3. Heresy largely pervading the Church, and mak- ing rapid headway by incorporation into hymns which were tlie laity's iiroperty, various restrictions were from time to time laid upon the use of hymns of /iiimnn com- position in dislinction from the insjiired jjsalms of David; and finally the Church authorities, in order more eftectu- ally to resist all encroachments of heresy, were driven to the necessity cither of cultivating and improving their own psalmody, or of ojijiosing their authority to stay the
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progress of this evil. The former was the expedient of Ambrose, Hilary, Gregory Nazianzen, Chrysostom, Au- gustine, etc. But the other alternative in turn was also attempted. The churches by ecclesiastical authority were restricted to the use of the Psalter and other ca- nonical songs of the Scriptures. All hymns of merely human composition were prohibited as of a dangerous tendencv and unsuitable to the purposes of public wor- ship. The Synod of Laodicea (A.D. 344-346, c. 59) felt itself compelled to pass a decree to that effect. The decree was not, however, fully enforced; the clergy eventually claimed the riglit of performing the sacred music as a privilege exclusively their own. And finally, the more effectually to exclude the people, the singing was in Latin. Where that was not the vernacular tongue, this rule was of necessity an effectual bar to the participation of the people in this part of public worship. Besides, the doctrine was industriously propa- gated that the Latin was the appropriate language of devotion, which became not the profane lips of tlie laity in these religious solemnities, but onlj' those of the clergy, who had been consecrated to the service of the sanctuary. Tliis expedient shut out the people from any participation in this delightful part of public wor- ship. The Reformation again restored to the people their ancient and inestimable right. At that time the greater part of the services of the Romish Church was sung to musical notes, and on the occasion of great fes- tivals the choral service was performed with great pomp by a numerous choir of men and boys. That abuses of the most flagrant kind had found their way into this department of Romish worship is beyond a doubt, as the Council of Trent found it necessary to issue a decree on the subject, in which they plainly state that in the celebration of the mass, hymns, some of a profane and others of a lascivious nature, had crept into the service, and given great scandal to professors of the truth. But by this decree the comuil. while it arranged the choral service on a proper ftiotiiin-, freeing it from all extra- neous matter, gave choral music also a sanction which it had hitherto wanted. From that time the Church of Rome began to display that profound veneration for choral music which it has continued to manifest down to the present day.
The Protestants at the Reformation differed on the subject of sacred music. The Lutherans in great meas- ure adopted the Romish ritual, and retained the choral service. Some of the Reformed churches varied more widely from Rome than others. Calvin introduced a plain metrical psalmody, selecting for use in churches the version of the Psalms by Marot, which he divided into small portions, and appointed to be sung in public worship. This Psalter was boimd up with the Geneva Catechism. When the Reformation was introduced into England, Henry VHI, himself a musician of considera- ble celebrity, showed his partiality for the choral service by retaining it. The cathedral musical service of the Reformed Church of England was framed by John Mar- beck of Windsor, in a form little different from that which is at present in use. It is a curious fact that the ancient foundations of conventual, collegiate, and cathe- dral churches make no provision for an organist, but simply for canons, minor canons, and choristers. The first" Act of Uniformity, passed in the reign of Edward VI, allowed the clergy either to adopt the plain metrical psalmody or to preserve the use of the choral service. The musical part of queen Elizabeth's liturgy is said to have been arranged by Parker, archbishop of Canterburj'. The Puritans, however, objected strongly to the cathe- dral rites, particularly " the tossing the Psalms from one side to the other," as Cartwright sarcastically describes the musical service; and it was regarded as inconsistent with that beautiful simplicity which ought ever to char- acterize tlie ordinance of divine worship. The assaults made by Puritans upon the musical as well as other portions of the cathedral service were answered with great ability and power by Ricliard Hooker iu his fa-
mous work on Ecclesiastical Polity, the first four books of which appeared in 1594, and the fifth in 1597. From the date of that masterly defence of the polity of the Church of England down to the jiresent day no mate- rial change has taken place in the musical service of that Church. The Lutheran and Episcopal churches, both in Europe and America, have also a solemn service, while the Reformed Church, including the Presbyterian and Independent, have a plain selection of melodies to which the metrical Psalms, Paraphrases, and Hymns are set. There is almost universally a precentor or leader of the sacred music in the congregation, and in some cases a select choir or band of male and female voices, while the whole congregation is expected to join in this solemn part of the devotional exercises of the sanctuary. For a number of years past, while Romish churches in Europe and America have made a gorgeous display of their musical service, which is still divided between the chants of the priests and the theatrical performances of the choir, made up altogether, as a rule, of regularly trained musicians, vocal and instrumental, who have thus perverted most effectually the devotional ends of sacred music, the Protestant churches have aroused to a more careful training of their whole con- gregation in the art of sacred music, that this interest- ing and impressive part of divine worship may be con- ducted both with melody of the voice and of the heart unto the Lord. See, however, for details, especially on the innovations in the Protestant churches, the influence of sacred song as exhibited in recent times in revivals, the articles Psalmody and Revival.