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Any information connected with the establishment will be given by the subscriber. Mr. Henry M. Lewis is our agent for Alabama, Tennessee, and part of Missouri. Mr. Israel E. James is our agent for the South and South-Western States and Florida, assisted by James Whipple, W. H. Weld, O. H. P. Stem and Henry Platt. Mr. C. W. James is our agent for the Western States, Iowa and Wisconsin, assisted by Moses Meeker, James Smith, J. B. Humphreys, J. T. Dent, and J. W. Ewing. VOL. IX. PUBLISHED MONTHLY, AT FIVE DOLLARS PER ANNUM, PAYABLE IN ADVANCE. RICHMOND, APRIL, 1843. THE RELIGIOUS USES OF MUSIC. BY REV. E. L. MAGOON. In this article we shall endeavor to consider simply the uses to be made of melody in the services of our holy religion; and we remark, in the first place, that Music has uses, because it has power. Whatever is powerful may be made useful, and its utility should be measured by its potency. By this rule let us estimate the value of music, by first examining its capacity to move. NO. 4. Instrumental accompaniments were invented to aid the influence of voice and verse, and when all are united in holy league, there is nothing earthly which so effectually presents to our elevated conceptions "That undisturbed song of pure consent, Aye sung around the sapphire-colored throne, To him that sits thereon. Where the bright seraphim, in burning row, Their loud, uplifted angel-trumpets blow; And the cherubic hosts, in thousand choirs, Touch their celestial harps of golden wires." The history of Music is as ancient as the use of The department of public worship of which metals. By the Mosaic narrative, that primitive we now speak is in harmony with the most unidocument of the human race, we learn that the versal and pervading element in the physical unidescendants of Cain possessed both. But by the verse. Every ray of light; every particle of Music of the Cainites, we are not to understand rain, snow or vapor; every blade of grass that our own more complicated and sublime forms of grows; every leaf that expands; every rose that melody. Although Music was first applied sometimes to magical, or rather to medicinal, purposes, yet its principal application was to divine uses. All nations and sects have been as unanimous in the religious use of Music, as they have been diversified in their peculiar ceremonials and creeds. The greatest conqueror in the holy nation did not only compose the words of his divine odes, but generally set them to Music himself, and that which he consecrated to the service of the tabernacle became a national treasure, and the stimulant of universal praise. Even Pagan poets intimate how Music should be applied, when they represent the Muses as surrounding Jupiter, and warbling their hymns about his throne. The holy Scriptures come to us filled with "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." Four thousand of the best musicians in the nation of the Jews led in the solemn temple service. Israel mingled the symphonies of tymbrel and triumphant song with the murmurs of the subsiding billows on the shore of that sea Architecture has been compared to "frozen Muwhich had just swallowed their Egyptian foe. sic," and even in such a congealed state it is gloDavid made his palace melodious with the rever-rious; but in its more liquid form, Music is beauty berations of his imperial harp. Isaiah sang the to the ear, as beauty is Music to the eye. When it elegy of Jerusalem's destruction in tones that is really well executed, there are no surer wings went resounding to the skies; and the imprisoned than seraphic sounds, to lift the soul to heaven. Apostles, Paul and Silas, made the jail at Philippi Sounds closely resemble feelings, since both are vibrate to the glorious Music which chains could invisible, and sounds are the very element in which not bind nor midnight conceal. And when "God the feelings live and move. Hence Music easily manifest in the flesh" abolished the ritual of a dis- enters the seat of feeling, and while we listen we pensation which had mainly gone to decay, he re- become melodious with inarticulate rapture, and cognized and reanimated that which was most di- are borne on the stream of expressive harmony. vine, its Music, and at the point of transition from Music is the revelation of the adoration of heaven; old to new, from obsolete ceremony to perpetual and why should it not form part of the worship of duty, he "sung an hymn;" and when he had gone the saints in this world of darkness and death? to Gethsemane, to Calvary, and to Heaven, he left Its more assiduous cultivation and holy use would the melody of rapturous song, to accompany, as it have a wonderful effect in improving our taste, as had commenced, the dispensation of eternal life. well as in creating a more general relish for what blooms; the zephyrs that fan the gossamer, and the bolt that rives the mountain crag; fountains sparkling in the sun, and forests swaying before the storm; the sighing reed and the heaving volcano; the gleaming lake and the thunder of old ocean's roar, are but different notes in the great anthem of