THE PRESBYTERIAN MAGAZINE. APRIL, 1851. Miscellaneous Articles. PSALMODY AND LITURGY. I AM sure of the sympathy of hundreds of ministers in saying, that there is scarcely a more depressing influence on preachingenergy and on the devotional sentiment, than the indifference of a congregation to the act of praise. How melancholy, after reading such a psalm as "Firm on a rock he made me stand, And taught my cheerful tongue In a new thankful song. "I'll spread his works of grace abroad; The saints with joy shall hear," &c. to look over the congregation, and see even those "saints," whose very hearts should exult in such suggestions, sitting as listlessly as if deaf and dumb; not a voice, nor a tear, nor a look implying emotion, nor even attention; the psalm-book, if held at all, held away from the eyes; whilst the sacred song is carried through by some dozen, and the majority of these young and scientific performers in the gallery, whose glances at note-books, signals of time, sympathetic nods, and other communications, show that their minds. are absorbed with the musical execution more than the sentiments uttered. This subject has often been treated in its more common aspect of dullness and inconsistency. Our people are accustomed to say, "how much more lively and suitable it would be if all the assembly should unite in this part of worship!" and this is just. But there is another light in which the magnitude of the defect was never more apparent than in the present relative position of our church VOL. I.-No. 4. 20 to the liturgical churches. With the mass of people-the strong mass-the deciding point in their preference of one church to another is the superiority of those qualities which impart interest to the services. This is not necessarily a wrong feeling. David evidently delighted in the courts of the Lord's house, because his devotional feelings were promoted by the modes of expression and the strength of the associations connected with the very details of the public worship. Upon this principle that worship was established in connexion with the temporary tabernacle and the permanent temple. In the simpler methods of Christianity, we have three departments of the public worship by which the analogous interest must be awakened, viz. the preaching, the devotions, the sacraments. This is the order in which they stand in the public estimation. Popular preaching commands the first regard. Crowds will flock to the plainest and obscurest building, whatever the denomination or the form of the services, where they can hear an eloquent or an interesting preacher. And in justice it must be admitted, that these crowds are as full and as attentive when the truth is most freely and pungently declared, as when they run after a mere orator or ranter. The great point of interest is gained by occupying the attention, imparting instruction in a way that keeps the mind awake and unfatigued, and gratifying the moral and intellectual sensibilities with what is in reality or purport, the demonstrations of truth. Now it is just in proportion as the devotional parts of the public service are conducted on these principles that the same effects will follow. Let there be a heartfelt outpouring of prayer and praise, and the same moral and intellectual (even if not spiritual) impressions will be made as by the preaching. To speak only now of singing-can any one doubt for a moment the salutary effect on a promiscuous congregation, if the three psalms or hymns used at each service were sung earnestly and with tolerable harmony by all the people? This is proved at once by the testimony of all sects, infidel and Christian, who tell us of the effects on themselves of the singing they hear from the whole assembly in Germany, or Scotland, in the use of the plainest and oldest airs. This is not mere amusement. It is solemn impression. It brings tears to the eyes; it makes the observer serious; it gives a sense of earnestness and reality in worship; it disposes and prepares the mind for the preaching of the word, and deepens, or sometimes, through the divine blessing, effectuates the impressions of the word. I speak not of scientific attractions, of the kind of pleasure which even church-music can give, when the thoughtlessness and the whole worldliness of the opera and the concert-and often their very music too are transferred to the house of God. This species of interest gives no solemnity; it carries no blessing; it may be feared that it drives the Spirit of grace from any assembly where it is tolerated. But I speak of the grave, the orderly, the sincere union of hundreds of voices, in words as familiar as "Alas, and did my Saviour bleed," and in airs as ancient as Mear, or Old Hundred, and appeal to any one's self-consciousness, and to any one's observation, whether there is not a heart-moving power in this part of worship which never fails. Now what is the captivation of the Roman or English forms, as now exerting itself upon our larger communities? It lies not in conviction, nor altogether in the spirit of fashion; but very much in the increased interest given to the public worship by the new spectacles exhibited; the increased attention to architecture, chaunting, postures, and superstitious formulas. These constitute the great strength of the attraction which is now drawing so many away from gospel simplicity. Shall we try to counteract this system by rivaling it in the very means by which it is succeeding? Shall we build as gorgeous churches, though at the expense of light and hearing and comfort? Shall we get to ourselves men-singers and womensingers, and musical instruments? Shall we make a little more parade in the pulpit? Shall we make flowery prayers, and fine essays, and put our trust in the choir? No; no. Let the church that lays so much stress on principles, beware of this trap. Let us not be found imitating the very externality we fight against. But let us show the true foundation of our resistance to what we hold to be anti-evangelical, by a more faithful and consistent carrying out of gospel principles. Let us hold fast our integrity, even as to our externals, so long as we believe that they are most conducive to the great ends of the gospel. When Luther would overthrow the Romish errors, he did not give his strength to the work of an iconoclast. He did not make his great demonstrations on surplices, crucifixes, censers and pictures. He went to the depth of the matter, and out of the Scriptures built the foundations of faith in gold and silver and precious stones, knowing that if this were established, the faithful would not pile wood, hay, and stubble upon it. What, then, is the gist of our controversy with the Liturgies? Is it not that it is most agreeable to New Testament principles and models, that the