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TtfE 'BUtiLE AND EARLIER RELIGIOUS MUSIC
MONG all nations, ancient and mod
ern, civilized and barbarous, music
in one form or another has been
greatly honored. Music is the art
or process of arranging tones into
forms of beauty in harmony with
recognized laws of combination. We
are able accurately to trace its his
toric development as probably the
A
chief of the fine arts; and we are now able also
to master the abundant materials necessary
for a science of music. Much is known about
the laws of musical composition and perform
ance. These foundation principles have been
accurately defined and have been logically ar
ranged. There are physical materials with in
tricate laws, as well as psychological processes,
involved in the performance of music. Few
sciences are more interesting, instructive, and
fascinating than the science of mu§ic. Music
ought to be much more generally cultivated,
alike for its physical, intellectual, and moral
advantages, than is common in public or pri
vate schools in any country. Cogent reasons
could be given why music as a branch of juve
nile education should be constantly practiced.
Continuous instruction in vocal music would
prove an extremely important branch of gen
eral as well as of special education. It is un
fortunate that music has so often been consid
ered as ministering chiefly to the gratification
of those whose lives are spent in mere social
enjoyment. We have, for this reason, often
failed rightly to appreciate its direct power as
evoking and expressing the noblest emotions.
With the advance of the science of sociology,
we may well believe that music will come to
have a much larger and more honored place in
the development and application of the fine
arts than it has had in the past. No one can
deny that many of the loftiest musical impulses
are due to deep religious experience; this ex
perience seeks for proper utterance, and it
finds music to be the most expressive vehicle
of the noblest religious emotions, as well as
the highest intellecual activities. It is on this
account that church music has been so gen
erally appreciated as a branch of liturgies, as
well as a true expression of religious emotion
in public worship.
Music, in its historical development, has
had its barbarous age, and also its transitional
period, and it now has reached the artistic age
in its development. In this present era, both
the science and the technique of the art have
made sufficient progress to enable us accurately
to prophesy as to the sublime achievements of
musical art in the near future. We all know
that all nations have a fondness for rhythmical
sounds as well as rhythmical movements; as
a result, we have dances, rhythmical speech,
and harmonious sounds. Both the Hebrews and
Greeks and all the nations of the Orient have
contributed something toward the develop
ment of musical science. The introduction of
Christianity could not be without its’influence
on the development of music. The Middle
Ages in Germany, Holland, and Italy gave us
striking examples of the influence of Christian
ity in the development of religious thought,
taking its color and form from national char
acteristics. In the sixteenth century, a great
revolution of music was contemporaneous with
the Lutheran Reformation. In the seven
teenth century, marked progress was observed
in musical development in most parts of Eu
rope. German music, as was to be expected,
was principally concerned in adapting its spe
cial features to the spirit of the religious refor
mation, of which Luther was the great leader.
There is not space, however, here to trace the
influence of Christianity in the development
of musical art in different countries, through
the medieval and later centuries.
The Psalm-singing of the Puritans was one
of the powerful influences in the development
(Fourth in Series.)
By Robert S/uart MacArthur, Minister of Calbary Baptist Church, Neto York City, Since May ly, 1870.
The Golden Age for April 6, 1911.
of music in the United States. The story is as
quaint as it is suggestive, both religiously and
musically, showing the discussions had by
many earnest Puritans regarding what was
permissible in public service. There were
great differences of opinion as to whether it
was proper for only one to sing, while all the
rest joined only in spirit, saying “Amen” at
the close of the song; and whether women as
well as men should be permitted to take part in
the public services of song, and especially
whether the unconverted should be permitted
to sing at all in religious worship. There was
grave discussion as to whether it was lawful
to sing Psalms in metre devised by men, and
whether it was permissible to learn new tunes,
the old tunes having become authoritative, as
if they were inspired of God. Recent revival
movements have given rise to new conceptions
regarding church music, in the United States
as well as in Great Britain. But we may rest
assured that the noble compositions which are
embodiments of the highest forms of musical
art and of religious devotion and emotion will
never lose their hold in the religious services
of cultured and consecrated Christian people.
