P ROF. TROWBRIDGE, who is instruc tor in vocal music in the Bible Insti tute of Los Angeles, has been chosen to conduct the department of Sunday School Music in the. California Sunday School Review, and we here give a portion of his introductory article: It seems to me to be important in any consideration of Sunday-school music that we keep in mind the nature and purpose of a Sunday-school. The church assembled for the morning service is the church at wor ship; the evening service is often the church in evangelism; the mid-week ser vice is the church at' prayer; and the Sun day-school is the church at study. And so, while the music of the Sunday-school may and should include elements of worship, should be associated with prayer, and at stated times should be evangelistic; yet, the thought that should dominate in our music policy in the Sunday-school ^should be that of instruction; not in the technic of music, nor the interesting facts of hym- nology, but educational in a way that shall mean that this wonderfully effective instru ment created, by the union of music and sacred lyrics (our hymns and Gospel songs) shall be so fitted into our Sunday- school exercises as to leave a lasting though subtle' impression on the minds of the young, creating right impulses, solidifying character, lifting ideals, and above all stamping on the mind and in the heart, Scripture truth. Now to do this requires several things: First, there is needed an adequate supply of the right kind of songs. And this often presents a serious problem. The laborious getting together of a special committee,
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PROF. J. B. TROWBRIDGE
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consisting of the’superinendent, the organ ist and the teacher of “Class B,” to examine several sample song books 'is a common experience ; and the books thus available are usually inadequate, ranging from hym nals that contain'music, good in itself, but too heavy for continuous use, to books of the latest type that go to the other extreme and. contain much that is trivial both as to music and words. It is the opinion of the writer that as a general rule a Sunday-school session should be opened, interspersed and closed with songs carefully selected in advance, devo tional hymns, like “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” and “I Need Thee Every Hour” ; militant songs like “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus” and “The King’s Busi ness” ; Gospel songs like “Whosoever Will,”
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