Music—In a Biblical Setting
1. What are we encouraged to do when we come before the Lord for worship? Ps. 95:1, 2.
2. What is the connection between singing, teaching, and admonishing, and what must be the condition of heart for meeting the divine ideal in the performance of each? Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19.
3. What two characteristics of sacred song were recognized in David's time? Neh. 12:46.
4. What striking illustration is furnished in sacred history of the effective combining of vocal and instrumental music in worship? 2 Chron. 29:25-31.
Note especially that the authorization for this musical combination was "the commandment of the Lord by His prophets."
5. What instruction has the Lord given to the church today regarding a similar combination as a part of worship?
"Call to your aid, if practicable, instrumental music, and let the glorious harmony ascend to God, an acceptable offering."—"Testimonies," Vol. IV, p. 71. "Let the singing be accompanied with musical instruments skillfully handled. We are not to oppose the use of instrumental music in our work. This part of the service is to be carefully conducted; for it is the praise of God in song."--/d., Vol. IX, p. 144.
6. What does the Lord set forth as the keynote in musical worship?—It is to be a joyful strain; lifting up the voice with joy. (See Ps. 95:1; 1 Chron. 15:16.)
7. What remarkable personal experience was transposed into song and recorded in Holy Writ, and of what is this song symbolical? Ex. 15:1-21 [See "Patriarchs and Prophets," p. 289.]
8. What distinctive specifications for music as a branch of worship are set forth by the Spirit of prophecy?
"Music should have beauty, pathos, and power."—"Testimonies," Vol. IV, p. 71. "It is not loud singing that is needed, but clear intonation, correct pronunciation, and distinct utterance." —Id., Vol. IX, p. 144.
9. Is it essential to cultivate the singing voice?
"He who has bestowed upon us all the gifts that enable us to be workers together with God, expects His servants to cultivate their voices, so that they can speak and sing in a way that all can understand. . . . Let all take time to cultivate the voice, so that God's praise can be sung in clear, soft tones. . . . The ability to sing is the gift of God; let it be used to His glory."—Ibid.
10. What is essential for meeting the Scriptural requirement, to "sing with the spirit, and . . . with the understanding also"?
"How can those who have no interest in the word of God, who have never read His word with a sincere desire to understand its truths, be expected to sing with the spirit and the understanding? How can their hearts be in harmony with the words of sacred song?"—/d., p. 143.
11. Under what conditions is It possible for the heavenly musicians to unite with the musicians of earth in the rendering of song?
"When human beings sing with the spirit and the understanding, heavenly musicians take up the strain, and join in the song of thanksgiving."—Id., pp. 143, 144.
"The singing should not be done by a few only. All present should be encouraged to join in the song service. There are those who have a special gift of song, and there are times when a special message is borne by one singing alone or by several uniting in song. But the singing is seldom to be done by a few."—Id., Vol. VII, pp. 115, 116. "As often as possible, let the entire congregation join."—/d., Vol. IX, p. 144.
13. What characteristic weaknesses are common to those who have ability as singers?
"It is sometimes more difficult to discipline the singers and keep them in working order, than to improve the habits of praying and exhorting. Many want to do things after their own style; they object to consultation, and are impatient under leadership."—Id., Vol. IV, p. 71.
14. As a safeguard against personal vanity in the display of musical ability, what passages in Holy Scripture may appropriately serve as the motto for singers and musicians? (See Gal. 5: 26; Phil. 2:3.)
Appropriate Comment by Recognized Authors
The Singer to Be a Man With a Message
"The pastor will doubtless seek a gospel soloist, and he will doubtless have trouble in securing one that will be satisfactory. The demand for men and women whose ability and consecration are of the first order is greater than the supply—a, remark which is equally true in many fields. For the last generation the evangelistic preacher has usually had a singer to help him in the service. Men have gone out `two and two,' and their names have been coupled in popular speech. It is Moody and Sankey, Torrey and Alexander. In the cases named, and in others which might be mentioned, the singer was as truly a man with a message as was the preacher. . . . To take some irreligious singer and allow him to sing because he has a good voice, is to show utter disregard of the Holy Spirit. Such a service is a distinct hindrance to revival work, if indeed it does not completely negative the pastor's efforts. An `artistic' singer, an irreligious singer, and a poor singer are each a burden, and may damage a revival service beyond remedy. If you have someone who has a sweet voice and a pure religious life, who can sing a simple and soulful invitation with as much yearning of heart as the preacher knows,- by all means let him sing. By such songs men are lifted up to God. But be sure that a good singer does not sing a poor song."—C. L. Goodell, in "Pastoral and Personal Evangelism."
The Power of Song in Revival Movements
"The doctrines of the Lollards and the doctrines of the Reformers were propagated by popular singing. Descending later still, Charles Wesley's hymns and the animating melodies which were the delight of the early Methodists did as much for the triumphs of Methodism as John Wesley's sermons. And the sacred songs which_ Mr. Sankey taught us to sing were hardly less important in promoting the recent revivals of religious earnestness in many parts of England than Mr. Moody's preaching."—R. W. Dale, in "Nine Lectures on Preaching."
Selecting Organist and Choir Master
"Very much mischief might be averted if, in the selection of the organist and the choirmaster, churches remembered that the spirit of the man who has charge of the music is at least as important as his musical skill. If your only anxiety is to appoint a very fine player, the chances are that when you have appointed him, his only anxiety will be to show how finely he can play."—R. W. Dale.
Various Rendering of Sacred Music in Worship
"There is, indeed, no conceivable reason why people should not worship with all their hearts while they are listening to an anthem sung by a choir, as well as when they are listening to a prayer offered by a minister. Some of the loftier and some of the more pathetic musical expressions of religious thought and feeling are beyond the reach of ordinary congregations. They must be intrusted to cultivated voices, trained to sing together. Nor can I see why those who listen in peace to a, solitary voice from the pulpit should be shocked and scandalized if sometimes they hear only a solitary voice from the choir.... If the singing is devout, whether it is a quartet or a solo, it may be a beautiful and noble part of Christian worship."—R. W. Dale.
Advantages of Congregational Singing
"The congregations that always leave the singing to the choir, and never sing at all, or that sing very rarely, or that sing languidly and without any vigor and heartiness, do not know what they miss. In nearly all great revivals of religion the common people themselves have been inspired with a passion for singing. . . . Song has expressed and intensified to enthusiasm their new faith, their new joy, their new determination to do the will of God. Song has consoled them in their sorrows, and sustained their courage in the presence of danger.
"I think that you should try to get good congregational singing. And by good congregational singing I mean singing which answers the purpose for which we wish the people to sing. The singing ought to be free from the faults which will make it intolerable to persons of cultivated musical taste, but it ought not to be of a kind in which only persons of a cultivated musical taste can join. An ordinary congregation may sing in good time and with considerable expression tunes in which the rhythm is well marked, tunes which have a real melody in them, and in which the melody is not too difficult. These are the tunes with which we ought to be satisfied. To sing even these as they ought to be sung, most congregations will require some instruction.
"If musical cultivation is generally diffused, an occasional meeting of the congregation for 'practice' is all that will be necessary; but if the people know nothing of music, you should try to arrange for a congregational singing class. . . . If people do not know how to sing, I think that the churches should say that every man, woman, and child in a Christian congregation ought to be able to sing hymns, and should establish classes to teach singing."—R. W. Dale.
South India Training School,
Bangalore, India.
