p. 20 | Singing as a Part of Our Church Service

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 22, 1909

Singing as a Part of Our Church Service

By E. K. Slade

It is not our purpose to enter upon a discussion of the merits of music as a means of worship, nor can we take the space in this connection to dwell upon the importance of higher attainment in singing in connection with our church services, but we wish to speak about the importance of exercising care in the appropriateness of the songs chosen, and in the amount of singing that is brought into the services.

Much of our singing is little more than a form. Singing, to be in place in church services, and a means of worshiping God, should be of the right spirit. It is mere mockery to enter into this part of the service in a careless, indifferent, and irreverent spirit. Much depends upon the leader in the manner of announcing the song as to whether the worshipers enter into the song service with proper understanding. It is much better to sing less and sing well and intelligently, than to bring so much singing into the ordinary services.

Upon this point there is need of careful consideration. In the services for the worship of God there is to be perfect freedom, and no binding restrictions are to be placed as to the manner of worship in song or otherwise, yet we may speak in a general way in reference to this matter. We recently visited a church where the singing was very poor. However, they did the best they could. The leaders in the Sabbath-school, as well as in the church services, seemed to feel that it was necessary that there should always be a stated number of songs, and their custom provided for a liberal number, and in each instance the whole song was gone through, even though there were five or six stanzas. It was evident that many were weary before finishing some of these songs.

Many times our Sabbath-schools are made tedious for the children because it is thought that the full number of stanzas must be sung, and the full quota of songs must come in according to the established custom. We should not eliminate from our services the amount of singing that is due and proper, yet many times the services could be much more interesting and much less tedious if but one or two stanzas of an appropriate song could be sung at the proper time.

It is a good thing to hold a song service, where the time would be given largely to singing. But there are many church services that are made especially tedious because the practise of singing many songs is adhered to in connection with the regular services, regardless of their length or of the manner of singing. We have witnessed social meetings in which those who seemed inclined to lead out in singing would consume a large portion of the time. In our Sabbath-schools and in our ordinary church services it would be much better in many places, and more pleasing to God, we believe, if greater care were exercised not to make the singing tedious and irksome.

E. K. SLADE.