JB BENT, " Declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel." There are natures which ore receptive, but not communicative ; deep thinkers, who are lacking in the power of the orator, the author, the artist; for whose greatness the world has little reason to be thankful. Mystic communers with heaven may see visions and hear voices, and yet may not be able to communicate their experiences to their fellow-men. Not such was the case with the Hebrew prophets. They went forth from the presence of the Lord as hie heralds and authoritative agents and messengers to their country- men. Nothing hindered them from discharging the duties of their office. They sought not men's favour and they feared not men's frown. Whether men would hear or forbear was not a matter for them to consider. It was theirs to relate what they had seen and heard and known of the counsels of the Eternal.-'l'. Ver. 44.-S·ingers. Praise is an essential part of the worship of God. However it may be with the imaginary deities of the heathen, we know of the one true God that he is infinitely great and infinitely good; and that it therefore becomes his creatures to be his worshippers, and that it becomes his worshippers to utter forth bis praise-the memory of his gre9' goodness. In the Jewish economy praise occupied a very important part in Divine service, especially during and after the time of David, the sweet singer of Israel. There were persons, gifted by nature and trained by art, who were set apart for the purpose of expressing the nation's gratitude and devotion, by performing "the service of song in the house of the Lord." These had their appointed place in the worship of the temple, and their appointed dwelling-places in its precincts. Their vocation and ministry symbolize the service of praise ever offered both by the Church militant on earth and by the Church triumphant in heaven. I. IN ORDEB TO PSALMODY1 TJIEBE MUST BE AN INTELLIGENT NATUIIE CAPABLE OP APPREHENDING Goo's GLORIOUS ATTRIBUTES AND ESPECIALLY HIS GREAT GOODNESS. By a figure of speech we represent the heavens, the earth, and the sea, the living crea- tures which people the globe, the wells that spring into the light of day, the trees of the forestR, as all rendering their tribute of praise to the Creator. But this is to project our human feelings upon the world around us. It is absurd to suppose the most sagacious of quadrupeds as even conceiving of God, far less as consciously speak- ing or singing his praise. But it is the glory of man's nature that his apprehensions are not limited to God's works. He "looks, through nature, up to nature's God." He discerns the tokens of the Divine presence, and finds reasons for believing in the Divine goodness. If he offers praise, his is a reasonable service. II. IN ORDER TO PilALMODY, THERE MUST BE AN EMOTIONAL NATURE CAPABLE 01!' FEELING THE KINDNESS AND RESPONDING TO THE LOVE OF Goo. Music is the vehicle of emotion. " Why should feeling ever speak, When thou canst breathe her tones so well?" A being with no emotion would be without song. Spontaneous is the outflow of feeling-of joy, of sorrow, of love-in the notes of melody. What so fitted to call forth tho purest and most exalted strains of music as the loving-kindness of the Lord? .As a matter of fact, much of the most exquisite music produced by the great and gifted masters of song has been inspired by religion and religious themes. The orntorios the anthems, the chorales, of Christian composers, rendered with all the resources of mu'sical art, !Day be r~garded. as endeayours to express the tenderest, the most pathetic, the sublimest feelings which the mmn of man has ever experienced. III. IN ORDER TO PSALMODY, THERE MUST BE AN ARTISTIO NATUIIE CAPABLE OF CONBTRU~TING APPROPRUTE FORMS OF lllUSIOAL EXPRESSJVl!N.ESS. These forms vary with the varymg states of h_uma~ society, of culture, and of civilization. What is adapted to a ruder age may be 111 suited to an epoch of refinement. It is a tradition that tho music composed by David, and preserved for centuries amona0 the Jews was taken over by the Christian Church, and so survives in archaic forms of psalmody still used amon"st ourselves.. However thi~ ~ay be, it is certai~ that ther~ has never ~een, in the histiry of the Jewish or the Chnstian Church, a penod when silence has reigned in the sacred assemblies, when speech has not been accompanied by song. Like all good thincrs sacred music has bee_n, abus~d, and utte_ntion h_as been give~ _to the artistic qualitie~ rather than to the spmtual import and 1mpress1on. Yet this 11 an art which deserves 33! THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [on. XL, 1-49. .,
cultivation, and which will repay for cultivation. Without psalmody, how would our religious sentiments and aspirations be repressed! IV. IN ORDER TO FSALMODY, 'l'IIF.RE MUST BE A PIIYSI0AL 1 VO0A.L CONSTITUTION, CAPAIJLE OF GIVING EXPRESSION TO DEVOTIONAL FEELINGS. Instrumental music has taxed the mental powers of the composer and the artistic faculty of the performer to so high a degree that a cultivated and honourable profession has found here abundant ~cope for study and for skill. But the art of vocal minstrelsy is more glorious and delightful still. There is no music like the human voice; and if this is so when other themes inspire the song, how much more when the high praises of God are poured forth, whether with the enchanting sweetness of a solitary voice, or with the loud and joyful burst of the chorus in which the many blend in one 1-T.