554
September 1927
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
many noble souls seeking and finding God through these forms. And here and there through the dark ages testi mony to the power of song has been left, as that of Augus tine in his Confessions, upon hearing the Ambrosian chant in the Milan Cathedral: “How I wept at thy hymns and canticles, pierced to the quick by the voice of thy melo dious church. Those voices flowed into my ears and the truth distilled into my heart, and thence there streamed forth a devout emotion, and my tears ran down, and happy was I therein.” Then there was Bernard of Cluny, in the 12th Century, singing of the Heavenly Country, and Ber nard of Clairvaux, pouring ou,t his heart’s devotion in “The Name of Jesus” and “O Sacred Head Now Wounded,” found in every standard hymn-book. In the 16th Century came the giant Luther, with a flood of sacred melody as an accompaniment to his ser mons and his open defiance of Papal power. The first Protestant hymn-book was published by Luther in 1524, containing eight hymns and five tunes. Regarding these hymns he wrote, “I wish, after the example of the proph ets and the ancient fathers of the church, to make Psalms for the people, that is to say, sacred hymns, so that the Word of God may dwell among the people by means of song also.” His great song, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” stands like a Gibraltar among the classic hymns, and illustrates, both in lyric and tune, the qualities of sincerity and rugged strength that were characteristic of Reformation music.
, Congregational ,singing had been abolished by the Council of Laodicea in the 4th century, and one of the greatest accomplishments of the Reformation was the restoring and popularizing of congregational singing, which is and always has been the most potent factor in church music when freed from ecclesiastical domination. Luther’s enemies said that he did more harm with his hymns than he did by his sermons, and Coleridge ex pressed the judgment that “Luther did as much for the Reformation by his hymns as he did by his translation of the Bible.” It is the opinion of many that the preach ing of Luther’s doctrine would have been a comparativ® failure had not his psalms and hymns given wings to his teaching. He used the songs of the common people, such as were sung at harvests and festivals, adapting sacred words to them, and in this he did his greatest musical work. H ymn s in P rotestant W orsh ip An interesting description of Protestant worship in Geneva in 1557 is on record, which gives some enlighten ing suggestions for present-day problems. The visitor at this, service says, “Each one draws from his pocket a small book, which contains the Psalms, with notes, and out of full hearts, in the native speech, the congregation sing before and after the sermon. Each one testifies to me how great consolation and edification is derived from this custom.” The English Reformation under the Wesleys was like wise a singing Reformation, and Charles Wesley, the singer, is a close second to his more prominent brother in the practical results of this great movement. Professor Dickinson says: “Whatever effect the exuberant singing of the Methodist assemblies may have had upon a culti vated ear, „it is certain that the enthusiastic welcome ac corded by the Wesleys to popular music as a proselyting agent, and the latitude permitted to free invention and adoption of hymns and tunes, gave an impulse to a purer and nobler style of congregational song which has never been lost.” The latest and most vital of .all the singing revivals in the church is the Gospel song epoch, which began early in the 19th century in a quiet way with Lowell Mason, George F. Root, Wm. Bradbury, and others—bursting into a flame that swept the Protestant world in the sev enties, with Moody and Sankey in England, and Whittle and Bliss in America. Many evangelists and singers have followed these great leaders in many nation-wide and world-wide tours during the last fifty years, and in all of them Gospel Song has had a mighty influence, both in at tracting people in large numbers, in preparing audiences to receive the messages of the preachers, and also in giving out a definite message in the songs themselves. Paul exhorts us in Colossians 3 :16 and Ephesians 5 :19 to sing and make melody in “psalms and hymns and spir itual songs.” The words of Scripture here describe the two parts into which the material in our hymn-books is divided. “Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” suggests the true “Gospel Song” which is directed manward in testimony, instruction or inspirational utterance; while “singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” describes the nature and office of the true “hymn,” which is directed Godward in praise, worship and adoration. Beecher says: “Hymns are the exponent of the innermost piety of the Church.” The true Hymn co-ordinates with prayer and praise, the Gospel song with exposition and exhortation.
A Green Hill Not So Far Away (From Central Christian Advocate) We sing the hymn, sometimes, and look back across the oceans and seas and ages to that far-away spot: “There is a green hill far away, Without a city wall, Where the dear Lord was crucified Who died to save us all.” True it is, but it is not the whole truth. There is a neglected truth. As Sir Henry Lunn pointed out a couple of years ago, these “green hills” nearer home—hills where afresh “the dear Lord is crucified.” He is crucified in London and in Chicago, in Kansas City, in every smallest hamlet wherever His spirit and His work are betrayed. He is crucified in our pastoral life if we are false to His call, if we are asleep, indolent, taking life easy. It is not simply where was Christ Crucified ? but where is Christ crucified today ? “The green hill” may be inside our own life.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker