-a." bl If INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN- CHRISTIAN PRAISE. BY A CANADIAN CLERGYMAN. TORONTO: 1880. ^jar «,. =5- QIj INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. BY A CANADIAN CLERGYMAN. J-A-Xi^E TORONTO: 1880. V 1 PREFACE. rpHE author of this tract does not expect all his Presbyterian brethren to J- endorse his views, -.-and he doe3 not intend to quarrel with or extend the hand of friendship to them less warmly for that. Some of his most loved and respected friends, he knows, differ from him, as to the use of the organ in churches ; but these friends, he also knows, are much too honourable to with- draw the hand of friendship from him, as a penalty for his outspoken sentiments. Moreover, though the author has strong convictions on the subject of this tract, and states his ideas in strong language, yet he has also too strong a love to Christ and to the brethren that boar His image, to allow even his contempt for a *' kist o' whistles " in sacred praise, to prevent him worshipping with the children of the kingdom, where this bauble is considered essential to the service. The author well remembers how strong, in his early days, was the sentiment of opposition to instrumental praise among both Presbyterian ministers and people. Ministers and people alike regarded it as a relic of Judaism. How the Church has now come to tolerate, and even approve of it, seems marvellous in his eyes. If the Church of the present day is so much more enlightened, whence did she receive all her knowledge. The author has again and again wondered how or when all this literature, so convincing and so productive of results, came into the hands of the Church, for he cannot remember having seen it. The gr&at argument, not forgetting the "nutshell " of Dr. Wallace, he takes to be the " no argument at all," but popular favour; and ministers, in many cases, because they could not stop the stream, had to go along with it. The tone of this tract may appear to some readers to be unseemingly bold, and even uncharitable, in the face of the growing use of organs in the worship of the Church. The author has no wish to be either bold or uncharitable, but only honest, in stating his views on this important question ; and could he be convinced that the views which he has expressed here with so much frankness, are wholly false, and of a nature calculated to do harm in the present age, to the cause of the blessed Master, he would indeed be the first to commit this tract to the flames. He trusts, however, that there is enough of truth within its pages to redeem it from so ignominious a fate. The remarks also at the close, bearing on other things than the nsa of the organ, may not altogether be unprofitable. ■ Vi. PREFACE. As to the style of this tract, there has been no attempt at ornament of any kind ; it is plain and purposely diffuse for the class of readers for whom it is intended. The anthor hopes the tract will do good, even where its sentiments may be opposed, and tend to retard the departure of the Church from the simplicity of the faith, as delivered to the saints. He ^Iso cordially recommends to the public perusal, tracts on the same subject by the Rev. Dr. Robb, late of Toronto, and the Rev. R. Johnson, of Kossuth, Iowa. These tracts, though differing considerably from that of the author in their modes of defending the purity of Christian praise, have never- theless been found exceedingly useful to him. ALEXANDER NICOL, Ayton, Ont. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CHRISTIAN PRAISE. Preliminabt Analtsih of Souhd, Vocal and Instrumental, as a Medium of EITHER Mental Expression or Stimulation in Pbaisb. This analysis is purely special, and limited, of course, to the points involved in the subsequent discussion. THERE ure just two distin-jt uses to which odours may be put with which we are all famihar. (1) We may devise colours of a certain shape, and com- bining them into words, make use of them to represent and express the various ideas of our minds ; or, (2) having a totally different object in view, we may make such a combination or disposition of these colours as to excite in us merely a sense of the beautiful. Here are two powers or uses totally distinct. Sounds are like colours in these respects. They have two distinct powers or uses. You can make use of them in speech or song to express the various ideas and emotions of the mind, or you can make use of them in such a way (melodiously) as merely to stimulate the purely lesthetic sense pertaining to melody in the mind. The disposition, etc., of the sounds, as well as the end in view, in each case is quite different. When multifarious mental expression is the object in view, the articulation, pitch, length, loudness, etc., of the sounds must be so dis- posed as to adequately convey the mental idea or emotion intended . When melody is the object in view, everything in the pitch, duration, strength, etc., of the sounds must be so disposed as to excite purely the one sasthetic sense appro- priate to melody. We make a distinction here between song and mere melody ; because song, while it may or may not be melody, has powers of expressing or of addressing the multifarious ideas and emotions of the mind. Melody, considered merely as melody, has power to express or address only one purely aesthetic feeling of the mind analyzable into nothing else. Let us, therefore, fix firmly in our minds distinct ideas of these two powers of sound, wh(ther of speech, song, or instrumental music : (1) its power, com- posed as mere melody, to express or stimulate the one aesthetic sense of melody appropriate to it ; (2) its power (differently composed) of expressing or address- ing representatively the whole circle of ideas, sentiments or emotions of the mind, as fear, love, sorrow, etc., which have nothing purely aesthetic in their nature Analyzing song and instrumental music in conjunction, we find in them the following powers : — 8 INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. I. Song and instrumental mui^io possess in common the power of melody, and in this respect they are both alike capable of either stimulating the sense of melody or of expressing it. ^ II. Song possesses fully the power of expressing or of addressing all the multifarious ideas and emotions of the mind; because (1) in song we can articu- late words representative of the ideas, etc., and (2) in song, just also as in speech, we can use such tones of the scales, major or minor, and such length, loudness, etc., as are naturally suggestive of, or appropriate to, the sentiments which we wish to express ; thus in song, as in speech, a plaintive tone is appro- priate to sorrow, a high note to joy, a low note to intense feeling, etc. The chief element of all such expression lies, however, in the power of artic- ulation, as the pitch, length, and general character of the tones, used by one person to express a particular emotion, often vary widely from those of another person expressing it, and the tones of the same person even differ in these res- pects at different times. Wide license is often allowed in these respects both in singing and in speech, the same tone is often used to express sentiments widely different. Our best orators also differ widely from one another in this matter. III. Instrumental music possesses, only in a most limited degree, the power of expressing or of addressing the multifarious ideas and emotions of the mind; because (1 ) in instrumental music the articulative power, which is found to be the chief element of multifarious mental expression, is wholly awanting ; and (2) though the second element of such expression, which consists in pitch, length, loudness, etc. , of tone, is possessed by it, yet as we have already seen, theso properties of mere tone are so variable and uncertain in their character, that, divorced from articulation, they are next to useless as an exponent of the £;eneral sentiments of the mind. So far then as this second element of multifarious mental expression, which is the only one possessed by instrumental music, is concerned, if it be possible by means of it to convey a general idea a*- all, it will do it so vaguely or indefi- nitely a^ to be at the best but a good help to a guess. In listening to an instru- ment playing an air whioli is intended to express or to stimulate gratitude, I may possibly gather gratitude from it, or as likely I may think it expresses something else, or I may put ideas into it and make it express what I please. But suppose, what is not likely to happen, that I should concf've it to mean gratitude, it leaves me completely iu the dark as to whom gratitude is to be ex- pressed, as to what I am to be grateful for, and to a thousand other vague con- jectures. Now the power of articulation possessed by song leaves me to no such vain guesses.