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On Singing and Music By: Society of Friends |
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SINGING AND MUSIC.
TO BE HAD AT FRIENDS' BOOK STORE, No. 304 Arch Street, Philadelphia. 1885.
At a Yearly Meeting of Friends held in Philadelphia from the 20th of
the Fourth Month to the 24th of the same, inclusive, 1885. An Essay on Singing and Music contained in the Minutes of the
Meeting for Sufferings was now read, setting forth the spiritual
nature of true worship, the danger of depending on outward forms in
religious meetings, and the disadvantages connected with the
practice of singing and music as an amusement. Much unity was
expressed with the essay, and it was concluded that it should be
published and distributed for information and warning to our own
members and others. Desires were felt that in thus issuing a renewed
testimony to the principles of our Society, we may be individually
aroused to the necessity of so living in communion with the Father
of Spirits, and in subjection to the revelations of his Light in our
hearts, that our meetings may truly be held under the overshadowing
of the Divine Power. Taken from the Minutes. JOSEPH WALTON, Clerk .
On Singing and Music.
We have been brought under a feeling of religious concern that the
ancient testimony of the Society of Friends to the true nature of
spiritual worship may be fully maintained by all who claim that name;
and that they may be watchful against the introduction of practices
which will undermine the support of this testimony, and thus lead
those who profess to be the children of the Light, back into a
dependence upon forms, out of which their forefathers in the Truth
were brought by that remarkable outpouring of grace and spiritual
power which marked the rise of Friends as a distinct people. The fundamental doctrine declared by our Saviour, when He said, "It is
the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing," was steadily
kept in view by George Fox and his fellow laborers. They clearly saw
that Christ had ended the Jewish law, with its outward and ceremonial
observances, and had introduced a spiritual dispensation, under which
He, by his heavenly and eternal Light or Spirit, was to be the Leader,
Guide and Helper of his people; that all was now to be done in and by
Him; and that this was especially true of religious worship, which
depends upon the enlightening, quickening power of his Holy Spirit. All confidence in the flesh, in the natural abilities of man, was
removed; and they were taught to distinguish between that which is of
man and that which is of God, between that stirring up of the natural
feelings which can be produced by the skilful use of outward means,
such as music, pictorial representations and architectural grace and
grandeur; and that solemn covering of the heart which is a fruit and
an evidence of the extension of Divine help and power. Hence these divinely enlightened men and women laid aside the forms in
which they had been educated, and which many of them had sincerely and
zealously practised, and, in their private retirements before the
Lord, and when they assembled for the performance of public worship,
they sat in silence before Him, seeking to draw near in spirit, in
living exercise of mind, that they might feel the arising of his
power, and be enabled to offer acceptable worship. As that power arose in any, and under its influence, they were led to
utter words of prayer or praise to the Almighty, or exhortation to
their fellow believers; they were comforted or edified in proportion
as they could feel the Spirit bearing witness to the life that
accompanied the vocal expressions. Thus their dependence was not
placed on man, but on the Spirit that quickeneth. There was no desire to limit the operation of the Spirit, or to lay
down any rule which would prohibit in times of worship any act which
truly proceeded from its motions; but there was a jealous care that
none of these outward things should be done as formal matters; that
people should not look upon them as essential to the holding of
meetings for worship, and that they should not in any manner be led
away from their dependence on the fresh extension of Divine life and
light to their souls, as the very foundation of true worship... Continue reading book >>
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