Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1910-07-01
MUSIC AND THE DEVIL IN OLD
JERUSALEM


day TO rest while his horses were eat
ing in back alley and said he was
i'm hurry, and was waiting for
"mother and the girls" who were
doing a little shopin' down town.
He was asked il he had anything on
his mind. Uncle John generally has
something on his mind, but is not
always easy to come at ii. Like an
old deep well, you have TO 90 lot
OF pumping to get results. But from
the twinkle in his eye and the way
he looked il was evident that some
thing on his brain was troubling
him, so the pumping process was
kept up, and finally he began about
like this, as near as his words can
be produced "You asked sometime
about the Old Field singing master.
L remember somethin' that happened
in Old Jerusalem church once about
singln' and church music that kick
ed up a bigger racket than your GUS
sin, back slindin' deacon did, and
if you've got time TO listen I'll tell
you about it," He was given the
right-O-way and clear track and
went on. "Old Jerusalem was an
old fashioned country church, about
tion was made up largely of old
fashioned, good people, and an old
man for pastor, who came once a
month and Saturday before. In
those days the singin' was done i'm
The same old way. The preacher
gave out his hymn, read il through,
and then lined il out, two lines at
n time for the people To sing. Some
one who had strong voice and
hymn book, would start the tune,
and bigh or low, every man and
woman would try to sing the loud
est. There was a man in the church
named Bowles, who generally started
the tune. He was long, lean, lank-
sided man with a husky voice that
sounded all the time as though he
had n frog in his throat, or some
thing else that orter' come out, but
he knew nothin' about singin'.
He was generally in his place in the
Amen corner, with his little thick
hymn book, and when the preacher
would announce the number Gf the
hymn brother Bowles would turn To
il quick, and during the rcadin' OF
the hymn would whistle in low
tone trying TO get the pitch I'm time
to strike out at the proper time. 1t
made no difference how familiar the
hymn was he held the book be-
fore him all the time, while several
of the other bre thren looked over his
shoulder. and followed him as best
they could, most of them trying 10
sang bass, while some of the women
sing tenor. 1t was always n mystery
what use brother Bowles had for a
tuning fork, but have one he did,
althO' his book had not a line of
music in ii. and he wouldn't have
known one note or key from another
if it had. But he always took out
his fork, struck 1t OH the back of the
seat in front of him, or bit il be-
tween his teeth, and held it to his
ear to catch the sound. He said he
was obliged TO have something 10
tell him how high or low to pitch
his voice. He'd pitch, and mostly so
high, he'd get red in the face singin'.
But all this has changed, but a
big racket was kicked up in the
changin'. The old pastor died, and
they got fellow from the college,
to come out and take his place. One
of the girls from the neighborhood
went off to school to one of the big
colleges, got and back all full of new
notions. So she and the young
preacher got together, and decided tC
try and buy an organ for the church.
They contended that old fashioned
ideas had to go, aud Old Jerusa
lem had to wake up, and she did
OF course number of the older men
bers were opposed TO the innovation
They said they had been worship
ping there for fifty years without al
organ, and could keep on. Other
said they did not believe in man
made instruments In church wor
: ship. Brother Bowles, was, of course
u with the opposition. He was violent
; ty opposed, and finally the brethre
/ allied a church meetin' to discus
, che matter. The young preache
J made conciliatory speech, telIih
: of how David worshipped with harp
o and other instruments, and ths
! Old Jerusalem needed good music
J. for the Sunday School partiularly
}. There was fiery time. Brotht
/. Bowles spoke vehemently against j
IS dec, airing that he wanted no squea
'l in box to make music for him, an
5 that whenever he was denied I'll
re privilege of singing he hoped h
Il