Church or Night Club

THE extensive use of music in all facets of life today has left many with differing opinions and confused standards as to what music is ac­ceptable for church and other sacred usage. Can there be some definite principles to define these areas? I am happy there are so many questions re­garding sacred music; it indicates a sincere desire to evaluate and choose what is right in the sight of God.

It has been shown in previous articles that certain kinds of music lumped to­gether under the heading "jazz" have no place in the life of a Christian. Logically therefore, this type of music could have no legitimate place in religious services. I am sure all of my readers have noticed the in­vasion of Christian music by certain tech­niques of the entertainment world. This is deplorable! Gospel music and its perform­ance have been infiltrated by musical de­vices of Hollywood and the night club. To dress up gospel melodies in the garments of show business simply debases and cheap­ens the gospel.

There should be a clear distinction be­tween the secular and the sacred in music. Using popular music devices, such as gui­tars amplified loudly, discords, gliding ef­fects in singing, crooning, operatic style, ex­cessive rhythmic devices, imitating popular singers and styles, does nothing to enhance the worship service.

Common sense dictates that sacred asso­ciation be quite separate and distinct from secular. Language is different, architecture is generally distinguishable, even the seats are different. Practically no one would walk into a church, look at the pulpit, and think he was in a theater. So it should be with the music. There is a great danger in making no distinction between the secular and the sacred, or in introducing secular methods in our religious music. There are tradi­tional features about religious music that any educated man recognizes as belonging to the church, while there are secular qualities that the world recognizes as hav­ing no place inside a church or at a reli­gious meeting.

Some performers of religious music leave a great deal to be desired. Crooning in the popular style brings the music down to a mundane level. Sometimes the only indica­tion of the music being religious is the words. The dignity of religion calls for a higher type of song. Gospel songs should not be sung like sentimental love songs. Some religious records are sold in which the precious doctrines of redemption are unequally yoked with movie theater music or sung in the mood of cocktail hour bal­lads or accompanied on the organ, piano, or guitar as if in a night club.

The fact that TV and radio entertainers often sing religious music has helped to break down the line of demarcation be­tween the sacred and secular. Therefore, we should be all the more careful to keep out of all our religious meetings these defi­nite influences which belong to the enter­tainment world rather than to worship.

To play hymns and gospel songs without embellishment is sufficient. Attempts at bi­zarre effects may tickle the ear, but are hardly devotional. Sacred music is ideally best when far removed from secular sugges­tions.