405



MUSIC IN THE WESTERN CHURCH

oat the whole range of its action, mosic will hare a
huger part to play than even heretofore. It is of g^reat
importance that her service shonld be employed intelli-
gently. Both ministers and choir leaders shonld be
aware of the nature of the problems which ecclesiastic
music presents. They should know something of the
experience of the Church in its historic dealings with
this question, of the special qualities of the chief form»
of church song which have so greatly figured in the
past, and of the nature of the effect of music upon the
mind both by itself alone and in collusion with other
religious influences. How many ministers and choir-
masters are well versed in these matters ? What are the
theological seminaries and musical conservatories doing
to disseminate knowledge and conviction on this subject ?
In the seminaries lectures are given on liturgiology and
hymnology ; but what are hymns and liturgies without
music ? And how many candidates for the ministry are
prepared to second the efforts of church musicians in
musical improvement and reform? I am, of course,
aware that in a few of the seminaries of the non-liturgic
denominations work in this department of ecclesiology
has been effectively begun. In the conservatories organ
playing and singing, both solo and chorus, are taught,
but usually from the technical side, — the adaptation of
music to the spiritual demands of the Church is rarely
considered. Every denomination needs a St. Cecilia
Society to convince the churches of the spiritual quick-
ening that lies in genuine church music and the mis-
chief in the false, to arouse church members to an
understanding of the injury that attends an obvious

406



PROBLEMS OF CHURCH MUSIC IN AMERICA

incongruity between the character of the music and the
spirit of prayer which it is the purpose of the established
offices of worship to create, and to show how all portions
of the seryice may act in harmony.
