supreme. The church at large thus suffers out of respect for their prejudice, combined with the dislike of change on the part of all who support a time-honoured evil. But the choir themselves are often the cause of bad singing. Conceiving the whole assembly to be under great obligation to them, they fail to perceive that they are useful and acceptable only as they ignore all personalities, whether of taste, preference, or ability, and consider themselves as only so many sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses. The reverse of this is often the case, and one member has to be propitiated, and another gratified, by choice of his style of tunes, while the leader differs from both of them. So there is often discord at their meetings, as well as concord of sweet sounds. It were easy to enumerate causes of discontent and dissatisfaction, but they are unfortunately too well known. Once the Preachers were expected to control the singing; but the day for this seems to have gone by. They can scarcely command the time to study the subject, and without study their control would be no benefit. In fact, while some of them want the time, some want the capability, some the inclination. There is still the lack of a governing power, an established use commanding observance. Under such a rule, order, union, and general fitness might be attained: but while the singing of every chapel is left to the choir, (often to take its chance,) the educated portion of the community will be disgusted and sorrowful, and the untaught perplexed and unprofited. A few bright exceptions can be pointed out; but these serve to make the surrounding darkness the more visible, and the more distressing. What is to be done? That question can be better answered after looking at another cause of bad singing, not to be charged upon the choirs; one more widely spread, and doing more real injury to Methodism than the worst choir could accomplish: namely, the general neglect of this branch of music in private families. How few there are who, in educating their children, make any provision for their learning to sing hymns properly and easily! They are taught, often at a great expense, to play the piano moderately well, or to sing fashionable songs in the drawing-room; and here their musical education stops. The strains of the sanctuary are left to be studied by chance, or caught up by accident, or, more often, entirely neglected. It is not to be expected that sacred music should be learned by instinct, or by mere force of customary and ignorant practice; and, though our young friends may bestow a little attention on the songs and choruses of the popular oratorios, this will not fit them for the correct and proper singing of genuine sacred music. The consequence is, that pianos and their accompanying musical abilities are a very questionable blessing to the greater portion of professedly religious society. The instrument, the daily practice, the weekly lesson, are looked upon by the learners as a means to the mere gratification of a worldly end. The connexion of ideas is too often limited to-Who play best? how long have they learnt? how much time do they devote to practice? who was their master? &c. Then come the parties, the show of dress, the costly elegance, and, above all, the ability to play. Truly, this is a set of ideas worthy of a people bearing the name of Wesley! Better that all secular music should be unknown, than that it should usurp the place, in the affections of the young, which ought to belong to sacred music only. A common plea urged for the neglect of this duty is, that "the piano is not adapted for sacred music." Undoubtedly it must yield to the organ or harmonium; but any instrument that will sustain the voice is adapted for people who really wish to make the praise of God their every-day delight. All who are inclined to admit this plea, and thereby excuse themselves, may very advantageously take a lesson from a sweet home-allusion given us in Charles Wesley's Journal. In one of his exquisitely tender letters to his wife he says: "I am offered an exceeding fine harpsichord for you: what encouragement do you give me to purchase it? How many of Lampe's tunes can you play?" Does not that tell a pleasant tale of a loving wife learning what was congenial to her husband? When he first arrived at her father's house, he found them all singing a hymn, perhaps not using a very good tune: but, when she became his own, he would teach her something better. No doubt the harpsichord was bought, and "exceeding fine" music made out of it: not the fashionable music of the day,-the Italian operas, (then just coming into vogue,) or the last Vauxhall novelty. No, verily but such touching melody as lives yet,* married to still more touching sacred verse. Their hallowed talent, and love for each other, aided a yet higher affection, "Love that doth its Lord descry, Anyone who will attentively read the Journal will see with what skilful piety Mr. Charles Wesley used his hymn-singing to calm a disturbed family-circle, or soothe a tired household, and "Stop the hurrying spirit's haste, Who now uses the piano after this model, and cultivates love to God by means of it? Where are they who would venture at a party to sing one of the "songs of their souls ?" Or, on the other hand, how many of the youth of Methodism, when asked to sing, would conform to the conventional custom of singing a song?