nature, which charms the ear of God. In the presence of its Creator, there is Music in every thing that moves, and in every thing that grows. We read how "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God," the products of his creative power,-" "shouted for joy." It is the sublime expression of Euripides, the Grecian poet, “Thee, I invoke, thou self-created Being, who gave birth to Nature, and whom light and darkness and the whole train of globes and planets encircle with eternal Music." A greater poet than he has added, VOL. IX-25 "There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st, in every age has been deemed the most ennobling | It is well known, that if a native of Switzerof pursuits, and the highest of all artificial enjoy- land, when in foreign lands, hears the wild and sim exalts each joy, allays each grief, Expels diseases, softens every pain, Subdues the rage of poison and the plague; And hence the wise of ancient days ador'd One power of physic-Melody and Song." Music brightens the blind man's gloom, and revives the veteran's joy. The peasant, as he goes whistling to his task, feels less of his weariness; and the tired slave grows happy, if he can but chime his toils with his animated song. The prisoner, far down in the gloomy mines, can sing his griefs to rest; and when other eloquence avails not to rouse a nation to a sense of its wrongs, Music, piping in cave and tower, will send the inspiration of liberty to the oppressed, and the shrill cry of redress to the abused. The wise are made wiser by its power; and its ennobling influence will leave the traces of beauty even in "The mouldy vaults of the dull idiot's brain." In the second place, Music has religious uses, because it is potent in its influence upon naturál character, the intellect and the soul. ple notes of the Ranchez-Vaches, which, played Let no such man be trusted." It is a fact, palpable to the most superficial observation, that Music has a strong moulding influence on natural character. God has constructed us alive to its influence. The love of Music is a sign of a good disposition; the practice of it will Our second remark under this head relates to improve a bad one. Wonderfully does it possess the influence of Music on the human intellect. a humanizing and polishing power. Polybius tells All good men, in every age, have felt that this us that this beautiful science was early taught to power is great. The prophets, as is seen in the the children in Arcadia, and by this means that first chapter of Ezekiel, took their station by the people became the most amiable of the Greeks. side of majestic rivers, that in the stillness and dePythagoras used it always before going to bed. lightful scenery around them, they might, through The students in the ancient schools of the prophets the soft murmur of the water, be refreshed, enligave great attention to the cultivation of Music. vened, and prepared for the Divine ecstacies. The Hence Samuel said to Saul, at a certain place, testimony of President Edwards will illustrate this "Thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming position. "I felt God, so to speak, at the first apdown from the high place with a psaltery, and a ta- pearance of a thunder-storm; and used to take the bret, and a pipe, and a harp before them; and they opportunity, at such times, to fix myself in order to shall prophesy; and the spirit of the Lord shall come view the clouds, and see the lightnings play, and upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and hear the majestic and awful voice of God's thunshall be turned into another man." And in the second der, which often times was exceedingly entertainbook of Kings we find Elisha calling in a devout Le-ing, leading me to sweet contemplation of my glovite, to play and sing before him, to calm and raise his spirits, to receive the message of the Almighty. "But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him." When Saul was exas- A like sovereignty over intellect is latent in superated and lashed into fury by his own strong pas-perior instrumental or vocal Music. Milton listened sions, David came before him with his sweet harp to his organ for his solemn inspiration; Bourdaand holy song. These were potent to chase away loue used his violin freely before preaching to the the evil spirit, and calm the ruffled temper. Op- intellectual court; Lord Bacon had music often pressed by the mournful distress of Israel and played in the room adjoining his study; and LeoJudah, the great prophet called for Music on "an narda de Vinci painted most sublimely when meinstrument of ten strings" to compose his soul after lodious notes resounded most profusely near his zealous agitation, that he might be put into a meet studies. Regaling the weary with sweet Music is condition to receive the calm visions of God. like besprinkling a close apartment with odorife rious God. While thus engaged, it always seemed natural to me to sing or chant forth my meditations, or to put my thoughts in soliloquies with a singing voice." rous water; the heat that enervates is dispersed, with error, he gave utterance to thoughts, otherand