New Britain herald., 1926-01-13
VALUE OF MUSIC
 ID A COMMUNITY
Rev. I. A. Greene Speaks to KiWaniS Club This Noon

The value of music in the com nunity was explained 10 the mem bers of the New Britain Kiwanis club at the regular meeting at the Burritt hotel today. by Rev. Theo' dore A. Greene, pastor Of the First ongrcegational church.
 The meeting was presided over by J. NJ. Ward the new president. A new stunt. "The whispering bats" was introduced today by President Ward and created much amusement. Members were assigned 10 regular seats, miniature baseball bats, about half the regulation size were passed out, one to each table. 10 specified members. President Ward then an- nounced that one tap Of the hell will mean silence. the second tan means that the bat holder is to gently prod the disturber of the meeting; the third tap gives the holder of the bat the privilege Of wallopping to his hearts content on the basis that only extreme meas ures then can prevail.
 Harry c. Billings announced that the annual banquet will be held next Wednesday evening. beginning at o:3o o'clock. There will be no noon meeting. It will De L@u'eS Night"
 The address by Rev Mir, Greene o'as as follows:
 "The Joy of Christmas Praise"
 For ys shall go out with Joy ana be led forth with peace the noun tains and the hills shall break forth mo singing and all the trees or the f.,d shall clap their hands."-lsalah a5;l2.
 Here is a passage that should certainly be read at the Christmas eoason by every Christian. It IS ilruuinated with the joy Of a new bope. It is filled with the assur- arcs of peace the whole world round. And it appeals 10 us espe- c!ally because it concelVes or Chris'. ms Day, the Day of the Coming or th. Christ Child, as day ot great rejoicing! T. tells us not only that rh4 angels will sing in the heavens tY+ that all nature will join in the chorus, Even the "Mountains ana the hills shah break forth lnto sing ing" And all that hath life ana nrra.h" will sing to the Lord" IL ls wonderful idea this that when Christ comes the whole creation will break into song'
 Some of us with our less imag1n- otiye western minds may thlnK thls ancient prophecy a strange sort ol n fsncv-and nothing more. But 10 sneak of the stones as singing ana the trees as clapping their hands ls' after all, only an eastern hyperpole for a very great truth! The lruth that. whenever the world is gIad II must of necessity break forth lnlo song. Some of you may be 'hihh- ing that all this Christmas ihusic' this choir, this organ, thls 'lo'Ah ord 'ceIlo. are merely the inventions If man. brought in to strengthen Inc service of God. But all ms music with its power to thrill anu melt. 10 lift and unite our hearts IS far more than the handl"ofh U. nm, il is a very precious part of ,ga creation os God. The truth ls' mr.ic Is included in the eternal ha- trre os things, Tn the beglnhig,, cnd said: let there be light ana there was light" He had no nr'N to say: "Let there be song. De capee ever since God was God inc morning stars have sung together And further still
 "Whenever and wherever created things have stood face 10 face "lln their creator, they have straighI"ay hrrst into melody" This instinct to sinp is as old as the world, as true as the Bible, and as strong a death. .,.,..
 Thnre is somahing strikinEly hc,utiful and suggestive ahout 'H' contribution of cho,r, an or6an' and sfrlngcd instruments 10 this our ,nsncr musical of CMisimaS praiS'' 1on % 70 other houses than >hl House of Col. but they will lot al wavs sirg there. Or, if they H'IH' their melody will b" acrid"r'",' 'ot- +yrong. arbitrary lo"i\iIl'a' , rromn-od. it may be. ny the "hlm or canricc of the moan "'. h Ut ,ylen mon 20 10 this house, th" Ir,usa ot the Lord. thcy Eno" h"- forrhard that they will want 10 sgrg, They Erow, also, that 'h'J uuI want 10 sing their N"ry best Therefore, they set "sI'e th'ir post ,.nccrs 70 load thm in their song so that 'hr great harmony may riS" with ra>crrac. as w,'' as win re- tojcing to tho Throne invisible. Yes ,h, choir is a rart of tho creation.
 God is tts author. and not man; He laid thc E,>u9.c c9 8" harmon ios: He p.ara.d a& u'r'"ct com hinations. and Hr malr us so that we could hear anI uai,r-tao1'
 Did you ever stop 10 think that one reason we a.ways ha'c music in our churches is ntt uocans" th' act Of listening 10 music IS akin 10 ,he religious cousc.oUs!., ss. hr'anse music has way ". stirring the motions and rvpar'inE he soni' .s.,af 'n"r3' 's.~ d power '9 nr,n N T