Consecration Service for Choir

A most impressive consecration service for the choir was held in the chapel at Madison College on a Sabbath near, the beginning of the new year. The service opened in the usual way, and -after the prayer the choir director gave the following study from the Spirit of prophecy oh the power of song and the place of music in worship. At the conclusion of the choir's consecration, newly elected church officers were set apart, and then the pastor presented the subject, "Obligations and Privileges of Church Officers," at the close of which all were asked to join in consecration of their lives for service throughout the coming year. Possibly such a plan could profitably be followed in other churches at the beginning of the year.

"The church of God below is one with the church of God above. Believers on the earth and the beings in heaven who have never fallen constitute one church. Every heavenly intelligence is interested in the assemblies of the saints who on earth meet to worship God. In the inner court of heaven they listen to the testimony of the witnesses for Christ in the outer court on earth, and the praise and thanksgiving from the worshipers below is taken up in the heavenly anthem, and praise and rejoicing sound through the heavenly courts because Christ has not died in vain for the fallen sons of Adam. While angels drink from the fountainhead, the saints on earth drink of the pure streams flowing from the throne, the streams that make glad the city of God. 0 that we could all realize the nearness of heaven to earth ! When the earth-born children know it not, they have angels of light as ^-their companions. A silent witness guards every soul that lives, seeking to draw that soul to Christ. As long as there is hope, until men resist the Holy Spirit to their eternal ruin, they are guarded by heavenly intelligences. Let us all bear in mind that in every assembly of the saints below are angels of God, listening to the testimonies, songs, and prayers. Let us remember that our praises are supplemented by the choirs of the angelic host above."—Testimonies, Vol. VI, pp. 366, 367.

"The melody of praise is the atmosphere of heaven ; and when heaven comes in touch with the earth, there is music and song."—Education, p. 161.

"When human beings sing with the spirit and the understanding, heavenly musicians take up the strain, and join in the song of thanksgiving."—Testimonies, Vol. IX, pp. 143, 144.

"The ability to sing is the gift of God; let it be used to His glory."—Ibid, p. 144.

"The song of praise, the prayer, the words spoken by Christ's representatives, are God's appointed agencies to prepare a people for the church above, for that loftier worship into which there can enter nothing that defileth."—Ibid., Vol. V, p. 491.

"The melody of song, poured forth from many hearts in clear, distinct utterance, is one of God's instrumentalities in the work of saving souls."Ibid., p. 493.

"The history of the songs of the Bible is full of suggestion as to the uses and benefits of music and song. Music is often perverted to serve purposes of evil, and it thus becomes one of the most alluring agencies of temptation. But, rightly employed, it is a precious gift of God, designed to uplift the thoughts to high and noble themes, to inspire and elevate the soul.

"As the children of Israel, journeying through the wilderness, cheered their way by the music of sacred song, so God bids His children today gladden their pilgrim life. There are few means more effective for fixing His words in the memory than repeating them in song. And such song has wonderful power. It has power to subdue rude and uncultivated natures ; power to quicken thought and to awaken sympathy, to promote harmony of action, and to banish the gloom and foreboding that destroy courage and weaken effort.

"It is one of the most effective means of impressing the heart with spiritual truth. How often to the soul hard pressed and ready to despair, memory recalls some word of Cod's,— the long-forgotten burden of a childhood song,—and temptations lose their power, life takes on new meaning and new purpose, and courage and gladness are imparted to other souls!

"The value of song as a means of education should never be lost sight of. Let there be singing in the home, of songs that are sweet and pure, and there will be fewer words of censure, and more of cheerfulness and hope and joy. Let there be singing in the school, and the pupils will be drawn closer to God, to their teachers, and to one another.

"As a part of religious service, singing is as much an act of worship as is prayer. Indeed, many a song is prayer. If the child is taught to realize this, he will think more of the meaning of the words he sings, and will be more susceptible to their power.

"As our Redeemer leads us to the threshold of the Infinite, flushed with the glory of God, we may catch the themes of praise and thanksgiving from the heavenly choir round about the throne ; and as the echo of the angels' song is awakened in our earthly homes, hearts will be drawn closer to the heavenly singers. Heaven's communion begins on earth. We learn here the keynote of its praise." —Education, pp. 167, 168.

"Those who in heaven join with the angelic choir in their anthem of praise must learn on earth the song of heaven, the keynote of which is thanksgiving."—Testimonies, Vol. VII, p. 244.

The reading of the foregoing paragraphs was followed by a pledge of consecration on the part of the choir. It was impressive to hear the singers thus consecrating their talents to God in the following responses, after which the consecration anthem was sung. (This anthem appeared in the November, 1944, Volunteer Choir, Lorenz Publishing Company, Dayton, Ohio.)

Consecration Response by Choir

Leader: To the worship of God and the ministry of sacred music—