* Instrumental music then, as an element of general mental ex pression, is comparatively valueless. So far as multifarious mental expression is concerned, an attempt to supplement the expressive power of tLe voice in song by so futile a help as a man-made instrument, is like the attempt to add to the expressive powers of a living face by setting up alongside of it a huge, unshapely profile of man's own invention. If we wanted help to express generally our mental ideas or emoMons, we should certainly least of all choose so worthless a help as instrumental music to enable ua to do so. The extent an instrument can afford any help of t Lis kind, depends wholly on its power to imitate the tones of the human voice ; but, setting aside the power of articulation, which it lacks, ♦ We honestly fear thnt a promiscuous crowd of the Lord's people, listening to some of Handel s best oratorios (the " Creation " for example), and bavins no foreknow- ledge of the charaoter of the piece would scarcely be able, out of all the possible things which its instrumental music might express, to select the Creation as its most appro- priate theme. This is exprSBsion vague indeed. INSTRUMENTAL MU3IC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. d this power of expression is small indeed. Oertainly the pow r of general men- tal expression, H that is looked to alone, as it should be, is not only not assisted but materially hindered by the use of any instrument. For if wo use an instru- ment to swell or augment the volume of sound in praise, then that drowns the articulation of the singers, a thing of greater importance than itself ; if we use it either equ.vl to, or less in volume than the human voice, then it augments the sound only to the extent of one good singer, and besides at the same time, from its want of articulation, only mars or renders less distinct the articulation of such as declare Qod's praise with the superbly expressive powers with which God has furnished them. If it is mere noise that is wanted, possibly something more suitable than even an organ might be tried ; we would suggest a trumpet or even a ram's horn, and allow the blower to make the sound as uncertain as he pleased. But it is not mere noise that is wanted, neither is it mera melody, but pure expressive power of the praiseful feelings of the heart, love to God, joy, gratitude, etc., and this expressive power in the highest excellence abides alone in the songful, God-made voice, which expression the organ, from want of articulation, really hinders more than it helps. To our mind, the service which an organ is conceived to render in praise is precisely parallel to that of an instrument which might be invented to assist in prayer, viz.: to swell the minister's tones, give sounding emphasis where he gives it, make loud sonorous "Ohsl" where he makes ther", and groan as it best can where he groaue. It would give sensuous effect to the service cer- tainly, but alas for the expression. At this stage of our remarks, however, it is proper to observe that, though instrumental music, as compared with vocal, is well nigh useless as a means of general mental expression ; yet, as noticed in the first part of our analysis, there is one power which it posseses to a like degree with vocal music, namely, the power of making melody; and in this respect both vocal and instrumental music are alike capable of either stimulating or expressing the testhetio sense appropriate to it. But the sense of melody, or of beauty of sound, is only one feeling of the mind, and it is purely an aesthetic one, analyzable into no other affection of the mind, and has little or nothing to do with the holy joy, love, admiration, and other pious emotions of a sanctified heart, which constitute praise. Therefore, what stimulates or expresses merely the senre of melody, may by no means excite or express a single emotion of praise. The mere melodious power of voice or instrument, therefore, has nothing to do with praise. It is neither praise itself, nor has it power either to express or stimulate it. Whenever, therefore, we introduce the mere melody-making power, as a something essential in praise, we introduce what is wholly extraneous to it. Mere melody of song is of no more use in praise than mere melody of speech in prayer. Were this not the case the best prayers and the best piaise would come not from the greatest piety, but from the best musical talent. But let us now look more particularly at the essential elements of praise in worship. What is praise ? Praise is the making of melody in the heart. It has its fountain in the human soul. It consists of thoughts and feelings. It is the holy joy, love, gratitude, adoration, etc., of a sanctified heart moving upward to God under the stimulation of God's Word and Spirit ; the fragrance of a pious soul under the warming glow of God-sunshine retu oing heavenward to the sun himself. The materials of praise are not made up of sounds at all. They are com- posed of devout thoughts and feelings. Prayer is felt need or desire expressed to God; praide is felt fuluess and gratitude expressed to God. The former implies vacuity in the creature and inflow from the Creator ; the latter implies offering and outflow from the creature returning to the Creator. While praise 8 INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. I. Song and instrumental music possess in common the power of melody, and in this respect they are both alike capable of either stimulating the sense of melody or of expressing it. II. Song possesses fully the power of expressing or of adJressing all the multifarious ideas and emotions of the mind ; because (1) in song we can articu- late words representative of the ideas, etc., and (2) in song, just also as in speech, we can use such tones of the scales, major or minor, and such length, loudness, etc., as are naturally suggestive of, or appropriate to, the sentiments which we wish to express ; thus in song, as in speech, a plaintive tone is appro- priate to sorrow, a high note to joy, a low note to intense feeling, etc. The chief ehment of all such expression lies, however, in the power of artic- ulation, ab the pitch, length, and general character of the tones, used by one person to express a particular emotion, ofteu vary widely from those of another person expressing it, and the tones of the same person even differ in these res- pects at different times. Wide license is often allowed in these respects both in singing and in speech, the same tone is often used to expre-^s sentiments widely different. Our best orators also differ widely from one another in this matter. III. Instrumental r.i-s'c possesses, only in a most limited degree, the power of expressing or of adc.ressing the multifarious ideas and emotions of the mind; becauso (] ) in instrumental mu?ic the articulative power, which is found to be the chief element of multifarious mental expression, is wholly awanting; and (2) though the second element cf such expression, which consists in pitch, length, loudness, etc. , of tone, is possessed by it, yet as we have already seen, these properties of mere tone are so variable and uncertain in their character, that, divorced from articulation, they are next to useless as an exponent of the i^eneral sentiments of the mind. So far then as this second element of multifarious mental expression, which is the only o^o possessed by instrumental music, is concerned, if it be possible by means of it to convey a general idea at all, it will do it so vaguely or indefi- nitely as 1 3 be at the best but a good help to a guess. In listening to an instni- ment playing an air which is intended to express or to stimulate gratitude, I may possibly gather gratitude from it, or as likely I may think it expresses something else, or I may put ideas into it and make it express what I please. But suppose, what is not likely to happen, that I should conceive it to mean gratitude, it leaves me completely in the dark n s to whom gratitude is to be ex- pressed, as to what I am to be grateful for, and o a thousand other vague con- jectures. Now the power of articulation possessed by song leaves me to no such vain guesses.