Music by Wm. C. Gage

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 7, 1865

Music.

By Wm. C. Gage

None that love this branch of the worship of God, can fail to deplore the use which Satan has made of this Heaven-born science, prostituting it to the basest of purposes, and making it oftentimes a means of inculcating error and even blaspheming God. As we see how the masses may be swayed, and moved to deeds of valor or even acts of crime, by some popular song, we can but realize that music is a powerful agent, either for good or evil. Take for illustration, the famous Marseilles Hymn, and witness its effect in moving on the French populace to rebellion and revolution. Its thrilling notes rung out upon the sunny air of France, awoke responsive echoes in the heart of every French patriot, and was one of the most potent agents in bringing about those bloody massacres which deluged the country with blood and agitated the whole civilized world.

On the other hand, how has the heart of the child of God been thrilled with worshipful devotion, on hearing some grand old sacred melody swelling up from the leafy grove or the banks of the baptismal waters, from the lips of those who make melody in their hearts to the Lord. But few persons are incapable of being influenced in some degree by music, and it is no wonder that Satan, knowing this, should cunningly make the most of it. The popular theological errors of the day are all bolstered up by poetry and music, for lack of scripture, and many people quote familiarly from Dr. Watts in proof of certain doctrines, believing all the time that St. Paul says "death is the gate to endless joys." &c. This spirit is also being developed in the popular secular music of the day, which is all tuned to one string, namely, "there is no death." While this terrible war is giving death so many victims from among the promising youth of our country, Satan seizes the opportunity to enforce his first great falsehood and reiterates it in song, "ye shall not surely die." Public opinion is fast becoming educated to receive this doctrine without wincing, and the mass of the people are becoming believers in universal salvation, or at least tacitly consenting to the belief by singing it in the popular songs of the day.

Let us reduce a couplet from one of these songs into

matter-of-fact prose, and see what its real statements are, for when wafted to our ears in delicious strains of music, we are apt to forget the sentiment it contains:

"Soon with angels I'll be marching, With bright laurels on my brow."

The dying soldier is here represented as about leaving the scene of carnage and bloodshed, with the heat of combat flushing his brow, and perhaps the blood of a human being upon his hands and going immediately into the presence and companionship of holy angels, there to be crowned with his battle-won laurels, and to march and counter-march with the heavenly hosts before the great white throne. This we conceive to be but little short of blasphemy, yet it is popular, and furnishes another proof of the fallibility of public opinion, and should lead us to be careful that we sing with the spirit and with the understanding.

But while we regret the use thus made of this beautiful science, we can also rejoice that it may be brought into requisition in the worship of God, causing harmony and union of feeling and sentiment among his people, as they meet from time to time for prayer and praise. And in this connection it may not be improper to allude to the manner of conducting this department of worship at some of the popular churches. A New York correspondent of a Boston paper, makes a careful estimate of the cost of sustaining the singing at one of the "worshiping establishments" of the former city, and finds that it exceeds the salary of the minister! An opera singer, who makes her appearance on the boards of a Theater six evenings in the week, is paid $500 per year, for her services on Sunday in leading the soprano in the "songs of Zion;" the organist, who plays for balls and parties during the week, also receives a liberal salary for his Sunday services, and the other "leaders" and singers receive in proportion to their respective abilities, swelling the amount to a sum which, though large in itself, is easily paid by renting the pews for a thousand dollars each per year, and excluding the poor (the Lord's poor, perhaps) from connection with the society.

In the name of all that is sacred we would inquire, Is this worship? Can the praise of God from such lips, uttered under such circumstances, ascend up to Heaven as grateful incense before the Lord? Is it not rather a solemn mockery? But perhaps it will do for those whose thinking is all done by one man, to whom they look for all their opinions in regard to matters pertaining to their future welfare, but upon whose judgment in temporal affairs they would not risk one precious dollar, unless approved by their own good sense. Modern professors may be satisfied to let out their worship to hirelings, but God will not accept of it, and the true Church will not thus dishonor him, but their prayers and songs of praise will come from the heart, and with David, they will praise him "with joyful lips."