-perhaps a love-song, not destitute of religious allusions, or a little worship of the beauties of nature,-both of them, if harmless, yet unprofitable. We should fear to take a list of songs * See in the "Companion" the following noble tunes, transferred from Lampe's book and the "Sacred Harmony,”—Sheffield, Invitation, Chatham, (more properly, Chapel,) Old German; and in Messrs. West and Sugden's beautiful little collection others from the same; e. g., Athlone, Builth, Clark's, Dying Stephen, Marienbourn, and Irene. sung at parties in one season, lest the result should shock alike the world and the church. How often, in his letters and Journals, does the Founder of Methodism warn his spiritual children against conformity to the world! and how pathetically does he lament over those who backslide into its pleasures and follies! If we had more of his spirit, we might speedily break the ice, introduce spiritual subjects at parties, and do away with the morbid sensitiveness that ignores in society the individual's walk with God. Here lies the root of our worldly music. If our love to God were stronger,—if we gave our hearts to Him and His people with greater zeal, -if we "spake often one to another,"—we might sing often one with another, and one with twenty or thirty others. George Herbert said, "Pray with the most, for where most pray is heaven." The early Methodists acted upon this, and improved it. They also said, "Sing with the most." The larger company the richer harmony, the warmer hearts, and the greater blessing. In the present day the Hymn-Book is rarely opened, except at familyworship; not always then. And even then the hymn is too often slighted, beautiful voices are hushed, the spirit is wanting, and the melody is feeble and ill-sustained. If this continue much longer, we shall look in vain for the social hymn among the educated Methodists, because the taste is so vitiated by the exclusive practice of secular music. There is a charm in this style only to be broken by strong Christian resolution to sing nothing that cannot harmonize with the dedication of all our powers to the service of God. This single rule, strictly applied to modern portfolios, would rid them of piles of objectionable music. There is no shade of unmeaning merriment, frivolity, or thoughtless wickedness, which is not expressed in the words (to say nothing of the music) of the common stock of English songs and glees. Even those who stand up merrily to sing them would be ashamed to recite them, or to express their sentiment in common conversation. It is time for those who listen to take up arms against such offenders, and let nothing be sung that is unworthy to be said. Nothing short of a revival of Christian common sense will remove this abuse. When it is swept away, there will be room for such music as befits those whose prayer is that they may be kept "unspotted from the world," and arrayed in the "garment of praise." Those who would be reformers of the drawing-room and parlour music will have to encounter various difficulties; but the right on their side will prevail in the end. The most formidable foe to be feared is the quiet assent without any real effort following, for want of moral courage to make the attempt, and study the change required, so as to perform well in a style of music so neglected. Our sanctuary-music may be expected to amend in proportion to the exertion made in private circles. One class of musically powerful Methodists need to be reminded of their duty. The young ladies might render great service to the church: they have had education, and they possess considerable talent, which is too often used only in criticising the wretched performances they are called to endure. They can see how nearly this matter affects the interests of the church, and, perhaps, make a few sincere lamentations; but they do not duly reflect that they have the remedy, or at least the means of a mighty melioration, in their own hands. In order to good congregational singing, two or three rules should be imperatively observed by choir-leaders and people, and they will help each other :-Those who conduct the singing should remember that a wellknown bad tune is far preferable in worship-time to the most sublime melody that the congregation do not know. Take as many steps as possible to teach them good tunes out of service; but, if you have any respect for the praise that shall glorify God in the offering, do not waste the consecrated hour in a confusing music-lesson. Nothing can justify the marring of the congregational worship by the wilful introduction of new tunes. Those who have endured it will be ready to assent; and others, we hope, will never venture on so hazardous an experiment,-always fatal to the melody in the heart, with which our Methodist services are so often blessed. By the observance of this rule, you secure that all the congregation shall have the opportunity of singing if they will.