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of Witnesses," and also their "Lives of Scottish Worthies." To enter on an examination of the merits of such an army of martyrs" as is thus presented to our view, would be a task perfectly Herculean; to some persons it might seem full of deep and solemn interest; to us it presents not a single charm; nay, rather, we shudder at the bare contemplation of it; for what do we behold in it but a reciprocation of murder, in a grand struggle for temporal power? Far be it from us to impugn the sincerity of the hapless thousands who have fallen victims to the lust of rule raging in the breasts of tyrants; they are more the objects of commiseration than of censure; their motives, it might be, were good, though much mistaken ;—and to their own master those victims stood or fell. With their instigators and leaders, however, we feel at full liberty to deal more freely, and cannot for one moment admit that they have the slightest claim to the honourable appellation of Christian martyr, even though their pretensions should be decked out in all the splendours of royalty. As the type of this class of claimants, we have set before us in bold prominence the case of King Charles I., who is said to have been taken away from the nation in the heavy displeasure of God, who suffered him to be delivered into the hands of cruel, unreasonable, violent, and blood-thirsty men, barbarously to be murdered by them. That Charles was murdered, we do not deny; nor can it be denied that they who murdered him were cruel, unreasonable, violent, and bloodthirsty men, for such all murderers are; but who, with the wellauthenticated facts of history before his eyes, could ever arrive at the conclusion that Charles was put to death solely for the testimony which he bore to the Supreme divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the purely spiritual nature of his kingdom? But unless this can be established, his claim to Christian martyrdom amounts to nothing. The only testimony to which we find Charles bearing witness, and that with great tenacity too, was that he himself was the "fountain of all law." This absurd doctrine he seems firmly to have believed; and certainly the "Scottish Worthies" have furnished abundance of proof that he acted on it to the very letter, so far at least as they were concerned. They suffered at his hand, and at the hand of his son who succeeded him, the most cruel persecutions; human blood flowed in torrents, so to speak, over the land, but why? Enlightened reader, what need of words ? You see the parties arrayed against each other, clad in deadly armour, and that, too, (mirabile dictu) professedly in the name of Him who prohibited the use of the sword in defence of his kingdom. The sword was once drawn and used by one of the Lord's disciples in his defence, but that disciple was commanded by the Lord to put up his sword again into its

place, with the admonitory caution that they who take the sword might expect to perish by the sword; such weapons were, and ever must be, absolutely useless in reference to the defence, propagation, or support of Christianity; nor do we find that from that memorable period the sword was ever used either offensively or defensively in His cause, till Christianity became essentially corrupted, and was incorporated with the state. The simple circumstance, then, of finding men standing forth, sword in hand, in defence of any favourite system of religion, be it what it may, is, to us, sufficient proof of the total absence of the essentials of the kingdom of "THE KING OF MARTYRS." On the one hand, men may shew much zeal for national leagues and covenants, and say many very plausible things about the "Crown rights and the Headship of Christ ;" on the other hand, princes may first swear and subscribe such covenants, and afterwards order them to be burnt by the hands of the common hangman;-the impartial observer of the feuds that must inevitably arise from such jarring secular interests, will turn away with loathing from the hideous scene; he will lament the misguided zeal, the misapplied bravery and courage of the combatants; but to neither the cavalier nor the roundhead will he feel disposed to award the crown of Christian martyrdom.

ΙΑΚΩΒΟΣ.

CHURCH MUSIC. ·

A MEMBER of the New Church, who duly considers the consequences of the doctrine of Swedenborg, that the affections of man are represented by sounds, as evident in the intonations of the human voice, will not fail to perceive the importance of this correspondence and relationship, as existing between the affections, and the eloquence which, embodying them, arouses the like affections in others, in all their degrees and varieties, and through all the various spheres of their activity; and also, the same relationship as existing between the religious affections, higher or lower, which are engaged in worship, and the musical forms of expression given to them at different periods of the church, and in different countries. That the taste of the singers of church music, quiral or congregational, changes from time to time; that the taste of one congregation differs from another, even of the same denomination; and that the taste of different denominations to some extent is different; these are facts, and how are they to be accounted for? Is the solution to be left to the loose consideration, that all things are liable to change? or is it to be determined by a recurrence to the great law of corres

pondence between states and tastes, or between affections and their corresponding expression by means of musical compositions? I think the latter. And I have long inclined to the opinion, that a mind ready at perceiving the quality of the affections expressed and excited by musical methods, (for why should not this percipient capability be acquired by cultivation as well as the parallel one implied in eloquence?) would become aware, in becoming acquainted with the music of different ages,-not only with the existing state of the art of music, but with the kind and quality of the good prevalent in the church, which, by means of a musical expression, found its delightful, because corresponding manifestation in acts of worship.

With these impressions on my mind, fostered by a fondness for the investigation of styles of psalmody and sacred music, I read the recently published "Prefatory Remarks" of Dr. Gauntlett to his "Comprehensive Tune Book," in which this (I believe) eminent musician treats with great skill and animation, a subject on which he has evidently expended considerable research, and, what is more, has exercised a sound judgment, solemnized by feelings of intelligent piety. Thus has he rendered himself an authority on the subject of Church Music, as I conceive, of the highest rank; and were it not so often seen that important views fail to convey to the public an adequate impression of their value, and thence to produce adequate effects, I should fondly indulge the idea, that the publication alluded to would have a considerable influence in bringing the religious world to its senses on the subject of Church Music. Still the ideas presented will prove greatly interesting to many readers and musical students, and furnish "matter for much serious reflection.

