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Page 27 text:
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of hvi$t$ God be extolled both in the sanctuary and in the firmament of His power. Let all bread praise the Lord.” The Purposes of Music arc unlimited, I am not concerned with music as it relates itself to mere mirth; as it is used between salacious theatre scenes; as it attends the rhythmic movements of the modern dance, or as it entertains social circles. With these forms of music the pastor has little contact and in most cases small interest. But music as it relates itself to the Christian religion moves to very definite objectives. First of all, IT SHOULD VOICE THE PRAISES OF A GRACIOUS GOD. 1 bis was its particular employment in the Old Testament times by Israel, as the entire Booh ol the Psalms attests. Haydn, who contributed to the climax of Christian sentiment in both rote and word, said, “A religion without thanksgiving, praise and joy is like a flower without perfume, tint or nectar There may be such a flower, but surely no one would care to pluck it. Being once asked why his church music was so cheerful, Haydn replied, I cannot make it otherwise. When I think of God, my heart is so full of joy that the notes dance and leap!” It is my candid opinion that the spirit that incites to praise and thanksgiving is the very one that will solve practically all the problems of life itself. The singing man is never .1 soured man, neither a cynical man; and the man whose lips are filled with praises never burdens them with complaints. ALL FORMS OF WORSHIP, HOWEVER, MAY BE VOICED BY MUSIC Prayer as well as petition; sorrow, suffering, bereavement as well as joy, gladness and rejoicing. Someone has said, “Music has a unique relation to our emotional natures. It expresses feeling, yea, life itself!” That is why it has a place and is often indulged in when one is solitary—alone. That is why it is engaged in when the family circle assembles around the parlor piano. That is why it swells into anthem proportions when the people gather in the House of God, I hat is why it is conceivable that the great hours in heaven and of eternity will be characterized by the song of all saints and of all angels. It is the one way to voice worship. Hot the only way, but the most natural way, and a Divinely approved way. IT MAY BE EMPLOYED IN SOUL-APPEAL. Thousands have been won to Christ through Gospel songs. Full well do I remember the night in Chicago when the officials of my church, having spent till two o’clock in the morning of the night previous, rose from their knees and shaking hands, said one to another, “She will be saved tomorrow night 1 .” For all that time we had spent in pleading with God for the soul-salvation of a young woman who was engaged to be married to one of the most efficient officers we had in Calvary Church, When the night had arrived I preached the tenderest sermon of which I was capable. She listened through it all, and that most earnestly, and with evident conviction. In the after- meeting T extended my pleadings to an unusual length, but she moved not. Finallv, almost in despair, I turned to F. FI. Jacobs, one of the greatest singers that American history has known, and I said, “Beloved, sing! He stood up and with his match¬ less voice and pleading tones he rendered “Almost Persuaded.” The notes of that number rang to every corner of the room, till finally he reached the last - “Almost persuaded,” harvest is past! “Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last! “Almost” can not avail; “almost” is but to fail! Sad, sad that bitter wail, “Almost,” but lost! She arose before the sound of his voice was stilled, and fairly rushing forward, she flung herself into the front scat and said, “I resisted the sermon; but I cannot resist the song! Ptifte Nineteen
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Page 26 text:
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CDusic Indispensable to IDorship c By Dr. W. B, Riley USIC is universally appreciated and practiced. The English ploughboy sings as he drives his team; the Scotch Highlander makes the gle ns and gray moors resound with his beautiful song; the Swiss, Tyrolese, and Carpathians lighten their labor by music; the muleteer of Spain cares little who is on the throne or behind it, if he can only have his early carol; the vintager of Sicily has his evening hymn, even beside the fire of the burning mount; the fisherman of Naples has his boat-song, to which his rocking boat beats time on that beau¬ tiful sea; and the gondolier of Venice still keeps up his midnight serenade.” Music is indispensable. To conduct a church without music would be to accomplish what no one has yet had the hardihood even to attempt. Music is the one art that appeals to all classes; that reaches and strangely moves the ignorant and the educated, the poor and the rich, the denizen of the home, the attendants at church, and even the gay and godless that gather for social converse. Someone has said, It is the gift of tongues, and is able, therefore, to speak to each in the vernacular to which he was bom.” Among the arts it can come nearest to the claim of Divine origin since at the finished creation, morning start sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (job. 38:7). The art that has such approval cannot he despised by the church of God. The Importance of Music can scarcely be over-stressed. In worship it has a Scriptural warrant. David of the Old Testa¬ ment is called the sweet singer of Israel. Neither the Scriptures nor tradition tell us anything of Ids voice. We do not surely know that he sang at all; but, with the pen of inspiration, be so wrote as to inspire anthems and oratorios in almost endless numbers, and his appeals were such as to stir the most sluggish souls to song. ' 7 wilt praise thee with my whole heart” is a phrase that rings through the one hundred and fifty Psalms or Songs written by this inspired man with such constant repetition as to remind one of the call of morning bells. He is not content with solo work. He would have the forces of nature peal forth the praises of God like an infinite organ; “fire and hail” and “snow” and “vapors” and “stormy wind” and “all deeps.” Pie w f ould have the earth itself become vocal and “mountains and all hills join in the praise of GW,” He would have “the beasts and all cattle “creeping things and flying fowl” to utter forth their praise. He would have “the sun and the moon and all the stars of light” to join. He would have “all young men and maidens” “all people,” including “princes and judges and hugs of the earth” praise the Name of the Lord. Yea, he would have “the heaven of the heavens” and “the waters beneath the earth” unite their voices in the glad refrain. Finally, he would have “all angels and all the hosts of heaven” tunc their tongues to the paeon of God s praise. The New Testament apostles are no whit at variance with this Old Testament prophet in this matter. On that night before Jesus was betrayed, when He had administered the Supper that should forever remain a type of His sacrifice, we read that “When they had jtmg an hymn , they went out into the Mount of Olives” (Matt. 26:30). Paul and Silas were m prison. They had been mercilessly beaten; their feet were fast in the stocks, and their hands were manacled; but “at midnight Paul and Silas prayed } and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25). James, in his epistle (5:13), writes, “Is any merry? Let him sing psalms.” Singing, then, is not one of those non-essential accretions fastened on the blood-bought Body; it is the very expression of its new, glad life; and Christianity without song is well-nigh inconceivable. Little wonder that Donald Fraser said, ' ‘Sing, oh, Christian, on your heavenly way; let Page Eighteen
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