The Music of Gods Choice. PT 5

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1 Classes Page 1 The Music of Gods Choice. PT 5 Saturday, July 10, :26 PM The 18th and 19th Centuries The question now before us is how did the Protestant churches, which once held to the principles of the Reformers and Puritans, lose their convictions? How did musical instruments come to have such a dominant presence in much of the worship of the modern church? We shall now trace the gradual erosion of the Reformation and Puritan principle of the exclusion of musical instruments from worship that took place in the 18th and 19th centuries. In general, those churches in England and America that were guided by the Reformation continued firm in their opposition to all musical instruments in worship until the early to mid 1700s. The first inroads of musical instruments began with the relatively unobtrusive orchestral-type instruments (bass viol, cello, clarinet, etc.) in the First half of the 18th century. Some small country churches, which could not afford an organ (like the Lutheran and Anglican churches), began to form what were called gallery Orchestras because they would gather in the west gallery or the balcony of the church. These gallery orchestras were used to accompany the psalm singing or the choir if one existed. In the early years of the American colonies, there were relatively few musical instruments of any kind. The hardships associated with settling the new land and the expense of importing instruments from England and Europe prohibited their presence to any significant degree. By the early 1700s, with growing prosperity and improved means of shipment, small orchestra type instruments became more common. The use of these instruments was first felt in singing schools, which usually met in schoolhouses. For a time, there was no effect upon the churches. But Henry Wilder Foote notes how these instruments gradually passed from the schoolhouses into the churches: Henry Wilder Foote The awakening of interest in instrumental music had no immediate effect upon the churches... but when the singing school met in the schoolhouse there was no objection to the use of a pitch pipe to set the pitch or of a bass viol to support the singing. But the young people, once accustomed to such instrumental support, naturally desired it when they sat in the singers gallery in church. So the pitch pipe was introduced, almost by stealth perhaps, and then, usually, the bass viol the Lord's fiddle, because it became so much associated with psalm singing, whereas the violin had secular associations with dancing." E. F. It was the entrance of these relatively small orchestra-type instruments, as noted above, that seems to have gradually broken down the opposition of many churches to the use of the larger and more conspicuous organ. By the end of 18th century, the principles of the Reformation, which had guided such churches for centuries, had largely disappeared. Some of the arguments in support of the organ included its rising popularity among the churches, its appeal to the younger members of the church, and its supposed usefulness in evangelism. We see that many of the arguments in favor of instruments are the same today. Opposition to such changes was voiced early in the 1700s. In New England, a pamphlet approved by a church council meeting on January 30, 1722, was written by three Independent ministers, Peter Thacher, John Danforth, and Samuel Danforth. These Ministers expressed their desires to continue in the use of unaccompanied singing of the Psalms. In 1763, an anonymous pamphlet was published in Philadelphia entitled The Lawfulness, Excellency, And Advantages of Instrumental Musick in the Publick Worship of God This pamphlet, which seems to have gained wide distribution, was written to encourage Presbyterians and Baptists to reconsider their opposition to the use of instruments in worship. The only scriptural argument was the assumption that because musical instruments were used in the Old Testament Temple, they should be used in the church. 2. Other arguments were that instruments created a divine Melody and a heavenly Enthusiasm which spread itself through the whole assembly This supposedly increased the devotion of the people and was declared to be not only a strong Proof of the Propriety and Expediency of the Institution, but gives a pleasing Idea, that the Cause of Christianity in such Churches is not so desperate... To this was added an argument from the increasing popularity of musical instruments among the churches.

