The Mena weekly star., 1910-05-19
THE POWER OF MUSIC

Dryden says;
 From harmony, from heavenly har
 mony
 This universal frame began,
 When Nature underneath a heap
 Of Jarring atoms lay,
 And could not heave her heae.
 The tuneful voice was heard from biob, Arise, ye more than dead
 Then cold and hot and moist and dry In order to their stations leap,
 And music's power obey.
 From harmony, from heavenly har-
 mony
 This universal frame began;
 From harmony to harmony
 Through all the compass of the notes
 it ran,
 The diapason closing full in man. I What wonderful power there IS in music ! It affects both the old aud the young, the rich and the poor. We love music for the buried hopes, the garnered memo. ries, the tender feelings it can summon at a touch. From the time the morning stars sang to- gether, ,he soul-stirring influence of music has been felt among the children of man.
 | The world is full of music. It IS incomparably the most original ot arts; 1t IS the pure creation of human intellect, the perfection of art, for it has no evil tendency. IL hos also greater and more imme diate influence on the mlnd than any other art. Confrcious said one hundred years before Plato: Wouldst thou know if Il nation be well governed, if its people be good or bad, examine the music il practices.' Music Is not only an expression but an ex. ercise of the better emotions. | Shakespeare says: "The man that hath no music in himself, nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, IS it for treasons, strategems and spoils. Let no such mad be trusted. |"
 Year by year the musical cul-
 ure of the masses broadeus and deepens, and the true conception of the influence and power of music is more fully recognized. Music may arouse us to action or lull us to repcse; excite or pacify; it will strengthen our character and refine our sentiments. IL comes like the wind and passes, its effects only being left on the recollection.
 If such men as Homer, "the father of soug,' Plato, Calico, Pythagoras, Socrates and Luther, who placed 1t next to theology, have encouraged and pursued the study of the art; If warriors have invoked it and divines adored it., are we not justified in attrlbuting to it's influence immeasurable power? Lord Byron had music play yed in the room adjoining his study; Milton received his solemn inspiration while listening to his org an; Mozart, in his death strug- gle, exclaimed to his daughter; 70, let me hear once more those notes which have so long been my solace and delight By music the Psalmist calmed the adverse sp,rit of the wicked soul. Coming on down to more recent events we have the inspiring power of music illustrated in Great Britain when the steam ship "St. Paul" collided with the British cruiser "Gladiator." We , are told how the singing of the , sea songs kept up the spirits oi ] the sailors and saved many from : drowning. In Germany at the 9 Berlin Charity Hospital, concerts
 are given every Sunday afternoon 5 for the benefit of the patients The performers, it is said, are all skilled artists, and the good ct. fects of the music are described , as extraordinary, the concerts pc
 ing welcomed with enthusiasm f by the patients.
 There is nothing that doe f more to stimulate and encourage f tchurch attendance, to lit th' ' people to a higher level of relig n ious earnestness than the saere' I music. How many there are 0 us who, in the words of Alexan
 der Pope, ITO the church repair {, not for the doctrine but tor tn music there." How commonplac ! many uf our stanzas would seen : read as ordinary prose. let' SC l. 10 music they are capable ot SUI ]. ring the heart of all humanity e We are led to exclaim in the Ian : guage of the poet; l. Ns,e;f.. oh how faint, how weak