Tired Church Members | Page 6

of my pilgrimage." [20]
Now somebody will say that I have wandered quite away from
recreation, and gone off to church. But no; I am speaking of heart and

home music. You all know that there is no recreation about most of
your music now-a-days. You bore yourselves and other people with
much practising, and when you have learned, as you think, then you
drop it all. Who is ready with a song for some weary, tuneless life? or
who "keeps up her music" till the tired years of her own? Work for it,
pay for it, drop it,--that is the record. Your music, as it is, is a dead
thing; and I want you to put the principle of life in it. For whatever you
begin for your Master, you will also hold fast for him.
Read over these words and ponder them well:
"He that had received the five talents, went and traded with the same,
and made them other five talents." [21]
Every gift the man had, was used for Christ.
How precious a gift this musical power is! how usable a gift.
"A very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well
on an instrument." [22]
How much it can do for ourselves, for the world.
"David took an harp, and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed,
and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." [23]
I have never forgotten how a lady with no great musical skill or
education sang a verse of a hymn for me one night. It was at a little
party, so she could not raise her voice above the softest undertone; but
she sang that verse just to let me hear the tune, which I did not know.
The words were familiar:
"There is a fountain filled with blood"--
I suppose I have often heard them what you call "better sung"; but
never with more lovely effect. Every word, every note, was absolutely
distinct and clear, yet not one rising above that undertone: I doubt if
even the people nearest to us heard; and the most restless nerves, the

weariest head, could have listened and been refreshed. I know my eyes
grew full; and I thought to myself, "Ah, you have practised your voice
by many a sick bed, and trained it for just that work."
"The evil spirit departed from Saul." But what of music that puts the
evil spirit into men? Of songs, however sweet sounding, that are
written in the service of the devil, and sung at the high court of the
world? For this is your rule:
"Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." [24]
Like your speech, "alway with grace."

[1] I Chron. xiii. 8.
[2] Ps. lxviii. 25, 26.
[3] I Chron. xv. 16.
[4] Ex. xv. 1.
[5] Ex. xv. 21.
[6] Neh. xii. 27.
[7] Ps. cxxii. 1.
[8] Ps. cxxv. 2.
[9] Ps. xxxliii. 2, 3.
[10] Ps. xl. 3.
[11] Lam. iii. 13.
[12] Ps. xiii. 6.
[13] Ps. lvii. 7.

[14] Ps. lix. 16.
[15] I Cor. xiv. 15.
[16] Eccle. vii. 5.
[17] Eph. v. 19.
[18] Isa. lxv. 14.
[19] James v. 13.
[20] Ps. cxix. 54.
[21] Matt. xxv. 16.
[22] Ez. xxxiii. 32.
[23] I Sam. xvi. 23.
[24] Col. iii. 16.

Dancing
"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under
heaven." [1]
And so it comes among the rest, that there is "a time to dance." [2]
Such being the case, we have only to find out the when and the how;
for of course, for Christians, dancing too must have its rules. In feasting
the word is, "Do all to the glory of God"; and in music, "With melody
in your hearts to the Lord"; and now for dancing the order comes:
"Let them praise his name in the dance." [3]
We are to praise the Lord with our whole lives; in our recreation no less
than in our work. You see it is all one: with that proviso you may do
anything.

"Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent
greatness."
"Praise him with the timbrel and dance." [4]
I fancy you did not expect this, secretly believing that the Bible was all
against dancing. I fancy most people would start back and say it cannot
be done. If it cannot, or if by you it cannot, then--for you--the dancing
question should be settled once and for all. The Lord has given you "the
garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness," [5] and you are not at
liberty to lay it off for any dancing gear whatever.
"Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a
peculiar people; that ye