divine worship should be characteristically a simple, a popular, or as we more commonly say, a congregational worship? Is it not that we should sing together psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as a common expression of praise, adoration, gratitude, and religious joy? Then the plain course for us to pursue, if we would guard ourselves from encroachment, and advance the truth in these matters, is, chiefly, to use gospel means of promoting the spirit which will seek to express itself in this way; but collaterally, to provide for and encourage those means by which the expression is best made. Believers must be made ashamed of sitting silent and unmoved, when the most convincing doctrines of their faith and hope are being sung. Their apologies of being hindered by choirs, strange tunes, and innovations borrowed from the world, must be met by the correction of all such evils. Our devotional exercises, thus becoming what they ought to be, and what they used to be, our youth will find the same attachment of association with the simple forms of our worship that their fathers had. These sincere, earnest, and general services will weigh more on their emotions, if not on their hearts, than those which would allure them to other forms where the fancy, mainly, is pleased. Dr. Edwards, in his narrative of the glorious scenes in Northampton in 1735, says, "Our public services were then greatly enlivened. God was then served in our psalmody, in some measure, in the beauty of holiness. It has been observable that there has been scarce any part of divine worship, wherein good men amongst us have had grace so drawn forth, and their hearts so lifted up in the ways of God, as in singing his praises. Our congregation excelled all that ever I knew in the external part of the duty before; the men generally carrying regularly and well three parts of music, and the women a part by themselves. But now they were evidently wont to sing with unusual elevation of heart and voice, which made the duty pleasant indeed." Let this description be set against the best performances of a liturgy in the prevailing fashion, and who does not believe that the masses of our population, even in cities, would prefer our simpler worship, when conducted with such spirit and propriety? But are we not going in the wrong direction in our ecclesiastical plans of this kind? Are we not giving up our strongest points, and adopting the weakest points of the Liturgists? We are making great strides in architectural decorations, and in choiral elegancies; we build dark Gothic churches, and spend thousands for an organ, and hundreds for the wages of singers; but all these innovations on our primitive simplicity have the effect of exciting a liturgical taste, whilst at the same time, they take from our worship those very qualities of popular interest which belong to our peculiar forms when rightly observed, and which are supplied by the greater variety and display of modern liturgies. The very scenery of a grand church excites the expectation of corresponding services; and it is in these very churches that our psalmody should be most universally exercised, to make the worship correspond with the place. Let the voices of the whole congregation cause the groined ceilings and the pillared roofs to echo with the Psalms to the good old tunes which our fathers taught us; let the organ, in its highest swell, and the choir, in their strongest voice, be heard only as the guides and supports of the voices of the people-the men, women, and children, each with Psalm-book in hand-and there will be a conformity of the place and the service. But assemble a Presbyterian congre gation in a cathedral-like edifice, and then let the only part of worship in which the people are expected to unite audibly, be performed by an orchestra, as in an unknown tongue, and there are but few * It is the duty of Christians to praise God publicly, by singing of Psalms together in the congregation, and also privately in the family." "In singing of Psalms, the voice is to be tunable and gravely ordered." "That the whole congregation may join herein, every one that can read is to have a Psalm-book; and all others, not disabled by age or otherwise, are to be exhorted to learn to read."-Westminster Directory: adopted with verbal variations in Directory of our American Church, chap. iv. who will not prefer going to the whole liturgy, toward which the elegant church brought them half way, and then left them. There is reason to hope, that in spite of the worldly influences which are constantly bearing on these matters, there is an increasing conviction that the interests-not merely of our Church-but of Christianity, are connected with the subject of this paper. Not only as a defence against other forms, which we regard as less consistent with gospel-simplicity, but as a divinely-ordained means of grace and mode of worship intimately connected with the advancement of devout religion, should we take care of the psalmody of our public assemblies. A general revival of our ancient customs in this matter, would be one of the most promising methods of attaining, through the divine favour, a general revival of our piety. H. WHO WILL NOT TRUST THE LORD? How wonderful is God! He gives the "power to get wealth," gives the heart to use it aright, and then recompenses for the deed! Yes, he makes himself a debtor for every thing that is given to the needy; and who would not advance much upon such credit? He will refund it with interest. In no instance will he forfeit his word. This truth frequently meets us in the Scriptures. Hence we read: "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth." "The liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again." "He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack." "Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days." "He which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." "And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward." (Prov. xi. 24, 25; xix. 17; xxviii. 27; Eccl. xi. 1; 2 Cor. ix. 6; Matt. x. 42.) Many facts might be here cited to illustrate and confirm the truth of these seemingly paradoxical declarations. Some years ago we heard a clergyman relate the following:-Two gentlemen in Edinburgh commenced the mercantile business about the same time, their amount of capital was the same, and their prospects appeared equally flattering. The one, however, was close and penurious; while the other was open-hearted and benevolent. In the course of time it was obvious that the latter person succeeded best in business, insomuch as to excite the surprise of his close and penurious neighbour, and induce him to call and ascertain what was the reason. He visited the thrifty merchant, and in the course of con |