* Instrumental music then, as an element of general mental ex- pression, is comparatively valueless. So far as multifarious mental expression is concerned, an attempt to supplemfint the expressive power of the voice in song by so futile a help as a man-made instrument, is like the attempt to add to the expressive powers of a living face by setting up alongside of it a huge, unshapely profile of man's own invention. If we wanted help to express generally our mental ideas or emotions, we should certainly least of all choose so worthless a help as instrumental music to enable us to do so. The extent an instrument can afford any help of this kind, depends wholly on its power to imitate the tones of the human voice ; but, setting aside the power of articulation, which it lacks, ♦ We honestly fear thit a promiscuous crowd of the Lord's people, listening to some of Handel s best oratorios (the " Creation " for example), and havinv no foreknow- ledge of the character of the piece would scarcely be able out of all the possible things which its instrumental music might express, to select the Creation as its most appro- priate theme. This is expression vague indeed. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. 9 this power of expression is small indeed- Oertainly the power of genoral men- tal expression, it that is looked to alone, as it should be, is not only not assisted but materially hindered by the use of any instrument. For if we use an in-itrvv- ment to swell or augment the volume of sound in praise, then that drowns the articulation of the singers, a thing of greater importance than itself ; if we u^^e it either equal to, or less in volume thair the human voice, then it augments tbe sound only to the extent of one good singer, and busides at the same time, from its want of articulation, ouly mars or renders less distinct the articulation of such as declare God's praise with the superbly expressive powers with which God has furnished them. If it is mere noise that is wanted, possibly something more suitable than even an organ might be tried ; we would suggest a trumpet or even a ram's horn, and allow the blower to make the sound as uncertain as he pleased. But it is not mere noise that is wanted, neither is it mere melody, but pure expressive power of the praiseful feelings of the heart, love to God, joy, gratitude, etc., and this expressive power in the highest excellence abides alone in the songful, God-made voice, which expression the organ, fiom want of articulation, really hinders more than it helps. To our mind, the service which an organ is conceived to render in praise is precisely parallel to that of an instrument which might be invented to assist in prayer, viz. : to swell the minister's tones, give sounding emphasis where he gives it, make loud sonorous "Ohs!" where he makes them, aud groan as it be:jt can where he groau8. It would give sensuous effect to the service cer- tainly, but alas for the expression. At this stage of our remarks, however, it is proper to observe that, though instrumental music, as compared with vocal, Is well nigh useless as a means of general mental expression ; yet, as noticed in the first part of our analysis, there is one power which it posseses to a like degree with vocal music, namely, the power of making melody; and in this respect both vocal and instrumental music are alike capable of either stimulating or expressing the aesthetic sense appropriate to it. But the sense of melody, or of beauty of sound, is only one feeling of the mind, and it is purely an aesthetic one, analyzable into no other affection of the mind, and has little or nothing to do with the holy joy, love, admiration, and other pious emotions of a sanctified heart, which constitute praise. Therefore, what stimulates or expresses merely the sense of melody, may by no means excite or express a single emotion of praise. The mere melodious power of voice or ini'trument, therefore, has nothing to do with praise. It is neither praise itself, nor has it power either ta express or stimulate it. Whenever, therefore, we introduce the mere melody-making power, as a something essential in praise, we introduce what is wholly extraneous to it. Mere melody of song is of no more use in praise than mere melody of speech in prayer. Were this not the case the best prayers and the best pruise would come not from the greatest piety, but from the best musical talent. But let us now look more particularly at the essential elements of praise in worship. What is praise ? Praise is the making of melody in the heart. It has its fountain in the human soul. It consists of thoughts and feelings. It is the holy joy, love, gratitude, adoration, etc., of a sanctified heart moving upward to God under the stimulation of God's Word and Spirit ; the fragrance of a pious eonl under the warming glow of God-sunshine returning heavenward to the sun himself. The materials of praise are not made up of sounds at all. They are com- posed of dc-out thoughts and feelings. Prayer is felt need or desire expressed to God; praise is felt fulness and gratitude expressed to God. The former implies vacuity in the creature and inflow from the Creator ; the latter implies offering and outflow from the creature returning to the Creator. While praise 10 INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. may be regarded as the exuberant fragrance of a plant, diffusing itself aun^vard, prayer may be conceived of as the absorption of the suubeam necessary to its life and growth. Both praise and prayer are exercises of the Christian graces. Both imply communion with God. But prayer is representative of the sacrifice on the ultar waiting for the descent of the holy Are that is to consume it; while praise is the hot glow of that sacrifice already on fire, and radiating heavenward. But while we have been at some pains in this way to bring before the mind a true idea of the spirituality of praise as it should be offered to Qod, it may not be out of place to give a more concise definition of it. Definition. — The praise of Christian worship is the holy joy, love, gratitude, adoration, etc., of a sanctified heart appropriately expressed to God; that is, expressed by those powers of voice, etc. , which God has given man for the pur- pose of expression. True praise may be expressed through the medium of speech or song, or in the heart, without either ; but as our lips are part of our physical nature given us for expression, it is quite suitable that we should use the voice as an expres- sion, not as a part of praise. And when we praise God in concert with others, it is absolutely necessary that we should make this use of the lips in order to promote concert of thoaght and feeling with our fellow- worshippers, in praise also, the lips must be used in song, as song affords the only method in which a number of voices can be kept in concert ; and besides, song suitably expresses the praise of the heart. A concert of voices in mere ptosaio speech means a repetition of Babel, and that as a medium of praise in the church, is impossible. It follows from these things that concert of voices in prayer without con- fusion is impractible, and the prayers of the people have to be led by the voice of the minister alone. If prayers could always be sang, then all the congregation might pray aloud ; but this would require a new song, expressive of the particular wants of every occasion, to be composed by the minister every week ; and besides being set to music, copies would have to bo printed and distributed in the pews every Sabbath, a work that neither minister nor people would be capable of accomplishing, however wilhng. But we must remember here besides, that the natural language of prayer is not song but prosaic speech. Prayer is the earnest, impatient outcry of a needy soul. It is abrupt and anxious in its language, and while appropriately expressed in prosaio speech, it has usually httle or no har- mony with the slow, measured cadences of song ; while praise, on the contrary, is the satisfied, leisurely outflow of the soul, and finds its natural expret^sion in the soft, solemn, or long-drawn sonorous utterance of song. The mental state of prayer is best e pressed by speech ; the mental state of praise is best ex- pressed by song. We would not wish it to be inferred from these arguments that we coun- tenance, in any way, the same silence on the part of the worshipper during praise as in prayer. We can all praise God aloud in concert through song, the natural language of praise, but we cannot all pray aloud to God in concert through speech, the natural language of prayer, without absolute confusion. There should always be concert in tho gatherings of the Lord's people ; and this concert is always best promoted by outward expi:.ouion when it is possible ; when it is not possible without confusion, as in the case of prayer, it is secured by the voice of the minister alone. It is always natural to give outward ex- pression to the thoughts and feelings, and God has provided in His Church full scope to all that is instinctive and natural to our hearts, so far as is consistent with decency and order. With these preliminary explanations as to the nature of praise, we may now examine still more particularly how sound or vocal expression stands re- lated to it. There are just three relations in which melody, song, or sound can be con- INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. 