fragrant energy stimulates the gratified sense. wise unutterable, through the notes of his flute. The following are words of truth which Chrysos- He says that the devils fled from his flute. Betom, the distinguished Greek father, uttered long tween Music and martyrdom his great soul vibrated, ago. "No one of the slothful multitude ever de- full of confidence, and entranced with glory; and parted from the church retaining a prophetic or between these poles of his existence there were apostolic sentence; but verses of the psalms they more than continents of rapture for him to enjoy. chant at home, and repeat when passing through "Come," said he, one day to Melancthon, as the the forum. If a man be inflamed with anger, if he storm of persecution thickened most frightfully, be infuriate with rage;-should a holy psalm steal"Come, let us sing the forty-sixth Psalm: and let on his ear melodious, tranquil he departs, subdued earth and hell do their worst." and harmonized by music's power." This good man had experienced something of that influence which "comes o'er the ear like the sweet south, The invigorating influence of Music was well understood by Milton, and is thus described by him in Paradise Regained. "Go, view The schools of ancient sages; he who bred By voice or hand, and various measur'd verse, It is wrong to suppose that good Music has a tendency to make its admirer effeminate. On the contrary, it is the most bracing and energetic species of eloquence. The Hallelujah Chorus in Handel's Messiah has often brought vast audiences In the third place, we plead for sacred Music unconsciously to their feet; and Hayden's Crea- because it has a high use in its direct influence on tion, Beethoven's Oratories, and Mosart's Requiem the soul. Thanks be to God!-there is such a touch at once the intellect and heart with a talis- thing in this fallen world as pure, spiritual, sublime manic power greater than would the light, the sea- devotion, and this should be the soul of all our pubsons, or even the crucifixion, which, through sounds, lic worship. Whatever conduces to the cultivathey represent. To have this effect, however, tion of religious feeling is neither to be neglected Music must be deep and honest. Imagination and nor despised; and it would be well if all cou.d the skill of profound and spontaneous emotion must verify the agreeable truth that, "as nightingales move in the strains which are designed to move sing sweetest where there is an echo, so do our others. The Marseilles hymn became the migh-hearts speak most audibly where Music is around ty inspiration of the French Revolution, because them." Sacred melody strengthens devotion, adit first sprang from a soul of fire, and was repeated | vances praise into rapture, repeats every act of by those who were full of feeling. Sophocles worship, and embalms in the mind more lasting imgave a tremendous effect to vocal thought when pressions, than those which accompany transient he sang to the Music of his lyre in the chorus of forms of words, uttered in homily or creed. The his own tragedies. Solon and Timotheus of Ar- fear, love, sorrow, and indignation which are awacadia, in like manner, produced an overwhelming kened in the mind by hymns and anthems, make influence on large auditories of most illustrious the heart better, and create aspirations based on persons. We have ourselves seen a most thrill- causes the most rational and praiseworthy. Thus ing impression produced on three thousand highly in innocence, pleasure and duty may go hand in cultivated citizens while one gentleman sang "The Angel's Whisper," accompanied by the soft touches of his wife's piano. The Spartan troops marched to the sound of flutes when they went to the most deadly strifes; and moral heroes have found high inspiration in melodious tones. hand, and the greater our satisfaction is, the holier may be our religion. Christianity requires us to abase ourselves in humility, but not to debase ourselves, nor to degrade the noblest cause by a Vandal-like contempt for what God in nature and art has created beautiful and good. Music was a powerful auxiliary in securing the The sermon is designed to teach theological triumph of the Protestant Reformation. There is principles and practical morality; prayers are the more of Luther's soul in the "Old Hundred" he medium of acceptable worship; but the nearest composed than in any other single work. It is approach that earthly beings can make to the adosublimely interesting to contemplate that great re- ration of angels, is, when they lift their hearts former with Music for his solace and inspiration, with their voices in solemn thankfulness to Aland the conversion of universal opinion for his mighty God. The old Cameronians, those heroitask. When he could no longer write, by reason cal fathers of Scottish piety, were so fully conof exhaustion, he sang. When he had wearied him-'scious of this, that in the midst of the greatest self in struggling with his own great conceptions personal dangers they would unanimonsly lift up a of truth, or when he was prostrated in antagonizing full chorus in singing their psalms. English sol |