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In all my ways thy hand I own,
Thy ruling providence I see:
Assist me still my course to run,
And still direct my paths to thee.
Oft hath the sea confess'd thy pow'r,
And giv'n me back at thy command:

It could not, Lord, my life devour,
Safe in the hollow of thine hand.]
Oft from the margin of the grave,
Thou, Lord, hast lifted up my head:
Sudden I found thee near to save;
The fever own'd thy touch, and fled.
Whither, O whither should I fly,
But to my gracious Saviour's breast;
Secure within thine arms to lie,
And safe beneath thy wings to rest.

The next, of a more general nature, but still not generally applicable, is from Mr. Montgomery.

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O God, Thou art my God alone:
Early to Thee my soul shall cry;

A pilgrim in a land unknown,
A thirsty land whose springs are dry.
O that it were as it hath been,

When, praying in the holy place, Thy power and glory I have seen, And mark'd the footsteps of thy

grace.

Yet through this rough and thorny

maze,

I follow hard on thee, my God; Thine hand unseen upholds my ways, I safely tread where Thou hast trod. Thee, in the watches of the night, When I remember on my bed, Thy presence makes the darkness light,

Thy guardian wings are round my

bead.

Better than life itself thy love,

Dearer than all beside to me;
For whom have I in heaven above,

Or what on earth, compared with

Thee?

Praise with my heart, my mind, my

voice,

For all thy mercy I will give;
My soul shall still in God rejoice,
My tongue shall bless Thee while I
pp. 51, 52,

live.

The reader will find in a former volume of the Christian Observer, a beautiful hymn, which has since appeared in several collections. "When gathering clouds around I view," &c. (Vol. for 1812, p. 91.)

(10.) And in all cases, whether for public or private devotion, care should be specially taken that these sacred measures be clear, interesting, and edifying: whatever be their peculiar tendency, whether to humble, to console, or to ele vate, they should at the same time instruct us in the principles and duties of religion. On some of

these points, Mr. Baxter, in the Preface to his " Paraphrase on the Psalms of David, &c." differs in judgment from Mr. Kennedy, and, we may add, from ourselves. As the work is scarce, and some of his remarks are rather singular, and others instructive, we shall take the liberty to select two or three paragraphs.

"Some stumble at the singing of David's Psalms, because there are many words not suited to their case. But, 1st, May they not as well scruplereading or saying them in prose? Singing them in metre is no more an owning of all that we say as our case, than saying or reading them is. And by that reason they must not say the Songs of Moses, the Book of Job, Canticles, Lamentations, or the Gospel Hymns or Scripture Prayers. 2d, That may be recited as the common case of the church, yea, or as a narration of his case that wrote them, which is not spoken of his case that wrote them, which is not spoken as of ourselves. 3d, And if this satisfy not, such may choose at home Psalms. suitable to them, and in the church

be silent at the words which they dare not speak.

Psalms have so little about the life "Some are stumbled that David's to come, and speak with so great concernedness about prosperity and adversity here, and especially that he saith so much, through almost and the oppression and cruelties of all the book, against his enemies, wicked men, and his great danger of them, and sufferings by them, even cursing them and their posterity.

Answer as to this: It must be

considered, first, that it is most certain that not only David, but the Jews generally, except the Sadducees, believed the immortality of the soul, and the rewards and punishments of the other life: and many passages in the Psalms prove it. And so do the histories of Enoch and Elias, and Saul's seeking to dead Samuel, and the raising of divers dead men, &c."

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"And though Christ teach us to love our enemies, and bless them that curse us, and pray for them that hate and persecute us; yet he forbids us not to desire deliverance from them, nor to hate their diabolical lying, malignity, and cruelty, and enmity to the Gospel, and to obedience to God. It is a great duty to note the universal war in all lands and ages between the serpent's and the woman's seed, and to know that brutishness first, and Cainism and diabolism next, are the serpent's progeny, as naturally prospering in corrupt and graceless man, as maggots in a dead carcase. And they that live in an age and land where these prevail, and are in power, will have a sensible commentary on David's Psalms: and in prisons, and in wars and fields of blood, many have confessed that now they understood the Psalms of David, which they never soundly understood before.

"Lastly, though David say not so much of the life to come as we could wish, he saith very much of the way to it, and the necessary means. He knew that heaven is ready for us, if we be but ready for it. And all that must be done for it by us is in this short and hasty life and as a traveller doth not all the way talk and think so much of his journey's end as of all passages in his way, and yet doth all this for the end; so a good Christian that layeth out his care and labour in obeying God's word, and avoiding sin, and doing all the good he can in the world, and this in faith and hope of heavenly felicity, doth better than he that negCHRIST. OBSERV. No. 247.

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lecteth present means on pretence of only contemplating the end.

"I have added, the apocryphal hymns, 1st, for their excellency and usefulness; 2d, to confute them that think that no forms of worship but those found in Scripture may be used or imposed; 3d, to confute the casuists that tell the world that we are all against such Liturgick forms.