11 oeived of as necessary to praise : (1) either as an element itself of praise ; (2) as a means of stimulating praise in the heart ; or (3) as a means of expressing it. I. In the first place, melody or song that is mere musical sound is not an essential element of praise, for melody divorced from the words or ideas with which it is usually associated, is only mere physical sound, beautiful sound it may be, and pleasing to the human ear, but after all but a mere series of air waves, utterly devoid of all thought and feeling, falling in soft and regular move- ments on the human ear. Praise, on the contrary, is composed of thought and feeling, and lias moral quality ; mere sound, dealing purely with the phynical, has physical quality but no moral quality whatever. Mere sound, therefore, can never justly be reckoned praise, however beautiful, else would the sweet song that wafts to the heavens the inner melody of a pious heart be alike in moral quality, if alike in melody, with the foul emanation of the unclean lips of the brothel. The melodious qualities of both being alike, if mere music is to be consid- ered an essential part of praise, it follows that the praiseful quahties must dwell alike in both, a theory that few will care to endorse. II. Neither can it be successfully maintained (1) that mere melody, that is sound vocal or instrumental, composed or disposed of merely as melody, can stimulate in the heart a single element of praise. Melody is unquestionably a stimulant of aesthetic feeling. The linked sweetness and the soft and measured cadences of song do flood the chambers of the soul with a soft and tender feeling appreciative of the sound, but which is in no sense analyzable into an element of praise. It is neither the holy joy, gratitude, nor any other emotion of a sanctitied heart. It is, on the contrary, a feeling which in many cases may be more perfectly aroused and enjoyed by the heart untouched by grace, than by those who have drunk most deeply at the wells of salvation. An adept in the musical art will feel the powers and enjoy the melody in- finitely more than many a less tutored Christian whose heart overflows with the melody which God will accept. Not a few hearts, we believe, full of bitter enmity to Christ have been touched even to tears by the melody of a sweet song that speaks the praises of His love ; and yet, amid all this flow of feeling, the enmity to Christ remained ai bitter as ever. Not one emotion of a truly sanctified he irt was excited, but simply an aesthetic and'sensuous feeling which overcame the man for the time. Music has certainly power to touch an aesthetic chord in our nature, but not a spiritual one. Until the sensuous and aesthetic is clearly distinguished from the supersen- suons and spiritual, men will always be in danger of confounding tlie one with the other, and of imagining there is praise in their hearts to God when there i3 only a flow of sensuous feeling. This sensuous feeling is, we readily grant, a pleasing concomitant of praise- ful thought and emotion, but it is by no means an element of either. The air we breathe is indeed pleasing to the senses of men, but it is the fragrance which it conveys from the unfolded petals of the pious soul, that alone is pleas- ing to God. Our failures in praise, arise chiefly from lack of fragrance in the heart , not from lack of melody in expression ; and though song composed or disposed of as an instrument of general mental expression may suitably express praise, yet composed or disposed of merely as melody, it can neither express nor stimulate a single praiseful emotion of the soul. Mere melody, whether vocal or instru- mental, is just as fit to stir unholy emotion as that which is pure and well-pleas- ing to God. There is nothing in all the music of the gamut to arouse a single holy affection. Faith, hope, and charity are all functions of a renewed nature, and are fundamental elements of true praise ; yet it is only by the friction of holy or of Bible thoughts that they can be stirred into exercise, and plain articu- lative song (or even speech) is more capable of conveying such thoughts to the mind, than the moat elaborate efforts of harmony, yea infinitely more so, for 12 INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. mnoh of onr harmony is 80 inarticulate, that all distinct enunciation of thought is completely smothered out in the mere gush of sound ; and superficial wor- shippers are only too apt to conclude that with the mere gush of sound and sensums feeling combined, they are offering to God the elements of praise. Now we are bound to say that no quality of souud however baautifu and no form of ffis'ihetio emotion arising from it, however rapturous, constitutes a single element of praise. (2) Song or instrumental music, that is sounds vocal or instrumental, composed or disposed of as a means of expressing the general idea-t and emotions of the mind, may be helpful to some extent as a stimulative of praise in the heart. These sounds are very often melody, yet it does not follow that in compos- ing them as a vehicle of expression they are to be composed as purely melody. Song, besides being the natural method of expressing praise, possesses, in virtue of articulative and tonic elements vested in it, powers of general mental expres- sion to a perfect degree ; instrumental music, devoid of articulation, and pos- sessing tonic power only sufficient to imitate faintly the tones of the voice, is a most inadequate means of expression ; and as it is by its power of general mental expression alone that it can be stimulative of praise in the heart, its stimulative influence is small indeed. Of course vocal and instrumental music, used merely to stimulate praise in the heart, are no part of praise in themselves. But supposing that during praise, we should use both as a means of stimulation, and strive by expressing aloud through them scriptural and spiritual ideas to excite sentiments of true praise in the hearts of ourselves and others, it is evident that while song would be helpful in this case, instrumental music would be a perfect failure, as its tonic power, however used, would drown articulation and hinder the object in view infinitely more than it would help it. III. It is only when we come to consider song or mu«ic as an expression of praise that we can distinctly recognize its true place in Chri-'tian worship. On a preceding page we defined the praise of Christian worship as the holy joy, love, gratitude, adoration, etc., of a sanctified heart appropriately expressed to God. Now song or music, used as an outward or suitible expression of sanctified or praiseful ideas becomes indeed, according to our definition, a necessary element of praise. The praise of the heart could not be the praise of Christian worship, unless it were offered ; in other words, as the lamb to be offered cannot become the sacrifice till it be laid on the altar, so the spiritual joy, love, etc., of the heart in order to constitute or to be the praise of Christian worship must be appropri- ately expressed. It might in many cases be appropriately expressed in silence ; but while worshipping in concert with a crowd of fellow- worshippers, it is suitably ex- pressed by the God-made lips in song, by the very instrument with which God has endowed men for that purpose. Here it is at once evident that all instrumental music, being inarticalative, is comparatively valueless. Instruments at the same moment are just as capable of expressing unholy feeling as they are that which is holy and pure, that is, if we are pleased to put i'l'jas of any kind into the sounds they produce ; for excepting their power as a v shicle of mere aasthetic feeling, which is no part of praise, and that of a glum, tonic imitation of the human voice, of all genuine elements of general mental expression they are utterly devoid. Could we prefix and append consonants to the vowel sounds which they represent, we might possibly endow them with the powers of articulation necessury to the expression of praiseful ideas ; but even then their use would be a sad departure from the pare and simple praise ex- INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. 