2 Classes Page 2 The author writes, What a glorious Appearance would an Organ make in some of their Churches, especially in this and the neighboring Cities! Nor would one look out of Character in the meanest Building in the Country" Those who held to the old ways of no musical instruments were mocked as being ridiculous and "weak but well-meaning Professors," who, if properly informed, might know better. The pamphlet confidently declares that the use of musical instruments will not bring us one Jot nearer to Popery or Episcopacy (Church Government) than we were before. John Owens "Three things are usually pleaded in the justification of the observance of such rites and ceremonies in the worship of God: First, that they tend unto the furtherance of the devotion of the worshippers; secondly; That they render the worship itself comely and beautiful; thirdly, that they are the preservers of order in the celebration thereof And therefore on these accounts they may be instituted or appointed by some, and observed by all." 3. The first Puritan church to have an organ was the First Congregational Church in Providence, Rhode Island, in The organ was installed only after much debate. Henry Wilder Foote records the general opposition to instrumental music in the churches at that time: i Henry Wilder Foote "Sometimes members of a congregation would leave the meetinghouse in indignation when the instrument was introduced. By the latter part of the century such instrumental accompaniment of singing became general, and in some instances the church or the town bought and kept in the meetinghouse a bass viol for use at the Sunday services, until eventually it bought an organ." By 1795, one minister wrote, The fondness for instrumental music in churches so increases, that the inclination is not to be resisted Even among the Anglicans, who often had an organ, there were some who stood against its use into the late 1700s. Dr. Tho. Bradbury Chandler, a New England Episcopalian minister, had resisted an organ against the increasing pressure of his congregation. After his farewell sermon in 1785, realizing that the end of his life was near, he told his people, that it would not be long before he was in his grave he knew that before his head was cold there, they would have an Organ and they might do as they pleased."25 The objections of the New England Puritans to musical instruments gradually decreased over the course of the 18th century One example of how is in regard to the Brattle Square Congregational Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A man by the name of Thomas Brattle, whose brother William was the pastor of the church, was a successful Boston merchant. He owned an organ in his home, and when he died in 1713, he bequeathed it to the church. The church, still holding to its principle of no musical instruments in worship, refused to accept Brattle s gift. Mr. Brattle apparently anticipated the church s decision and made a backup provision in his will that if this happened, the organ was to be given to an Anglican congregation. By 1797, however, the convictions of the same Brattle Square Church had been abandoned, and the church installed its first "Fine 0rgan and boasted that it was one of its most attractive features." The Scottish Presbyterian churches, founded by john Knox in the 16th century, maintained their noinstrumental convictions for well over three hundred years, nearly one hundred years longer than their brethren in England and America. It was not until the late 19th century that the organ began to enter into the worship of the Scottish Reformed churches. The famous American revivalist team of Moody and Sankey seems to have been one means of eroding the convictions of these churches. In 1873, Dwight L. Moody and Ira Sankey began an evangelistic tour of the British Isles. Sankey sang solo gospel songs while accompanying himself with a portable organ.

3 Classes Page 3 When they came to Scotland, on the whole... Sankey and his instrument seem to have been readily accepted and probably went a good way toward breaking down the resistance to the use of organs among the Scotch."28 From that point forward, organs gained increased popularity in the Scottish churches." Robert L. Dabney ( ) "The first organ I ever knew of in a Virginian Presbyterian church was introduced by one of the wisest and most saintly of pastors, a paragon of old school doctrinal rigor. But he avowedly introduced it on an argument, the most unsound and perilous possible for a good man to adopt, that it would be advantageous to prevent his young people from leaving his church to run after the Episcopal organ in the city." In 1880, John Spencer Curwen wrote of how churches of various denominations that had once opposed musical instruments had yielded to the popular demand for the organ, John Spencer Curwen " Men still living can remember the time when organs were very seldom Found outside the Church of England. The Methodists, Independents, and Baptists rarely had them, and by the Presbyterians they were stoutly opposed. But since these bodies began to introduce organs, the adoption of them has been steady and unchecked. Even the Presbyterians are giving way, and if we read the future by the past, we can hardly doubt that, in a few years, unaccompanied singing will very seldom be heard." The 20th Century The piano came into prominence in many American and English churches in the early 20th century. David Music writes, " In the same way that the organ was introduced into Scottish Presbyterian churches, through its use in the evangelistic meetings of Moody and Sankey, the piano came to play an important role in many American congregations through the influence of later revival musicians, particularly Charles M. Alexander. Other factors certainly eased the way for the piano, including its inexpensiveness, ready availability and simple playing technique at least in comparison with the pipe organ." Alexander popularized the use of the piano when he accompanied evangelists such as R. Torrey and]. Wilbur Chapman and led the music in tours of the United States, England, and Australia. From 1880 to 1920, many churches were adversely affected by the concert ambitions of choirs and quartets who were more interested in performance than worship. William Rice writes, Many large congregations listened each Sunday to the operatic effusions of a well-paid quartet whose concern for worship was often negligible. Others listened to equally operatic, but less efficient quartet choirs. Smaller congregations did their best to fall into line, using whatever talents were at hand. Choirs, where they existed, were often used for the display of talent, temperament, and jealousies often all to the detriment of the church. After World War II, the expanding radio and recording industries fueled the spread of popular music styles such as jazz, folk, and country and western. In the 1950s and 60s, the western world was shocked by the rapid popular success of rock-and-roll music among young people. Many instruments that had rarely if ever, been used in worship before, such as the guitar, drums, saxophone, etc. began to Find acceptance in many churches. With the development of technology, the electronic keyboard and synthesizer, along with amplification, were also added. By the end of the 20th century the entire ethos of the world had Found its way into the church through music. In many worship services today, little difference can be found between a rockand roll concert and the music of the church. It was in the atmosphere of these musical instruments that the development of Contemporary Christian Music took place. This modern style of church music is dependent upon and cannot be separated from the instruments used in its development. David Music The advent of Contemporary Christian Music naturally involved the introduction of the instruments used to accompany this music." With the loss of biblical principles, we now see what confusion has entered into the worship of the modern