"Those that published the old Church Psalms added many useful hymns that are still printed with the Psalms in metre. And doubtless Paul meaneth not only David's Psalms, when he bids men sing with grace in their hearts Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Yea, it is past doubt that hymns more suitable to Gospel times may and ought to be now used. And if used, they must be premeditated. How else shall congregations sing them? And if premeditated, they must be some way imposed. How else shall the congregations all join in the same? I plead not for imposing by cruel penalties, nor laying the church's love and communion on a tune or metre.-There are three sorts of imposing such Liturgick forms of Psalms, praise, or prayer. 1. One is, when the pastor is left free to his own discretion; but yet his words of prayer or praise are a form to the congregation, which he imposeth on them by the authority of his office, obliging them to concur. For if every one speak there his own words, it will be liker a bedlam than a church.-2. A second way of imposing is when the united churches of a nation, for edification and amiableness of concord, agree all in one translation, version, metre, or form of words. Which is useful, first, when heresies are abroad to keep them out of public worship; and, secondly, that people may know beforehand what the worship of the church is in which they are to join, and may not say, We know not what worship we will offer to God, till the

3 М

minister have spoken, and the words be past, and so there may be as many sorts of worship as there are speakers; and thirdly, fore-knowledge may make amiable concord easy to them. And no doubt such an agreement of the churches is good and amiable. 3. And the third way of imposing is by the laws of Christian magistrates. And who can say that they may not command that amiable concord which the churches might of themselves agree in, should the magistrates leave them to their choice? I do not say that rulers should hang, burn, or ruin all persons that by weakness are against a commanded version, metre, or tune, or form. But good Christians should abhor all such vain scruples, and self-conceits, and affected singularity and disobedience as are against the real concord of the church."

10. It remains only that we say a few words upon the music of Psalmody.

1

The music which was sanctioned at the Reformation was, agreeably to the usage of former ages, of a grave and solemn description: and the antiphonal or alternate manner of chaunting, used in the Christian church so early as the first century, and evidently derived from the service of the ancient Jewish people, was also continued. There are complaints, however, from very early times, of the introduction of a more theatrical and less intelligible style: and Mr. Gray, from whom we borrow these remarks, is of opinion that the objections made by the clergy of the lower house in the province of Canterbury, declaring, in a protest to the king, that "synging and saying of mass, matins, or even song, is but rorying, bowling, whistleyng, mum: mying, conjurying, and jogelying; and the playing at the organys a foolish vanitie," were, so far as respects the kind of musick, not with out foundation. Such was the preference shewn by the Puritans to

merely plain and vocal music, that in 1562, when it was proposed in convocation "that the Psalms may be sung distinctly by the whole congregation; and that all curious singing and playing of the organs may be laid aside;" there was an actual majority of eight against the organ: but the proxies turned the scale".

The tunes adopted in metrical Psalmody ought doubtless to be of a grave and solemn character, and such that, while easily learnt, they may afford also a general interest to the people. It is of the first importance that every thing of a ballad-like nature should be totally rejected. Mr. Kennedy, who has dedicated his first section entirely to the music of Psalmody, tells us that the music in vogue during the struggles and growth of Calvinism was in the opposite extreme. "The use of instruments was wholly interdicted: and their Psalmody, confined to unisonous and syllabic tunes, is represented to have been of the most unmeaning and cheerless character, without harmony, without variety of accent or rhythm, and wanting most of the constituent parts of mere melody." Mr. Basil Woodd has the following practical observations on this subject.

"The perfection of Church Psalmody consists in the union of the whole con

gregation in this important part of worship; and in order thereto, the Psalmody should be plain and simple; the tunes should be harmonious, but not complex: partial repetitions, various notes to express single words, and fugues, are generally unintelligible to the bulk of congregations.":

"The old church melodies supply the finest standard and examples of congregational music. Such compositions as the 100th Psalm, the 84th and others, are best adapted for public worship. While they exhibit a dignity and

melody, which the most eminent masters of music have acknowledged, they possess also a perspicuity and simplicity

* Gray.

which render them attainable by the humble worshipper, and a pathos, solemnity, and sublimity, which cannot but interest in congregational worship.

"Light, airy, theatrical tunes are totally unsuitable to the dignity and simplicity of a Christian church. Dif. ferent subjects of Psalmody may require more pathetic, more solemn, or more animated strains of music, but levity is always to be avoided. Interchanges of loud and soft music, the forte and the piano, have a fine effect, relieve the ear, and give emphasis to the expression; and it would greatly height, en the effect, if the voices of the mensingers, which are necessary to swell the chorus, were moderated, or were wholly silent, in the softer, or piano strains, in which the voices of the women and children should alone be distinctly heard.

"Another great injury to Church Psalmody frequently arises from the charity children; the evil is almost every where complained of. They are too apt to sing at the utmost stretch of their voices, the effect of which is to excite general disgust: whereas, if they were instructed to moderate their voices, their joining in this service would be affecting, delightful, and edifying. The effect of a little attention to this important point is practically andible in the children of the National School, St. Mary-le-bone, London.