-In cultivating choral music in large masses, the trebles should be the first care. They should predominate by one-third over all the other parts. When this can be secured, the foundation is firmly laid for thoroughly good singing. By bands of patiently-trained children, and the conscientious help of young ladies, it is comparatively easy to attain such a distribution of parts. The latter class of assistants should remember that one of their voices, trained and cultivated, and therefore strengthened in power and extended in compass, is equal to any two other voices that may not have had the same advantages. This should render them desirous to excel their neighbours as much in this music as in any other. At present, many young ladies' voices are far exceeded in chapel-usefulness by those of the poorer class, factorygirls and others. Many young ladies have younger brothers and sisters, over whom they might exercise a most valuable influence in this matter. It often falls to their lot to instruct them before they are old enough to go to school. Why not teach them to take their part in the songs of the sanctuary? Gather the little ones round the piano: as soon as they can read a hymn, teach them to sing it to a simple tune; afterwards, practise it with them over and over again, till they can remember it without the instrument; and in a few days you will hear their clear voices carolling it all over the house, whenever the joyous little hearts run over in song. Children will sing ; and, if their voices be not trained in some such way as this, they will soon catch up the street-melodies with all their injurious associations. The world is, and the church should be, anxious to give them pleasure in music; and which of the varieties of this great art is the most desirable, and to be first cultivated, we leave Christian parents and elder sisters to decide. These elder sisters have talents given them in their knowledge, ability, and influence over their juniors; and woe be to them if they hide these in a napkin of heedlessness or miscalled timidity! Those who have no little ones under their influence are still answerable for the right use of their own voices and instruments, the influence they may possess in their circle of friends, and the aid they may render to the smaller religious meetings,— the class, the prayer-meeting, and family-worship. Many young ladies can sing exquisite songs, English, French, German, or Italian; and yet are not able to set a tune to aid the devotions of others! This arises, perhaps, merely from want of thought. They have not been accustomed to good singing at such meetings, and do not see that their duty to the church requires them to be able and willing to make each one of her services as complete as possible. If they are not called on to set the tunes, it is their part to sing as well, as correctly, and as tastefully as they can; in the words of Mr. Wesley, "not to let a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder" them. If every young lady who has professedly given her heart to God did her duty in this way to the church, great and glorious changes would speedily reward the general effort. Let all remember that "power involves duty to the last particle ;" and, if they have been accustomed to find pleasure in the misuse of that power, surely the needful exertion will be willingly made by those who are pilgrims indeed. "That willing sacrifice of Thine My meditation make; Till to the true delight of life My soul with songs awake, Such a prayer will be answered in "fresh supplies of joy," till we find ourselves singing with the Psalmist, "My soul shall be satisfied, even as it were with marrow and fatness; when my mouth praiseth Thee with joyful lips." + After giving up such music as is liable to exception, conscientious singers will not find themselves limited to hymns and their tunes. There is a store of music laid up for them in English cathedral services and anthems. This will supply them with songs, duets, and choruses of the highest class, requiring study enough to exercise the powers and draw forth all the talent of drawing-room amateurs, however highly cultivated. It has often been a matter of surprise to those acquainted with it, that this music is not more cultivated by private Christians. It supplies ample stores of the sweetest melody, composed for public service, and therefore suitable for performance in a family, and of a character calculated to raise and purify the musical taste, while it touches the heart, and aids the devotions. The compositions of Tallis, Purcell, Handel, Boyce, Croft, Greene, Clarke, Whitfield, Aldrich, Rogers, Bird, Hayes, Blow, and a hundred more, ancient and modern, open a field of inexhaustible enjoyment to the few who now practise them in private. Why should they not take the * Foster. + Psalm lxiii. 6: old translation, revised by Cranmer. |