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Dr. G. explains that his work has received the title it bears because it was desired to make it so 'comprehensive" as to suit the taste of all congregations. He does not present his collection as the fruits or evidences of his own taste, but as an offering to the universal taste. He gives his own opinion, and the grounds of his own preference; and he candidly states his conviction that the public taste, however defective may be seen to be, cannot suddenly be changed for the better. Dr. Gauntlett remarks on this point,

it

"As congregational singing is at present generally conducted in this country, it receives but little aid from the really cultivated in the science, who, instead of joining in these celebrations of Divine worship, look on with mixed feelings of astonishment and dislike."

* Pubilshed by Houlston and Stoneman, Paternoster Row.

But Dr. G. also remarks,

"However desirable is a return to a deeper and more reflective spirit in this matter, any sudden and direct opposition to these innovations on sound practice, and to unartistical customs which prejudice and educational associations have unfortunately rendered venerable, would, in all probability, be attended with disturbance, and perchance meet with little success. The compromise between popular feeling, and a deeper sense of what is pure and right, has been considered the best course."

Dr. G. has found that in all the earlier ages of the Church, and down to a very late period, it was the practice of all the congregation to sing all the responses, and that liturgical services were specially arranged to afford the opportunity for this universal song, and the melody, or air, of the music adapted accordingly for all the voices, male as well as female. He presents himself as a very decided advocate for the restoration of this practice, together with music of the same character as that formerly in use; music which, in his opinion, was framed in the truest principles of Church music, and the best calculated to inspire and sustain feelings of devout reverence. Consequently he is a decided opponent of the sentiment so confidently put forth in Novello's Psalmody, and other similar productions, that the air, or melody, should be confined to females and boys only, and the males be left to find a tenor or bass harmony for their part, if they presume to join in the singing at all. Dr. G. contends that all the melodies ought to be set sufficiently low to enable the men to join in the singing without an irreverent straining of the voice; he contends also, that nothing, in any point of view, can be so effective as a general unison of males and females in the melody. He discusses the comparative merits of prose and metrical singing, giving the preference to the former, and he is desirous that the latter, so generally prevalent at the present day, should be framed, as far as possible, on the pattern of the former. He contends that the most proper leader of the singing, if it be rightly arranged and adapted, is the minister, to whose office, he is of opinion, it anciently fell; and that no tunes should be set so high as to prevent the minister joining in them, with reverential decorum. No doubt it would require more than one minister to assist in the worship, if it were to be of that responsorial character which he describes.

Dr. G. remarks justly, that

"The exhibition in Divine Service of solos, duets, and trios, is a thing to be avoided, as it necessarily leads to a greater attention to the individual efforts of the vocalists, than is desirable; and also cramps the efforts of the composer, in the endeavour to shadow out a solemn and reverential ideal, which shall be free from the

stain of thoughts and expressions appertaining to the music of social and domestic life."

"There can be no consonous voice of the people in the jubilant exercises of Divine Worship, unless some common outward expression can be agreed upon, as being the most faithful type or exponent of Christian sentiment, and best according with the spirit by which Christians are themselves animated. If one person wishes for reverence and modesty, a sober and quiet manner, a sweet, low tone; another, for a grave and solemn way, a sparing use of crotchets and quavers, and an absence of all modern phrases; a third, the portentous and dismal harmonies of the modern opera; a fourth, the flippant, frivolous, jingling, loose, light, vicious, new-fangled forms of a vociferous musical entertainment; it is clear that there can never be any agreement in such conflicting tastes, with respect to the school of harmony most useful, and best adapted to move the mind to piety, and kindle the flame of Divine Love."

And here is indeed the great difficulty, both present and prospective. It appears that, in the best times of the church, the management of the singing was committed to grave personages, skilled in church music; that is, in the musical expression of the highest and best religious affections; but now,-or rather, to avoid offence, I would assume the form of a question, and ask,-“ Is it so now? Is the gravest portion of the congregation connected with the singing? or are the most unselfseeking, pious members of a church commonly to be found in the choir? Are the selecters of the music in order to sing it, persons (we are speaking of Christians generally) who are not seeking pleasure for themselves, but are simply desirous that they may please God, and edify the church?" Without doubt the pretty music which pleases the lighter portion of a congregation, or which is preferred by the least intellectual of Christian congregations, may be traced down to selfish pleasure, rather than traced up to pious duty!

The history of Church Music presented by Dr. G. tempts to the selection of a few extracts :

"Having given the species of gamuts appertaining to church melody, the next point of attention is, the forms into which these notes may be thrown. As the church melody is one of the three primitive forms from which all music has sprung, and remains free from those sensuous, worldly, and fleeting characteristics which mark the different dances and popular songs of civilized and uncivilized life, any inquiry into its origin cannot but be interesting to all classes. It is not only a religious, but a great artistical fact. A church song was coeval with Christianity itself, as the writings of Pliny the younger, Justin Martyr, Origen, Clemens Alexandrinus, and others, clearly demonstrate." (Dr. G. had previously shewn the aversion of several of the "Fathers" whom he names, to music borrowed from the theatres, thus proving the discrete character of church music. He says that "from the most primitive times, the secular scales, which included the chromatics, were forbidden to be used in the service of the sanctuary.")

"The Jewish Church was a responsorial Church. So was the Primitive Christian

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