard but little of that kind of music
and melody, and 1t brought to them
the word Of God In q new form. So
wondrous did It's meaning seem TO
them that they chose rather to re-
main and hear it than TO flee through
the open doors. How real the whole
scene is. How lasting is It's message
to one who reads it well. Singer,
hearer and song have ages ago van
ished from earth. The very stones
and bars of that jail now are dust.
but the influence. of song and praise,
melody and music. still lives and we
may have been today cheered by the
same psalm as those of so long ago
heard and needed unto the remaldng
OF their lives. The melody OF hymn
has ofttimes had very much to do with
the remaking Of life.
The Bible is pre-eminently a book
of real life. 1t Is a record of the
work of God in the lives of men. 1t
has not come to us like the fabulous
statue of Diana, the goddess who fell
full formed upon earth, nor did we re-
celve it parrot fashion as the Koran
was said to have been whispered into
the ear Of Mahomet, Our Bible came
from God, but it came through the
rF
working 10 make all that divine
word could mean real among the lives
OF men. There is not book within
our scriptures that is not made real
and near to us by being colored with
the real tints OF the joys and sorrows,
the successes and failures, the longing
and dreams OF lives like unto our own.
Now 1t is In just such book as this
that we would expect to find much
OF the real power of song and praise.
for the power OF music is purely ma
tive and natural one to the human
life. In this we are not disappointed.
From the first book unto the last, mu-
sic and praise hold prominent place
in the lives of those chosen few i'm
mortals whose names by their being
recorded here have become household
words the world round.
The Hebrew Psalter has ever been
the worlds most familiar song book.
and there seems to be even today no
diminutlon of its popular favor 1t is
the book most often quoted in the
New Testament, there being one hun
dred and sixteen references to it by
New Testament writer's. 1t was the
first book given by the early church
to her converts, and it has found a
place in the worships OF every historic
church. Now it was doubtless one
OF these old psalms that Paul and
Sias were singing that night when
the prisoners listened and the jailor
and his family were led TO God They
at other times, but now 1t had ring
of deeper meaning In 1t. and they
could but heed its message and an
swer unto its call. Here is the Won
drous power of song or melody. 1t
is. capable of so very many different
interpretations that It becomes new
power in life that seeks to interpret
It. Thus it never grows old, but each
age and life can reveal some new tone
color OF meaning. Like the story of
the man of Galilee, 1t is ever new and
interesting.
But music has ever a second person
ality In it, Not the performer or sing
er alone, but the writer and. composer
as well, give to production a GER
tain definite trend. The hymns OF
Fanny Crosby will ever bear the i'm
press of her deep spirituality, no mat
ter by whom or where they are sung
And composition like the oratorio
Elijah" or "St Paul. will speak OF
the characteristics OF Felix Mcndels-
sohn no matter how strangely render
ed upon the orchestra or In what ton
que or spirit they are sung. To right
ly understand music then, we should
know something of the life from
which 1t came. The life OF Mendels-
sohn for instance. is peculiar one
among great composers Born In the
home OF a wealthy family of Ham
burg. no had every opportunity and
aid and was surrounded by every COM
fort and care that wealth could give,
His home life was ever IDEAL for first
his mother an exceptional woman
gave his training her constant care,
so that he was enabled to do wond-
fous musical things at very early age,
and secondly, his wife. a cultured and
talented woman, in every way gave
him life of deepened Joy and tran
guilty. His entire life was one OF al
most model conditions. Now this had