Origina Correspondence.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 58, 19 August 1875, Page 6

Origina Correspondence.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC. (To the Editor of Clutha Leader A) Sir, — The subject whether instrumental music should or should not be used in Divine worship is causing some slight stir among the Presbyterians of the community. Your last issue contained an article of considerable ability and moderation from the pen of the Rev. J. Waters. There is much truth in his remark, v That it is hard for persons to forego their convictions and change their belief and adopt their opposite, and these too having but the shadowest arguments in support of being true." Only I think the arguments in favor of instrumental music are not so shadowy as that gentleman supposes. As a believer in the use of instrumental music, I would humbly advance a few arguments in support of the same. Eirstly, the Psalms are full of illusions to the use of instrumental music ; so numerous are they that I may safely forego quotations. No doubt I shall be answered that they belonged to the Mosaic Church, and have therefore no reference to the Cristian Church. But I may ask, How is it that, while we retain the same Psalms, the mode of rendering them is changed ? Was there less cause for thankfulness when Christ appeared than there was before ? Is not the faith that saves the Jew and that saves the Christian one and the same? Was not their grounds of rejoicing and reasons for praise tha same as ours ? Why then should our praise differ ? If the Jews were called upon to bring all the glory of sound within their power to the praise of the Almighty, much more should we, with our increased religious knowledge and higher powers both of vocal and in-,' strumental music, render God praise with all the powers of mind and soul. It is true there is no mention in the Gospels or Epistles of instrumental music ; but neither is there, as far as I can find, any direct mention of con- j gregational praise— all mention of I praise being more applicable to in- \ dividuals than to congregations. Secondly, in the Revalations, God. wishing to teach us and give us sublime ideas of the glorious praise of heaven, the redeemed are represented as praising God upon harps of gold.? We hhve ; here what the Almighty accepts as' | glorious, or God, knowing our idea of

glojry, teaches us" of .. heavenly .thaiigs through that medium, and the faop that God honors these ideas argues strongly in their favo^ I know the objection will be raised that God looks ht the heart and not to the sound. This perhaps accounts for the large number of dummies in Presbyterian congregations during Divine worship ; at least we'll hope so — only lam doubtful. If the Almighty cares not for the sound, why have we the gift of song ? Why has He placed in nature a law that so. many vibrations in a given time produce musical tone, and these tones arranged in accordance with certain laws gives us harmony, and also has given us the power of discerning such things ? if it was not that we might better fulfil the end of our creation. Or, I may ask, is there any part of God's creation that He cares not for, or delights not in ? So that while the thankful and cheerful outpouring of the soul is the pure and true element of praise, yet it must be done worthy of the Being - praised and the beings ; praising. [do not write to convince, but to show that we have good reasons . for holding the opinions we do regarding the use of instrumental music. Much more may be said, and more ably said, upon the subject, but such as these 'thoughts are, I humblyl ay them before tbe public. But before leaving this subject, I should wish to say a few words upon Mr Bannerman's culminating joke before the Balclutha Presbytery — " Let us fiddle and praise the Lord." We may as well have our joke as we pass. That gentleman seems to talk of the fiddle as the devil's own pet instrument. Now, I object to him getting the fiddle, except it be the Scotch; I make him welcome to it. But let it be granted that the fiddle is his own by right of discovery, would it not insult to take his own instrument and tune to the praise of Him "in whom all his powers of hate centre ? — an insult such as his infernal majesty has not received since Luther threw the ink in his face, for even then he had the consolation that it would not show. Presbyterian.