. —UM—IM—■■I I ——————————— <
ROBERT STUART MACARTHUR.
Luther said, “Music is the heart of the
prophetsand in so saying, Luther uttered
a great truth. All true prophets are also to
some degree great poets; and all great poets
are, in some measure, great musicians. Cer
tainly music is one of the noblest gifts which
God has bestowed upon men; but music rises
only to its highest point when it is inspired by
deep religious devotion. Nothing is more cer
tain than that the operettas of the hour are
only for the hour. They do not possess the
true elements of endurance; these elements
are found only in musical compositions that
are imbued with the religious spirit. The same
remark applies to all forms of literature. All
great classic poems, tragedies and dramas are
really religious. They embody the deepest re
ligious experiences and emotions of which their
authors were possessed. We may say that the
great classic authors were heathen; the state
ment is true. Nevertheless they wrought un
der the influence of a religious inspiration ; and
that inspiration has given immortality to these
great dramas and tragedies. The profound
questions which have been discussed by Chris
tian authors were in their essence discussed by
these tragedians and dramatists. A moment’s
thought will show that at heart many prob
lems of Christian theology are closely related
to the subjects of these great dramas and trag
edies. They were often attempts to discover
the deep things of God, or to justify the ways
of God with men. It has been finely said that:
“Devotion borrows music’s tone,
And music takes devotion’s wing;
And like a bird that hails the sun,
They soar to heaven, and soaring sing.”
To the Bible we are indebted for many of the
greatest musical compositions the ablest musi
cal geniuses have yet given to the world. No
one can lay the slightest claim to musical
knowledge, or to the possession of musical
taste, who has not seen and admitted the pow
erful influence of the Bible in its thought and
emotion, in the development of musical
sounds. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, in the
fourth century, invented what is known as the
Ambrosian Chant. This chant was founded on
the first “authentic modes” of the ancient
Greeks, and was sung antiphonally. It con
tinued until the close of the century, when the
Gregorian chants were introduced. To the Bi
ble we are indebted for the development of
these chants or tones, with all their choral mel
odies and their profound influence in the de
velopment of musical taste and Christian life.
To the Bible also we are indebted for the
Kyries and Sanctuses. The Kyrie is a form of
prayer which occurs in all the ancient Greek
liturgies. All who have heard the services of
the Greek church in Russia, will remember the
almost resistless influence of this part of the
service, sung in its melodious monotone by the
men in the choirs of the Greek Church. We
know also it is to the Bible we are so profound
ly indebted for the great Te Deums which have
place still in books of service and in the wor
ship of so many churches. One cannot think
of the Te Deum Laudamus, sung on so many
occasions of triumph and thanksgiving, with
out profound emotion. This is certainly one
of the noblest productions of uninspired men
ever used in religious worship. Its authorship
is uncertain. There are well-founded tradi
tions which describe it as the joint production
of Ambrose and Augustine, on the occasion of
the baptism of Augustine by Ambrose. It is
said that it was chanted as Augustine was com
ing forth from the water, he and Ambrose
bursting forth in this glorious song by a com
mon inspiration. From this supposed origin
the Te Deum is often called the Ambrosian
Hvmn. Christians of all names and creeds
have joyously joined in chanting this glorious
production of sanctified musical genius.
Calvary Study, New York City.
AN AGGRESSIVE PASTORATE.
At a recent enthusiastic gathering of the
Lincoln Park Baptist Church, which taxed the
capacity of the new building, the retiring pas
tor, Rev. M. C. Lunsford, Jr., who had just
closed his first year’s service with that church,
was unanimously re-elected for an indefinite
time.
The church has made, wonderful progress
under the ministry of Mr. Lunsford. During
his ministry 90 members have been received,
the Sunday school attendance has doubled,
B. Y. P. U. and missionary societies have
enlarged, and a handsome new house of wor
ship has been completed.
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