Year: 1876

There is that Mr.. Thomas-what's his
other name2 Well, no matter, 1 don't
want to take one bit of praise away
from him, sir. But, sir, don't you
think we ought to. make differance
between a concert room in the theatre
and the music room in a house Don't
you think there ought to be little of
the "Old Folks at Home" style that
would draw us all nearer to the sin.
ger and the song, or TO the player and
the piece. Classic music is grand, sir,
and severe in style aud, taste, 1 think
they call it, aud we will doubtless
have more of this when zoe become
more classical. The romantic school,
too, has its admirers, and even sensa-
tiona music may have its place in the
modern score, if it has "tbe language
of the feelings" think it very ex.
pressive of much of the emotion of the
present day but, sir, to see a poor
girl or boy playing piece which
touches their own souls at no one
point, to company seated on shiny
chairs, who also are touched at no one
point by the classical, save at the
point of weariness; that's not good,
sir, for it amt natural.


"There's another room upstairs
that l would like to show you, sir
our fashioned nursery; but as you
are the minister, and have to listen to
great deal of talking, and are con-
stantly called on to make remarks, |
won't detain you longer. l do think,
however, let me say in parting with
you, that the new house they build
the children's room too far away from
the rest Of the family, and too near to
the servants hall. Depend upon it,
sir, it's bad sign to see the baby's
crib too near the servants hall and
too far away from Mamma. Much
obliged for your attention to an old
body like me, sir. Good.bv, sir"


The mention of the fact Of my call.
ing, and that officially my time would
probably be fully taken up, brought
me back from my reverie, and gave
me some thoughts Of that household
of faith for which it is my privilege
and duty to labor and pray.


l thought how much of that old
house Of the former church seems to
be passing away. Like the honse on
wheels, moving FROM the prominent
front it once occupied to the rear, l
rejoiced indeed as ! thought of its pro-
gress aud the glorious destiny in store
for it. / looked with delight upon
the new and magnificent temples the
hands of wealth are rearing in our
large cities, and asked myself the
question: Are not there some things
moving off with the old as it wheels
into the rear, that can be lily spared
by the new house as it wheels into the
front? To have large beautiful, and
fully.appointed church building, is a
grand, good thing; but to be lacking
in that godly fear and wholesome rev.
ereace with which we entered the old
church building, would be sad in
deed


1t must be confessed,I think, that
we lack in our modern church too
much the form as well as the spirit of
humble alteration in our worship.
The rush and romp of the outside
world of business and outside pleas
ure, glides down the wide aisles and
into the newly up holstered pews. A
stranger might often think the con
gregaton gathering for party rather
than for prayer.


Not is this mere thoughtlessness,
which in itself were surely sin enough,
but with some it is preneditated pur-
pose to attract public attention.
With such persons the love of show is
uppermost in the heart-a love foster
ed very frequently by the appoint
ments Of the new building upon which
they have entered. The rustic of the
costly dress, the wave of the superb
fan, and the fash of the sparkling
Jewels are but part Of the startling
effect to be produced. These are they
of whom the prophet writes of old
"They are naughty and walk with
stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes,
walking and mincing as they go. and
making a tinkling with their feet.
The solemn awe and befitting rever-
ence of worship has no place in the
constitution of such people. The pub
lie service of God in its spiritual as
pect is burden to them. They need
all the arts of rhetoric, all the APP
pointments of architecture and upbol-
stery, all the charms of rapturous mu-
sic, to make the humble, simple ser
vice of the sanctuary even enduraole.
From the rush and crush Of the fash
ionable aisles and pews, this irrever-
ent spirit often creeps up into the pull
| nit so that IL Is no naM Ihinu now. a.