181
T h e
K i n g ’ s '
B u s i n e s s ,
April 1932
David’s Orchestra (2 Sam. 6 :5 ). Songs in the Soul (Eph. 5:19). A Chorus Choir (1 Chron. 25:6, 7). Musical Praise (Psa. 81:1-6). A Song of Faith (Psa. 121:1, 8). A Prayer Psalm (Psa. 90:1-17). By a careful study o f these Scriptures, the importance of music in the service of the Jewish people will be observed.
II. A G reat F oreign M ission F ield
The whole Bible sounds a message of kindness one to another, whether of the same race, or o f an alien one; but God is, in this passage, teaching the duty o f love that comes only from redeemed Chris tians. Here there is no place for race prejudice, but an opportunity for obey ing the apostolic injunction, “ Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.”
The greatest foreign mission land on the globe today is our own America. Here we do not go in search o f the millions; the millions come to us. W e are not com pelled to learn their language; they are eager to learn ours. Dr. F. B. Meyer, when asked, “What is the greatest mission field in the world?” flashed back the an swer, “ The United States, because here you have all nationalities of the world centered.” • The daily topics give some very help ful suggestions on the lesson. Utilize them, especially Leviticus 19:34, 9, 10, and Luke 10:29 to 37. These will all be helpful if as signed to different members beforehand for discussion. III. P reaching the C ross One last injunction: Remember that the knowledge o f Jesus Christ through sav ing faith creates lasting good will. “ He preached o f science—an attentive throng admiring heard; The nation’s weal—the listening multitude approved his word; The social need—and thousands gave as senting nod; He preached the cross —and men were won from sin to God.” Let this meeting be a practical demon stration o f the subject. Let the song leader and the pianist arrange the program and thus show the power o f music. Here is a specimen: The Titles o f Our Lord Jesus Christ as Told in Scripture and Song. Our Saviour —Luke 2:10, 11. Hymn—“ Hallelujah, What a Saviour.” Luke 23:33, 34. Hymn— “Beneath the Cross of Jesus.” Our Friend —John IS :13, 14. Hymn— “What a Friend W e Have in Jesus.” Our Leader —Matthew 4:19; 16:24. Hymn— “Where He Leads Me, I W ill Follow.” “ Fishers o f Men.” Our Advocate — 1 John 2:1. Hymn— “ In the Hour of Trial.” Our Lord and King —Revelation 11:15. Hymn— “All Hail the Power o f Jesus’ Name.” “ All Hail, Immanuel.” “ Crown Him with Many. Crowns.” Quiet Hour. Benediction—“ Now the Day is Over,” sung with bowed heads. I f possible, let the Scripture be given from memory by speakers who have clear voices. To give variety, have some of the musical numbers sung as duets or solos. II. Another method which might prove helpful would be to use the daily readings and have some one appointed to talk on each subject: M AY 22, 1932 H O W T O USE MUSIC IN WORSH IP P salm 43:3-5 Suggestions for the Meeting I.
Discussion Material I. Music in H eaven
Illustrations I. P erils of N eglect
There will be much music in heaven— “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out o f every kindred, and tongue, and peo ple, and nation” (Rev. 5 :9). “And I heard a voice from heaven sis the voice o f many waters, and as the voice o f a great thun der: and I heard the voice o f harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne” (Rev. 14:2, 3 ). ^ Music A mong the H ebrews It is a well-known fact that the an cient Hebrews had a college, or school of prophets. Is it too much to assume that music was also taught in these schools, and that, as a result, ancient Hebrews had a systematic curriculum o f musical peda g og y ?. Music, we learn from Amos, was a regu lar part of every sacrifice and o f religious services; for, in denouncing the current worship o f the Hebrews, he exclaimed, “ Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; and let me not hear the melody of thy psalteries.” Israel entered Egypt musically impotent. Their pastoral melodies were primitive and shapeless; their instruments were few and undeveloped. And this same nation left Egypt with song vibrating on its lips. After passing through the Red Sea, and after having at last been delivered from the relentless claws o f Egyptian slavery, Moses and the other Hebrews joined in a paean o f praise to God. That praise was the first song to be found in the Bible, the first song in the history of Hebrew music, and probably the very first great song in all music: “ I will sing unto Jehovah, for he is highly exalted. The horse and his rider hath he thrown . into the sea. Jehovah is my strength and song. And he is become my salvation” (Ex. 15: 1, 2, R. V .). The Hebrews learned that melody, when used alone, was but a primitive form of music, and so they now began to apply the elements o f harmony and rhythm. In struments were no longer played separ ately, but in choirs so that their different tones, played simultaneously, created the first steps o f harmony. Slowly, music was growing, and by acquiring melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic form, it was be coming a developed art. From the Egyptians, the Hebrews bor rowed many of their instruments—;the harp, the pipe, and the tabret. The tim brel, used by Miriam to accompany Moses’ song of praise, was derived from the va rious species of Egyptian tambourines.
It is said that Trotsky’s companion in America was converted in a mission, and that he is now a tireless Christian worker and a loyal, patriotic citizen. The night before Trotsky sailed for Russia, he gath ered his followers together in a room in Eastside, New York, in what was intend ed to be a secret meeting, but which was attended by a secret service man. Trotsky said: “ I want you to remain in this country and bring on one revolution after another until you overturn this dirty American government, while I go to Rus sia and overturn that government and stop Russia’s war against Germany.” The difference between Trotsky, the Bolshevist and assassin, and his converted friend, the patriot, is Christianity. Oh, if Trotsky could have been saved 1 II. S ympathy N eeded Our immigrants are strangers in a strange land. Many times they have need o f a friend, a real friend, in this land "where they have come to live. One Ita lian lad worked and saved enough to send for his mother. He had a tiny place rented and ready for her when she came. But she had been in America just fifteen days when they brought back her boy from the plant where he worked, mangled and dead. Everything in life for her was gone. Everything was a blank. She awoke in a hospital where she could not understand a word said by the doctor and nurse. She could not eat the food. She had never seen anything like it before. With only a bit ter memory for company, she must pass the days away. Thus I found her. The doctor said there was nothing the matter with her but a broken heart. She had nothing to live for and did not wish to live. They could do nothing but let her waste away. Friendless and crushed with sorrow in a strange land, far from home and friends, how she needed our Saviour! —U nfinished T asks . Sometimes it might help to foster this spirit o f good will to recall the debt all mankind owes to some of the outstanding men o f other races. Capernicus, the great astronomer; Comenius, the teacher; Kos ciusko, the engineer soldier; Pulaski, the patriot, were all Slavs. Italy has furnished Raphael, Michael Angelo, Galileo, Dante, Virgil, Columbus, Galoani, and Marconi. Don’t be uncultured and rude by calling these foreigners ill-sounding epithets. Remember the Golden Rule. Discussion Material I. O ur D ebt to O ther R aces
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