Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-05-11
The Old Songs of Zion
kansas CITY Star.l

The Star has received the following
etter from a Kansas City subscriber:
Last Sunday night I attended our
church the Linwood Boulevard
Methodist-and l took note of how
many OF the audience took part in
the singing. Not more than one
third of the people even looked
into the hymn books, and not
that large a percentage of the con-
gregation helped in the singing.
The reason was obvious. The
hymns were new and unknown to
the .congregation. l noticed this
noon I attended the dedication of
the Billy" Sunday tabernacle, and
there the choir and the congrega-
tion sang over and over again the
God. to Thee" What Friend We
Have in Jesus Sweet Hour of
The greater number OF those who
attend church on Sunday night or
Sunday morning attend but the
one service in the week. The only
chance they have to take part in
the services is in the singing. II
they sing II must be some song
that is familiar to them. Moreover
powers if it gets e sG5 h6id of of them 1 ann am
writing this letter to ask the star
to insist upon return to the
soul. inspire the people to sing and
make IL worth while to go to
church"
But the Star is not going to do any
thing of the kind. Far he it from
this monument of grace and mercy to
give advice about the conduct of re-
ligious meetings. although, heaven
knows, some people have accused 1t
of trying to run everything else under
the sun.
But 1t has printed the foregoing let
ter from a member of the laity for
two reasons. First. because the Star
has given columns of space to the
opinion OF dignitaries and to them
which were of reputation" as to why
people do not attend church, and it
deems it no more than fair to hear
what the meek and lowly laymen
think of it.
Secondly. here is a wonderful trib-
ute to what the writer calls the "mov-
ing power" of song. When the peo-
pie meet together in a really demo-
cratic way. they sing. When there
is fellowship to be cemented, men
sing. When the people are happy
they sing. And, as the writer of
the foregoing letter says, they must
sing the old songs.
There is hope so long as men sing,
Paul and Silas in the dungeon cracked
the wall of the Jail at Philippi with
one of. the old songs of Zion. But
when the Hebrew children were hope
less captives in Babylon, they hung
their harps on the willows and said
in despair: How shall we sing the
Lords song in a strange land"
1t would be impossible to imagine
two men quafreling over useless
words of doctrine if they could be
quieted long enough 20 sing together:
Men do not commit crimes while
singing Jesus, Lover of My Soul"
nor fall into temptation to the tune OF
Take the Name of Jesus With YOU
The old songs are the marching tunes
for the church in all the ages. From
Wesley to Moody the old time songs OF
moving power" that the Methodist
brother mentions, have marked time
for the saints on the pilgrimage
through the Wilderness" Clear
down the alphabet. from Am l a Sol
dier of the Cross" to yield Not Ia
Temptation? ?" the old hymnals are full
of trumpet calls to the fighting spirit
of the church.
No wonder the Methodist layman
who has been brought up on these old
songs. as he gets a Whit of the re-
vival spirit moving the city. begins tc
yearn again for the moving power
of the familiar hymns.