I have never forgotten how a lady with no great musical skill or education sang a verse of a hymn for me one night. It was at a little party, so she could not raise her voice above the softest undertone; but she sang that verse just to let me hear the tune, which I did not know. The words were familiar:
"There is a fountain filled with blood"--
I suppose I have often heard them what you call "better sung"; but never with more lovely effect. Every word, every note, was absolutely distinct and clear, yet not one rising above that undertone: I doubt if even the people nearest to us heard; and the most restless nerves, the weariest head, could have listened and been refreshed. I know my eyes grew full; and I thought to myself, "Ah, you have practised your voice by many a sick bed, and trained it for just that work."
"The evil spirit departed from Saul." But what of music that puts the evil spirit into men? Of songs, however sweet sounding, that are written in the service of the devil, and sung at the high court of the world? For this is your rule:
"Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." [24]
Like your speech, "alway with grace."
[1] I Chron. xiii. 8.
[2] Ps. lxviii. 25, 26.
[3] I Chron. xv. 16.
[4] Ex. xv. 1.
[5] Ex. xv. 21.
[6] Neh. xii. 27.
[7] Ps. cxxii. 1.
[8] Ps. cxxv. 2.
[9] Ps. x.x.xliii. 2, 3.
[10] Ps. xl. 3.
[11] Lam. iii. 13.
[12] Ps. xiii. 6.
[13] Ps. lvii. 7.
[14] Ps. lix. 16.
[15] I Cor. xiv. 15.
[16] Eccle. vii. 5.
[17] Eph. v. 19.
[18] Isa. lxv. 14.
[19] James v. 13.
[20] Ps. cxix. 54.
[21] Matt. xxv. 16.
[22] Ez. x.x.xiii. 32.
[23] I Sam. xvi. 23.
[24] Col. iii. 16.
Dancing
"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven." [1]
And so it comes among the rest, that there is "a time to dance." [2]
Such being the case, we have only to find out the when and the how; for of course, for Christians, dancing too must have its rules. In feasting the word is, "Do all to the glory of G.o.d"; and in music, "With melody in your hearts to the Lord"; and now for dancing the order comes:
"Let them praise his name in the dance." [3]
We are to praise the Lord with our whole lives; in our recreation no less than in our work. You see it is all one: with that proviso you may do anything.
"Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness."
"Praise him with the timbrel and dance." [4]
I fancy you did not expect this, secretly believing that the Bible was all against dancing. I fancy most people would start back and say it cannot be done. _If_ it cannot, or if by _you_ it cannot, then--for you--the dancing question should be settled once and for all. The Lord has given you "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness," [5]
and you are not at liberty to lay it off for any dancing gear whatever.
"Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." [6]
The condition is absolute; and all doubts upon the dancing question are at an end for you. But for those who like to inquire into possibilities, let us search a little further. "Praise him in the dance."--Has it ever been done? Never,--in such dances as you are accustomed to. But a great while ago, on the sh.o.r.es of the Red Sea, while the men were chanting the praises of that G.o.d who had brought them safe out of Egypt, the women banded together "with timbrels and with dances" [7] (no _mixed_ dances, observe), and so, dancing for joy at the great deliverance, answered the men, chorus like:
"Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously." [8]
So after Jephthah"s victory,[9] came out his daughter to meet him "with timbrels and with dances."
So after the rout of the Philistines,
"The women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul." [10]
And though praise of the human agents mingled in, yet only Divine power had won the day, and well they knew it. And again you remember how when the ark was brought home to Jerusalem,
"David danced before the Lord with all his might." [11]