MAY, 1948
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Herbert G. Tovey, D. D., Mus. D. Note: The hymns used in the following article will he found in their full setting in the standard hymnals of the Church. The song, “ O Longing Soul” is No. 28 in “ Gospel Solos and Duets No. 2.”
Y EARS AGO, in one of the dark periods of church history, three lonely men paused to hear a hearts were unspeakably sad; the be loved leader, Martin Luther, was dead. They themselves were suffering ban ishment and confusion. And then . . . there was the song! It was Luther’s militant hymn, sung by a happy little girl to an unseen audience: According to Hezekiah Butterworth in The Story of the Hymns, when Philipp Melanchthon, Luther’s affec tionate coadjutor, heard those stirring words anew that day, his heart and those of his companions were filled with fresh courage. “Sing on, my little girl,” he cried; “you little know whom you comfort!” Melanchthon was right: No one ever can measure the full extent of the ministry of Gospel music. It has power to teach and admonish; it adds richness to the heritage of the Church; it offers a means of expression for the deepest truths of life; and it touches the hearts of unsaved individuals, leading the way to the Lord Jesus Christ the only Saviour from sin. Power to Teach God Himself, through the inspired New Testament w r i t e r s , points to Christian song as a means of instruct ing the believer concerning Christ. He admonishes us to be found “ teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:161/ It is “A Mighty Fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing . . .”
a glorious fact that the Word of Christ, dwelling in the believer and finding glad expression in song, will become his teacher, leading him into vistas of truth that .songless souls never know. For example, who can sing of the majesty of God and of the boundless depths of His mercy with out having an enlarged concept of His almightiness? This was Charles Wesley’s experience, and he longed for the whole Church to share it. With eagerness he exclaimed: “ O for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer’s praise, The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of His grace!” Wesley knew — and Christian song helped to teach him—that words of praise to Christ are not limited to earth nor do they die on the lips of departing saints. He wrote: “Ye boundless realms of joy, Exalt your Maker’s fame; His praise your tongues employ, Above the starry frame! Your voices ' raise, Ye Cherubim and Seraphim, To. sing His praise.” Sacred music—the singing, playing, and writing of that which exalts Christ—has power to shake the earth and to make the courts of Heaven ring; and at the same time it takes the things of Christ and makes them known to thè humblest trusting heart. Sometimes when profound truth is ex pressed orally, its full meaning is not easily grasped. But let music be added, and the message wings its way into the soul. Power to Enrich The God-honoring music of all the ages is the heritage of the Church. Think of the richness of the songs of
David, of the magnificence of the mu sic' of Solomon’s temple, of the Heav enly beauty of -the angels’ praise on the night that Christ was born, of the spontaneous outbursts of the songs of redemption by the early Church. Re call the new world symphony of the Reformation, when people awakened joyfully to thè fact that salvation by grace supplants hope of Heaven by works. Consider the “new hymnody” of the Wesleyan movement and the heart-reaching .themes ,of Moody and Sankey. How rich is this heritage! Because of its great value, music in the C h u r c h must be cherished and guarded. It is a sparkling jewel in a golden setting of Christian truth; it is to bèi both treasured and displayed as a means of honoring Christ and uplifting the souls of men. To whom is this task entrusted? It must be accepted and performed by all those- who have seen the light of the glori ous Gospel of Christ and whose recre ated hearts long to proclaim the good news. These are the individuals—and their number includes every born- again believer—who must see to it that music in the. Church is kept free from the impurities of formalism, commercialism, and sensuality. No anchor of earthly construction should hold it to the rocks of unbelief and professionalism; nor should it be al lowed to conform to variable public demands. Christian music is holy unto the Lord and should be kept so. Power to Express Deep Truth Through music, the deepest and dearest truths of the Word of God may be expressed in language that reaches the heart. For example, music in the Church may accomplish the following purposes, among many others:.
child singing in the street. Their
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