18 prflBsed by that divinely-made instrument, the human voice. Praise from the heart of man, uttered in its natural way by the Oud-made lips of man, is true praise. We might say that as of old a human tool apphed to the stones of the altar polluted it, 80 the application of instruments to God's praise pollutes it under this dispensation, in which Christian worship is purely spiritual and devoid of all useless concomitants. Under the Mosaic dispensation in whion the purely spiritual of the gospel was presented under a fcrmidable array of Mtars, sacrifices, outward types and ceremonies, we can easily find a befitting place for instruments of music. But that dispensation which had its headquarters at the temple has been all swept away, and we live in an ago in which we may worship God here as well as at Jerusalem, but they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. See John iv. 23. But the utter unfitness of instrumental music as the exponent of praise, will become more evident as we again review the suitableness of song for the same end. So far as speech, song, or sound is concerned as an instrument of expres- sion, it is, as was stated in our analysis, precisely analogous to colour or form. We may, by means of colours of a certain shape, produce letters and words, by which we express our conceptions or emotions ; or we may make such a com- bination of these colours, as will produce in us a sense of the beautiful — a sweet, pleasing emotion of the mind which we call the sense of the beautiful, and which will analyze into nothing else. As an instrument of eypression, mere beauty of form or colour in the composition of the words is a matter purely extraneous to the object in view. The great function of expression is that which we chiefly care for. As an instrument, however, for either stimulating or expressing mere {esthetic feeling, soft and pleasing combinations of form aud colour are every- thing ; by supreme attention to these alone, we seek to excite in ourselves or others a sense of the beautiful. Precisely similar to this are the uses which we make of sound. An an in- strument for the general expression of human thought and feeling, we care chiefly for the distinct and clear ; its melodious qualities are entirely outside of the ob- ject which we have in view. We prolong and emphasize the syllables represen- tative of the more important ideas, making breaks in the sentences where the sense requires it, and giving the rising or falling inflection where the sense is imperfect or complete. The pitch, tone, length, and volume of the sounds are ever variable and in keeping with the varying character and strength of the emotions which they represent. The above remarks referring in the first place to prosaic speech, are also applicable to the expression of our ideas in song. When emotions of a deep, fervent, or solemn character predominate in our minds, the natural teudpncy of our minds, is to glide away from prosaic utterance into that of song, and to seek expression in long, swelling, sonorous tones which may, or may not, constitute melody. The human mind seems to find in this vehicle of expression more liberty, Fcope, power, or at least something more in harmony with the pent up tide of feeling within it, and wells forth the warm assurance of faith from the fountains of the soul in loud triumphant tones, responsive gratitude in the low and earnest, and gushing love and pity in the soft and tender. The tones repic- sentative of these and other feelings, even in song, may or may not be melody. In many cases they are melody, but in others they are not ; and it does not follow, that because they express songfully the praiseful emotions of the soul, these same tones should be expected either to stimulate or express the purely aesthetic or sensuous of our nature, that has little in common with praise. The composi- 14 INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHHISTIAN I'RAISE. tion of tones in a song, with a view to its best expression of praise; would be a very different thing from their oompc ution with an aim to the best musical effect. From the foregoing considerations, we think then, that as it is the expres- sive use of song, and not the aBsthetic one, that is necessary in praise, it will be evident that the organ or other instruments of music which are capable mainly of an BBsthetic use alone, are wholly unsuitable and useless for purposes of praise. Yocal and instrumental music have the melody element in common ; both may alike stimulate or express {esthetic or sensuoua feeling ; but song alone has power to express the spiritual joy, love, etc. , which ooustitute praise. The relation, in these respects between expression and melody in song, is well illustrated in the functions of colour in a picture. The general aspect of the colours, aesthet- ically considered, may or may not be beautiful ; but with a view to their expres- sion, it is not this that I think of, but of the things reflected or represented by them on their surface. But to speak of the unsuitableness of instrumental music as a means of praiseful expression in a system of worship purely spiritual, is a very mild way of putting our objection to its use. Instruments are not only unsuitable, but they are a positive hindrance to adequate mental expression. If praise is to be expressed to God, as it should be, why not express it, as we do our prayers, with the voice of His own workmanship. He does not need the tonic power of an organ which is only faintly imitative of the human voice to help Him to under- stand us ; if He did, the tonic power of the instrument would smother the articu- lation of the singer and hinder infinitely more than it would help all proper expression. If organs are to be used as a medium of expression between our- selves and our fellow-worshippers, for the same reason, they would prove a posi- tive hindrance, if they are to be used merely as a melody making power. God does not care for the music of such imperfect instruments, but He cares for the melody or praise of the heart. As to the abuse of money expended by congregations in the purchase and employment of such instruments we shall say little. It is money flung away, in many cases, merely to furnish an opportunity to our accomplished sons and daughters to display their musical gifts. If then the praise of divine worship is the holy joy, love, etc., of a pious heart expressed to God ; if then instrumental music, in the first place, composed as melody, can neither prove in itself an essential part of praise nor express or stimulate it, and in the second place, composed as an instrument of general mental expression, it is so unsuitable and worthless in respect of the same ser- vices, we cannot avoid being forced to the conclusion that the human voice alone is the proper instrument to use in the praise of God. It is, in the first place, the natural and God-given instrument of expression to all our thoughts and feelings ; and in the second place, it can do this more perfectly than any instruments of man's device. (1) We give expression to the praise of our hearts aloud, in order that we may render this praise in concert with other worship- pers, and (2) we do so in song, because song is the natural method of expressing it ; besides it affords the only possible way of keeping our tones in unison with those of our fellow-worshippers, and thereby avoiding mere discordant clamour. Th6 mere outward melody is no more an element of praise than the mere rough- ness, smoothness, or elocutionary style of a speech or argument is an element of the syllogistic premises in the argument itself. We have just as much right to say that the argument so delivered is a bad argument, or that the earnest prayer, uttered with a rough voice, is a bad prayer, as we have to say that the praise offered in unmusical tones is bad praise. The true praise mounts straight to the throne of God ; the mere expression of it dies a few yards from the door. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. 15 Initrnmental music is a most useless conoomitnnt of praise; as to expres- sion, not required, inadequate if required; as to melody, outside of praise, sen- suous and untiuitable under this dispensation, in which divine wonhip is stripped of all the swaddling bands of the sensuous and ritualistic, and they that worship God must do so in spirit and in truth. iEstheticism is not praise. It awakes within me no holy joy, love, or grati- tude to God, no eupersensnous or purely religious feeling. I must look to the influence of God's Holy Spirit for this, and to the friction of the holy thoughts which come tome in the language of inspiration. In anticipation of a question that might be asked as to what would be the peculiar characteristics of song composed mainly with a view to general mental expression, and with little attention to melodious effect, we would answer, that it would still be song, and it would have a great deal of melody in it too, just as in speech certain passages properly read have often a groat deal of melody in them. Passages of a plaintive charaiter, require plaintive tones — the light and joyous, tones high, brisk, and cheerful — the tender and sympathetic, tones low and sweet. Song possesses all these characteristics in common with speech ; although it differs from speech in possessing more of ihe sonorous. Song composed thus with a view to mental expression will possess often a great deal of melody, although the latter is not the thing chiefly sought. Many of the tunes used by our fathers possess the general mentally expres- sive character as much as we would wish, and have a great deal of meloly in them besides. "Walsall," " Coleshill," etc., are powerfully expressive of tender, plaintive feeling, and have very much melody in them too. "French," "Old Hundred," and a host of other old tunes are powerfully expressive of certain sentiments and emotions. We need not enumerate a great many others, fa- vourites with our fathers, which now have been discarded from congregational use, in a fool's hunt after simple melodious effect, a thing of purely secondary consequence in Christian worship. We now conclude this part of our discussion by summing up briefly some of the more important points confirmed in the foregoing pages: — (1) That the praise of divine worship ir the holy joy, love, etc., of a pious heart, appro- priately expressed to God. (2) That song in praise, is necessary only as a proper vehicle of expression to the praiseful sentiments of the heart. (3) That song in praise should be calculated like speech in prayer, to give the highest expression to the sentiments. (4) That mere melody of voice or instrument has nothing to do with praise either in the expression or stimulation of it. (5) That it is artiou- lative and tonic power that constitute in song, as in speech, the elements of general mental expression. (6) That musical instruments possessing tonic power alone, and this also only faintly imitative of the voice, express little, and by adding to the volume of sound, confuse and mar more than they help all expression. (7) That instrumental music, quite proper in a symbolic ritualistic system of worship, is wholly unsuitable in a system simply spiritual, in which praise is naturally and adequately expressed with the divinely bestowed human lips. Leaving now the treatment of instrumental music as seen in its aemi phy- sical and metaphysical aspects, we shall find our views as to its merits, fuUy confirmed by an examination of the Word of God. I. In oraer, however, fully to understand the relations which instrumental music has at various times sustained to the solemn worship of God, it is neces- sary to make some preliminary scrutiny of the characteristics of the two leading dispensations of the covenant of grace; in other words, to point out the peculia- 16 INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. rities of the ritualistic or Old Testament form of worship, as oontradistinguialied from the purely spiritual or New Testament method of divine service. When a tuaoher wants to convoy to the minds of the young, or very ignorant, a distinct idea of things of which they have the most imperfect knowledge, and the furnitiire or elements of knowledge in their minds are so limited as scarcely to supply the necessary ideas out of whiuh he may elaborate the conceptions of the things which ho wishes them to know, he very usually has recourse to pic- tures, types or aymboli*, outward physical illustrations, or models, as furnisliing the very kind of moans most efficient in accomplishing his end. A child that has never seen a ship or an elephant, will know more of either from a model or a picture than from any amount of description. An ignorant, uncultivated person will know more of the abstract idea of substitution by the practical example of one creature being male to suffer for the misdeeds of another, than fiom a whole volume of metaphysical disquisition on the same subject. As a means of leading the mind to a clear conception of things abstract and obscuro, this method of object teaching is incomparably superior to all others. As the mind advances in the elements of knowledge, and passes more and more from the regions of the mythical and obscure into those of clear light, this method of object teaching is less and less required. Things become clear with- out it. We need not wondor, then, that God adopted this method in teaching the early Church. There hiis never been but one gospel given by ttod sitico the fall; and that gospel preached in Eden, " The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent," is identical with that of the New Testament, " Bi-liove in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be t^aved." But though only one gospel and one spiritual worship, yet God has been pleased to have it taught to the Church in two different ways. In Old Testament times it wai taught by object lessons involving a vast mass of ritualistic observances, and in the New Testa- ment times of fuller light, by the simple and unencumbered method of preaching. The Mosaic law, or economy of worship, was just the divinely instituted method of preaching the gospel to the Hebrew Church. This plan of worship and teaching was not at aU new in Mosea' days; it was instituted at the Fall; for aacrifiues, offerings, types, and others of its rites were observed by all the pioua among the patriarchs, from Abel down to Moses. Though this system of objective worship was undoubtedly set up at the Fall, it was when the Hebrew Church was set up in the wilderness, that this plan of object teaching or of preaching the gospel of Christ, was written, put iuto a regular code, renovated, or perhaps, put into more elaborate shape. It was full of types, rites, and ceremonies, all outwardly physical and sensuous in their nature, all entering fully into the forms of worship, and veiling within them, as within Bwaddling bands, all that was real and spiritual of gospel worship ; and yet every one of these types, etc., though outward and sensuous, was ao intensely representative and suggestive of that which it was intended to imply, that the real and spiritual of the gospel within these types could scarcely fail to be seen. The outwardly objective and physically pictorial so entered into all the public worship and teaching of the Church, that even the moderately intelligent of the godly, could scarcely fail to be familiar with their outward form, or their inner meaning. This objective system of worship and teaching instituted at the Fall, and afterwards embodied in the Mosaic ceremonial when the Hebrew Church was set up in the wilderness, most effectuallyr did its work. The spiritual signi- fication ahone through the outward physical and sensuous types and symbols, and still the light increased. Prophets of God also, by their inspired writings, wero continually adding to the extent of the sacred canon, which being read to the people, had a still INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN IMIAI8E. 17 further tendency to give the people a distinct idea of the spirituality of (lod'a kingdom, and of that Hpiritual clement of worHhip which alone could make it acceptahle to Him. And just as might be expected, we tind that as light in- oreaBed, and as the spirituality of God'H kingdom and worship became more distinctly recognized, min began to meet and worship God more in the simple spiritual fashion. Though attending the stated services of the temple, whore they offered sacrifices and took their part in the rites, etc. , of the ceremonial system, they now met in synagogues or places of convocation, in which without either sacrifice, rite, or instrumental music, the Scriptures were read and ex- pounded, praises sung and prayers offered, just as is now done in the Christian Church (we mean the Church in which all ritualism is flung aside). The synagogue was thus the true