ON SINGING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21580, 27 February 1932, Page 4

ON SINGING

Written for the Otago Daily Times By the Rev. D. Gardner Miller, I have often remarked —and have been told much oftener —that I can’t sing. Why it seems such an obvious fact to my friends, I am at a loss to understand. It cannot be because of ray voice, for that has been trained. It cannot be because of my accent, for my accent is that of Glasgow, the most musical of all accents of the Scottish tongue. It must be because of my total ignorance of just how to sing. I admit that I do not know the difference in the musical score between “ Auld Lang Syne ” and “ The Auld Hundred.” But I do not admit that lack of musical knowledge prevents me—or anyone else-—from lifting up the voice in praise. The Lord put the singing spirit in every one of His children. If some of us cannot sing to please the critics, or our friends or neighbours, well, thank goodness, the “ way ” of doing it does not matter to God, it is the “ why ” that matters. If we sing because we must sing; if some old ranting hymn just expresses our feelings, then let it burst forth—what docs it matter if we break every rule in music? , The chirp of the sparrow is as delightful to the Creator as the trilling song of the nightingale. I have often told the musical director of my church that I prefer to hear “ Jesus Loves Me ” sung from the heart than all the excerpts of the great oratorios sung as an exhibition of vocal gymnastics. I had occasion lately to review a book of sermons. As a general rule I do not read sermons, (either in or out of the pulpit), but this book of sermons—- “ Morning Sermons” it is called—was written by a master of the art, the late Dr G. H. Morrison, I revelled in his warm, spacious expositions. But one sermon got me by the throat. It was about the place of singing in religion. Morrison gives an illustration of how when almost everything else is forgotten, the lilt of an old hymn remains as an abiding memory. Here is what he says: “My senior colleague in Thurso, Dr Taylor, ordained by Edward Irving in 1829, was sent over as a deputy to Ireland to the great revival of the later fifties, and he often in the old days used to talk to me about the wonderful things he had seen there, and about all that it meant to his own soul. There was one thing that struck me, it was this. He very seldom talked about the preaching, but what he lived to talk of was the hymns, and especially one hymn, “What’s the News?” You know we never sang hymns in Thurso. We sang Psalms, and sang them sitting; even paraphrases were innovations. You see, 50 years had gone since that revival, and he had forgotten almost all the preaching, but he had never forgotten the thrill and throb and pulse of these revival hymns. And then, for he had known M'Cheyne, and he was steeped in the language of this book ( ‘ Song of Solomon’), he would say sometimes: * Yes, the winter was past, the flowers' appeared on the earth, and the time of the singing of birds was come.’ ” w v v These old revival hymns! Can you beat them? Is it not strange—no, it isn’t, it’s natural—how the old hymns come back again and again to your mind. I can remember very vividly the Welsh Revival of 1904 which swept its way into Scotland the following year, and how thousands of people were converted and how they began to sing. It was amazing. I have first-hand knowledge of the experience for I was one of those into whose mouth the Lord had put a new song. Hymns and choruses were sung at street corners and railway stations; they were sung in common lodging houses, and at death beds. I have never known such a singing time since. Everywhere yon went you could hear people singing. And the hymns and choruses they sang were those that spoke of personal salvation. “The Glory Song,” “I Surrender All,” “My Jesus, I Love Thee,” “Draw Me Nearer ” —those and many others were hot favourites. I asked a minister who called to see me this morning if he knew that hymn which Dr Taylor of Thurso never forgot, “ What’s the News?” He knew it—or most of it—and sang it .to me in my study. We fell into a talk about sing : iug as an expression of personal religion, and, as we talked, old hymns and old tunes came tripping hack to the tongue, and our souls were refreshed. No, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know a single note of music, but it does matter if your heart is in tune with God. If it is, then you’ll sing—you can’t help it. * # * “ Gracious times are always singing times, gracious epochs in the church are always musical. When the sword of the Lord is in the church’s hand, the song of the Lord is on the church’s lips. When grace is outpoured on the church the time of the singing of the birds is come.” These words, quoted from Dr Morrison’s book are found to be true as you glance along the church’s history. Every revival that has stirred the world has been preceded not by prayer only but by singing also. A singing church is a victorious church. When the tide of the spirit is rising people do not argue about theological doctrines; they sing. I am convinced that we are on the verge of a mighty spiritual upheaval. If the times are out of joint, they are also ripe for another great “ break ” as was witnessed in Wesley’s time. Before very long, New Zealand will feel the wind of the Spirit blowing upon her cheek, calling her to repentance and life. The signs are many to the discerning; and one of them is this matter

of singing. The old hymns are being asked for. Men and women find themselves humming the old tunes that once long ago thrilled them. And when the revival comes it will come singing its way into the hearts of the people. There's a great time coming. .