Year: 1878

The subject of Church Music is so broad
SO deep, and SO important, that l shall
not attempt, in this brief note, to thor
oughly investigate its history or detail.
| shall merely mention few facts that
have crossed my pathway of experience
in the past few years; and perhaps by so
doing, will make one bright spot in the
pathway of my many co-workers. DR..
Collyer says, Music, as the means of
grace, is the unfallep angel of the world"
Poetry, painting, philosophy, &C., no
matter where you look; you can find the
snarling serpent of evil over all of them.
But, before you can make an evil, or even
doubtful thing of music, you are COM
PEELED to blend it with the very lowest of
vices. The church has never SO fully real
lied the Importance of music, as during
the past few years. The meetings con
Quoted by Bliss. Sankey and Moody,
where the singing has been elevated on
an equality with preaching which has
produced such grand results, and is teach
ing one of the most valuable lessons in
our churches. Music and religion are
twin sisters and when they go hand in
hand the word of the Lord prospers The
scriptures informs us that one of the
principal employments of the saints in
Heaven will be singing the praises of
God. Therefore we certainly should give
great attention to the cultivation of vocal
music. There is nothing SO elating,
grand, sublime as music and as tongue
can not tell of the glories of Heaven, o,
how grand must be the harmonies of that
Celestial Choir. will draw three pict-
ures of the present condition of music in
the majority of our churches:


1st. The music is performed by an Or
ganist and quartette who sing in the
opera during the week, but are hired to
furnish music for the church on the Sab
bath. The organist begins by playing
some popular airs made up from some Of
the operas and the music sung by the
choir is principally Of that kind to show
the ability and cultivation of the sing
There is no feeling, no devotion there,
and the tendency throws a coldness over
the whole service. The minister feels
that he is unsupported. Why should he
not be2 when the Devil has the opening
and closing of the service. During the
services the choir either leave the church,
spend the time in talking, writing notes,
practicing hirtations or perhaps go to
sleep.


End. The choir sitting as far from the
minister as it can be placed; very un-
evenly balanced perhaps one alto "squal-
ing to the top Of her voice" to five treble.
The tunes have not been selected when
church commences perhaps the leader
has not been with them for a month
They sing an opening piece which they
have poorly learned, no expression, no
] feeling, mere mechanical performance.
During prayer the leader and members
of the choir whisper and select tune.
They sing very poor, and the congrega-
| ton commences with them when they
get to the second line The minister
begins his sermon feeling very bad. The
choir whispers, laughs, writes notes, or
reads paper, and the service closes with
another hymn badly sung with very little
good accomplished and the cause of mu-
sic sadly degraded


Sd. There is no choir, congregation
small, as is generally the case where the
singing is poor. The minister reads the
hymn, perfect silence prevails, then the
minister says, will some brother start
the hymn" So brother A undertakes it
and fails. Brother B. stammers at it.