progenitor of the Christian Church. Its simple spiritual form of worship, void of all extraneous physical helps, was that whereon Chriht framed that of the Christian Church. During the flrst four thousand years of the world, the spiritual elements in Und's worship and kingdom had been coming more and more to the front in the human mind, and the syna- gogue form of worship had come with it, until the Lord Jesns Chrint at His advent, haviiig in all respects honoured by His own personal observance the objective and ritnaliBtic system first instituted by God, at once swept all that awivy, and bringing the synagogue and its simple spiritual method of worship to the foreground, gave to it ever thereafter all the autbority and importance of tb 3 system which it had superseded — John iv. 23: "But the hour cometh, and new is, when the true worshipper shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship Him." How early synagogues were set up is not here a matter of great moment ; it is evident, however, that they were of early origin. In the seventy-fourth Psalm, written for Asnph in the days of David, it is recorded of the wicked that " they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land," and the apostle James, speaking at the assembly of Jerusalem, declares that " Moses of old time, hath in every city, them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day." After the captivity synagogues increased ; and it is well known that in the days of our Lord there were an immense number of them in Palestine. The method of worship then instituted by Christ in the Christian Church, being like that of the synagogue, is purely spiritual ; all altars, sll sacrifice!*, all incense, all musical instruments, &c., are flung aside, and men now, without external helps of any kind, give God the pure worship of the soul, praise and prayer, expressed in the simple natural way by those lips with which God as their creator has endowed them — John iv. 24 : " God is a spirit, and they that worship Him mast worship Him in spirit and in truth." We have thus briefly reviewed the two economies, God's two methods of worship, and of teaching or preaching the gospel, (1) by object lessons or out- ward physical representations of spiiitual things, and (2) by the simple New Testament system of worship and preaching, which first appeared in the Synagogue and was finally, by Christ's authority, made to take the place of the more cumbrous method of the first dispensation. These preparatory remarks on the two divine methods, fit us for seeing more intelligently the bearing of the Scriptures on the question of instrumental music in the praise of the Church at the present day. We think, that the true po:4tion ot instramental music will be all the more evident from what we have said, and that now it will be easier to shew abundant evidence II. That instrumental music was symbolical in its meaning, and was in perfect keeping with the ceremonial code of which it formed a part. As we find in Scripture that instrumental music, when made use of at all in connection with the regular solemn worship of Qod, is used invariably in connec- tion with that outward, piotorially-representative economy with which it was in |g INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. harmony, and in no oaao is UHod in connection with the flimple, clear, and purely spiritual economy which spranR out of it and superHedod it. Tliia gliould be argument enough for the present disuHo of all instrumental muaio in worship, and it would by no means invalidate the argument for its present disuse even supposing wo siiould be unable to point out its precise typical signification as connected with the preceding economy. Wo know that the form of worship in the present dispensation is not a typical, an outwardly objective or sensuous, but a spiritual one; and that is sullioient reason why instrumental music, which is Fonsuous, typioiil, and non-spiritual, should liave no place in it, and that instruments of music should be put on the shelf along with tho candlustioks, tongs, and snuff-dishes of the Jewish temple. There are not a few things clearly a part of the former economy, and alone pertaining to it, the precise typical meaning of which we are now unable to tell ; and we may now be as ignorant of their import, as we should have been that Hagar was a type of Sinai which gen- dereth to bondage, had not this fact been incidentally revealed to us by Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians. We are not reduced, however, to the strait of taking for granted that instru- mental music had a typical or synibohcal use, or of merely guessing what its typical import might be ; for we think both are clear enough from scripture. Tho very nature of instrumental music, as outward, sensuous, and in no wine necessary or helpful to the oxpresKion of true praise, proves its symbolicity and perfect harmony with objective teaoliing. Then again the fact that it was used in connection with the ritualistic or ceremonial system, and never in any case with the simple spiritual method of tho synagogue or New Testament, shews its symbolic character and general identity with the former system. Still further, that it was typical and in harmony with that system, is confirmed by the fact that everything capable of a meta- phorical or figurative application in language is naturally most adapted to form an outward type or symbol ; and instrument almnsic abundantly possesses this capacity, for we have few poets indeed that do not now and again sing of their harps, iyres, or their beautiful strains. But, what does instrumental music precisely typify? is a question not seldom put to tliose who oppose the modern use of the organ. We think an answer to this question is not far to seek. One method of answering it is the following : — That instrumental music, and we may add dancing, have ever among all nations been a very common method of demonstrating joy and gladness. That the Hebrews were no exception to the rule, for we find tliem in all great secular rejoicings in this way giving vent to the feelings of their hearts; witness, for example, tho return of Saul and David from the slaughter of the Philistines, 1 Sam., xviii. 6, the greetings of Jephthah's daughter, Judges xi. .S6, the reception of the prod- igal in the parable of our Lord, Luke xv. 11, etc. The application of instrumental music then to a ritualistic form of worship, to symbolize spiritual joy and gladness was easy and natural, and so we find it employed ; it was in perfect keeping with such a system. The preceding is one way of pointing out what instrumental music typifies, and we think it is quite correct so far as \t goes, for instrumental music does thus typify spiritual joy ; but we think there is no need for restricting its typical import to spiritual joy alone, which is but one element of praise. We prefer rather to regard instrumental music as typical of all praise, and therefore consider instrumental or outward melody as typical of the whole inward or spiritual melody of the heart ; in other words, the holy joy, love adoration, etc., of a pious soul. Paul, in his Epistle to the Galatians, calls praise the melody of the heart; and, we think, from the manner in which he refers to it, that, in no mistakable terms, he indicates to the Galatian church the very thing which instrumental or mere outward melody typified. He certainly knew what instrumental music INSTUUMENTAL MrsiO IN rilRlSTIAN PRAISE. If Hymbolizotl in the old (Iwpensation ; and here he lots the Galatian church know bIhu, by the peculiar wurdH he einployH. InHtriiinental muHic then in typical of the melody of the heart, that is, the npiritual joy, love, adoration, etc., of the saints, which we have detined as trne praise. A typo can navor properly be identical with the thinp it typifies ; Hong, an an inHtnnneiit of (fonoral inuntul expreHHiou, could bo no typu of praise; and then its two functions of melody and of expression would be in constant danger of being confounded together ; but instrumtrntal music, boing in no sense any part of true praise, is just the very thing to typify it. In all the form of worship under the Mosaic dispensation, tiio inner spiritual was always concomitantly associated with tlie outward typical ; but nndor the now, the outward typical lus been oanooUod, and wo have left only the purely spiritual. In this manner, the typical instrumental music has been swept away with the dispensation to which it belonged, and wo have now alone, without its concomitant type or oeremonioa, the true praise itself, tho melody of the heart eiipressed to God, There could be no objection to this view, even suppohing pr^.i^o should be typified by other symbols than instrumental music; in that case, even, it would be nothing singular, as in Scripture we frequently find the same thing indicated by a variety of types. Instrumental music then, typical ot spiritual joy and of the whole melody of tho heart, was in perfect keeping with tho ritualistic system to which it be- longed. A symbolic moaning, in various places of Scripture, is given to instru- mental music, in common with the other parts of the Mosaic ceremonial. Thus, " Purge me with hysKop, and I shall bo clean " (Ps. li. 7). " I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving " (Ps. cxvi). " Let my prayer bo set forth before Thee as inconso " (Ps. cxli). " I will also praise Thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, my God ; uuto Thee will I sing with tho harp, Thou Holy one of Israel" (Ps. Ixxi. 22). We invite special attention to the preceding quotation ; mark the connection between psaltery and truth. May not truth mean here the play of Scriptural ide.RAISE. 