4 Classes Page 4 church. The convictions of the Reformers and Puritans have been entirely lost, and the use of any kind of musical instruments is accepted in almost every branch of Christianity The choice of what musical instrument to use is now purely a matter of personal preference. The most subjective and foolish arguments are set forth to promote one over the other. In 1993, Chuck Kraft, a writer for Worship Leader magazine, argued that the organ gives us a "view of God as distant and unapproachable while the guitar represents the incarnation of Christ and the nearness of God. His only biblical support for using the guitar over the organ is John 1:14, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, a verse which, of course, has nothing to do with musical instruments. Mr. Kraft goes on to ask, Can you imagine Jesus playing an organ? How about a guitar? Somehow, worship with guitars seems to bring Him close again. E. As we look back over the entire history of the church, the evidence rejecting the use of musical instruments in New Testament worship is overwhelming. For hundreds of years before the coming of Christ, the Jewish synagogues, from which the apostolic church derived its worship, knew nothing of musical instruments. For 1300 years after the apostles, the vast majority of the church continued to deny their use. It was only during the dark ages of Roman Catholicism in the 14th and 15th centuries that we find the rise of musical instruments in the worship of the church. The Church Fathers, the Reformers, the English and American Puritans, the Scottish, Irish, and American Presbyterians, and many of the most prominent theologians since have all declared that musical instruments are to have no part in Christian worship. Lessons from Church History There are several lessons that can be learned from this historical data: 1) We should remember the three theological principles of worship established in Lesson I. These principles are: The Old Testament Temple worship in all of its outward ceremonies and rituals has been abolished; 2. The church must look to Christ and His apostles alone for the ordinances of gospel worship; and 3. In the New Testament, we find neither command nor example of any musical instrument in worship, and, therefore, we have no warrant for their use. These simple principles, proven from the Scripture, have now been traced throughout the history of the church. We have found them among the Church Fathers, the Reformers, the Puritans, and many others down through the centuries who have held to a biblical and Reformed view of worship. Christian history indicates a connection between the use of musical instruments and the spiritual decline of the church. It was during the spiritual darkness of Medieval Roman Catholicism that musical instruments had their greatest prominence in worship. We have seen how Carlstadt made this historic connection between the rise of music and the apostasy of the church throughout the Middle Ages. Andrew Fuller states that musical instruments in worship, originated in the dark ages of popery, when almost every other superstition was introduced under the plea of its according with the worship of the Old Testament. The movement of many modern churches to what is called contemporary worship, which is often dominated by instrumental music, is not really a step of reformation and enlightenment as it is often portrayed. It is rather another departure from the biblical principles of the Protestant Reformation and a bold step backward toward the sensuality that dominated Medieval Roman Catholic worship. As we look back over the entire history or the Church, there are only two periods in which musical instruments have had great prominence in worship. The first was the dark ages of Roman Catholicism in the 14th and 15th centuries, and the second is our own generation. This historic perspective is confirmed by Professor Vincent Lenti, a longtime member of the faculty at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Professor Vincent Lenti because of the wide variety of musical instruments available today and the electronic amplification that is so common, the scene we are witnessing in the modern church is unparalleled in history. In his words, Never before have men and women been subject to such a cacophony as they are on Sunday mornings today. In this sense, our modern situation is worse than before the Protestant Reformation. We have witnessed, in our own generation, the continuing

5 advance of a man-centered theology and worship in the modern evangelical church. What God desires in His worship is hardly a consideration. What appeals to man and what makes him feel comfortable in church is the theme of countless books on worship. The increasing use of musical instruments and the sensuality of modern worship is a manifestation of this man-centeredness. This is what our Reformed brethren from the past are crying out to us about. The Reformers, the Puritans, and others since have seen the connection between the use of musical instruments and the sensuality of false worship. We have heard their words, and they warn us in the strongest terms that the use of musical instruments is part of the road back to the sensuality of Medieval worship. Classes Page 5