29 For ourselves, we affirm, and we judge our experience to be that of thou- sands, that we believe that in boyhood we drank in more kuowledge uf Christian doctrine and duty, twice told over, on the Sabbath afternoon or evening at the parental fireside than, at that age, we did from either the preaching of the pul- pit or the teaching of the Sabbath school. The family circle on the Sabbath afternoon or evening was the grand school of Scripture Lesson, Shorter Catechism, Psalms aud Paraphrases, wherein in many cases, all within the house, from the hired man down to the toddler in his pinafore, had to take a part. We have never seen a Sabbath school yet that in real efficiency could even approach, far less effectively supplant, such a syHtem, both as to its intellectual and moral eiTects on all concerned. This home institute made Bible scholars of both parents and children ; and we venture to say that the theological student in his early rounds, has often had his theological knowledge sorely tried, and not seldom clarified, by an interview with some of the old giant products of this institute, now only too much ignored and neglected. So far as our towns and villages are concerned, the morning and evening services of the church, with the Sabbath school of the afternoon, practically crowd the family institute out of existence. It may be said that parents should choose another day for home teaching, but this to very many is impossible from want of time; and parents with such excuse before them, arc generally only too willing to devolve this part of their duty on the Sabbath school teacher. We highly value the Sabbath school; but we say, by all means let it be held at such hours as not to interfere with the family institute, which is of more importance than itself. When the Sabbath school occupies a duly subordinate connection with the home institute, we shall say, here is progress, but not till then. In short, we notice not a few changes and tendencies in the present day that are not characteristic of progress in the truest spiritual sense. We have no end of means tried to raise money for the support of the Church. Week p'.er week we read of tea meetings, socials, bazaars, etc., by w^ich sums varying from fifty to one hundred dollars are raised in aid of gospel ends ; and the promoters of these things claim and receive some laudation as having accomplished big things. A principle covertly recognized in most of these entertainments is that parties contributing on such occasions are not direcdy benefited by gospel or- dinances, and they must needs get the worth of their money by some other means, viz., eating, drinking, or social enjoyment. We admit the Church has become wonderfully inventive in this respect. In order to raise money for the cause of Christ, we sell indulgences, law- ful enough to be sure, but none the less indulgences to the flesh for all that, just as if the cause of Christ could present no higher claim for our liberality than some common object of charity. We wish we could hear of more oases in which Christian people, disowning the use of such idle clap-trap, are not ashamed to put their hands into their pockets, and give avowedly and directly to the sup- port of that cause which blesses them for time and eternity. If this might not indeed be very great progress, it would not at least be declension. Our fore- fathers gave up their lives and their all for Christ ; we have difficulty in giving even a little of our means ; and for part of that even, we must have some ade- quate return in the form of edibles, drinks, or social enjoyment. Is this pro- gress ? It may be said, perhaps, that these social tea-meetings are more for the object of promoting Christian fellowship among the people than for raising money. Very good, if that is their chief end ; but, in many cases, we are given to understand very distinctly in their announcement that they are intended to raise funds for the church. 30 INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN PRAISE. We might notice also other departures from the ohnrch usaRes of the past, wl»ich, though some may reckon them unimportant, aro of very qnostionabh) utility. We are changing in our postures during praine and prayer. Our flingers claim that they can Ring bettor standing than sittting; a claim, however, that most of them iforego when they come together during the week to practise. Our church sessions yielding to tliis claim, the result is that wo aro now invited to stand always in praise. As might bo expected from this indisoriminating prac- tice, many of our people, infirm or tired from long travel, being unable to stand during both praise, and prayer, resort to the unscriptural habit of sitting during the latter. Here wo have change but not scriptural progress. If our choirs are bound to have an erect position as the most favourable to singing, let there at least be some wise discrimination made in regard to the infirm or tired of the flock that would prefer much rather to sit. We do not forget, however, that as a result of this change, while most of our people stand during praise, not a few of both old and young sit during prayer; and, for our part, we would much rather see the scriptural attitude of prayer maintained, and the people sit dnrinfj singing in the old-fashioned way. If our singers aim purely at melodious effect, it may or may not bo advantageous for them to stand; but if they wish to pre- sent the true offering of the heart, of which song is the mere outward expression, they may, perhaps, find the sitting posture quite adequate. We would now close these remarks with some observations on the charac- teristics of modern preaching. Much excellent preaching there is in the present day, we cordially admit. A great deal of thorough scriptural exposition, and a large amount of sound evangelical doctrine, well illustrated, is poured from our pulpits from week to week. In not a few cases, however, the supply of either is extremely limited, and what there is, is largely diluted. Racy and pathetic anecdotes {ii la Moody), culminating in a good deal of sensuous feeling, which the inexperienced are apt to mistake as religious, has become too much the order of the day; and preach- ing of this kind is doubtlessly not a little sought after and enjoyed. " I like a Fermon that brings tears to my eyes," is a remark that we hear from time to time. Most pastors, we dare say, would like to deliver sermons leading to this effect, provided the tears were tears of penitence or of some oiher truly religious affection ; but if the tears sought after are those of only mere sentimental feel- ing, alas, we say, for the piety that can live on such swill. We think a proper aim of the pulpit would be to lead to a better spiritual discernment in the pews, so that mere natural feeling may never be mistaken for pure religious affection. Doctrinal preaching we must have, and sound doctrine and plenty of it, at that, if we would avoid that snail type of Christianity which is all flesh and no bones. That kind of reUgion may do in darkness or among the clods, but it soon melts in the sunlight, and leaves behind it only a trail of slime. Sound exposition and sound doctrine, well illustrated, and brought home to the heart by the might of the Spirit, is that type of preaching which alone is calculated to awaken the spiritually dead, feed the babes, and build up and nourish full-grown Christian manhood. PRESBYTERIAN PRINTING HOUSE, JORDAN STREET, TORONTO.