"Occasionally practising Psalmody in the week-day, or half an hour before the beginning of service, attended by the minister or some judicions superintendant, might greatly contribute to the improvement of this important part of worship, and, by the Divine blessing, render it more interesting and edifying to the congregation at large."-Woodd's Preface, pp. 10–12.

We shall conclude these remarks with one or two brief extracts from Mr. Kennedy; whose publication although in some points we differ from him-is, like that of Mr. Gray, both amusing and instructive.

"There are those who seem to think, provided as many as possible unite in the singing, it matters little of what nature it is, or how it is performed. This, however, is an erroneous notion.

Individuals may be allowed to please and possibly to edify themselves, by singing in their own way in their own houses. But singing in public worship is designed to promote public or general ends. It is designed to give worship in the house of God an attractive charm, which is not attainable in private, and to produce, by the union of musical voices, such an increase of pious feeling and social sympathy, as cannot be produced without it. Where, therefore, that which is called music at church, tends rather to counteract than to promote these ends, and disgusts many who are present by loud and doleful dissonance, the public praises of God had better be spoken than so attempted to be sung.

"The tunes of Psalmody should, of course, vary with the subjects of it: yet we may assert, that a part of its general tendency should uniformly be, to soften the obdurate, and refine the barbarous. This is one of the effects commonly ascribed to the concord of sweet sounds; and that the music which is heard in our churches on every returning Sabbath, should contribute to produce it, is a matter of obvious importance to the best interests of the community: while, in a religious view, it is unquestionable, that whatever civilizes men as social beings, prepares them for holy impressions, and is most Hikely to improve them as Christian worshippers.

"Of good parochial, music, well performed, the practical recommendations are these. It will best enforce instructive words, and make delight the vehicle of improvement. It will excite in those who hear it, a desire to join in it; yet it will be accompanied by a respectful impression, which will prevent them' from so joining in it as to spoil its effect. This effect will extend, in a greater or lesser degree, to persons of every description. It will extend, to those who for a time continue silent, as well as to those who sing. It may produce melody in the heart' where there is none in the voice; and thus good Psalmody may be justly thought a very useful part of social worship, particularly if we consider that it is commonly employed in praise and thanksgiving, acts of piety, which, more than any other, call for fellowship and admit of unanimity, and the former of which is said to be

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The jarring world's agreeing sacrifice,'

"Such concord, in a public exercise of devotion, has a tendency to produce similar concord in the relations of social life; and this is one most forcible and distinguishing argument in favour of congregational singing, especially where it is brought to such perfection,

that the voices of a whole assembly are fall united in the expression of one feeling,' and all who are present,' per, ceive, not only that they are doing the same thing in the same place, but doing it with one accord."-Kennedy on Psalmody, pp. 22, 23.

Mr. Kennedy closes the section with the suggestion of a plan for the improvement of Parochial Psalmody, by means of a society to be formed for this object. How far his plan might conduce to the, proposed end we are unable to decide the subject, however, is confessedly important, and deserves more attention than it has hitherto received.

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If there be one circumstance more

clear than another in our modern ecclesiastical history, it is, that, from whatever causes, a considerable relaxation of the ancient strictness has been suffered to be introduced. Restraints which.used to be conscientiously submitted to by our forefathers are now thrown aside as irksome; those whose province it is to impose them shrink from their obligation; and some of the best and most wholesome of

❝* See an Answer to Gilbert Wake field on Public Worship, by Mrs. Barbauld. See also vol. ii. p. 182, of the Classical Tour, by Eustace, who speaks of the members of Catholic congrega tions throughout Germany and the Aus trian dominions, as all joining in chorus with a zeal and ardour truly edifying.""

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fices of the Established Church are imperceptibly falling into desuetude. Theoretically its discipline continues as exact as ever: the provisions made for the maintenance of good order are the same as in former ages, but practically there is a great deficiency: and from whatever source it arises, whether from a widely spreading community, or from a disinclination to the duty itself, it is still much to be lamented. One cause, however, of these defects is an ignorance of the obligations imposed on those by whom they are occasioned. This is at least the most favourable manner of explaining the circumstance; but still it must continue a subject of regret that the offices to which we allude are so habitually undertaken with an unconsciousness of the momentous duties attached to them, and quitted at the expiration of the appointed period, usually with not one of their spiritual, and with only their necessary secular, obligations at all fulfilled. The circumstance is the more surprising because to some of these duties the parties are accustomed to pledge themselves by the solemnity of an oath; and although very probably this may, at the moment of initiation, awaken in the breast of an upright man some auxiety to acquit himself of his undertaking with fidelity, yet the inquiries occasioned by this anxiety appear seldom to go beyond the temporal part of the subject, leaving the higher and more important branch of it unexamined.

These remarks are intended peculiarly to apply to the duties of those ecclesiatical officers termed Church

wardens; duties which are but imperfectly understood, but rarely explained, and still more rarely fulfil ed. On these accounts, we were

pleased at the announcement of the pamphlet before us,-8 Charge delivered bythe late ArchdeaconJefferson to the Church-wardens in his jurisdiction, The Archdeacon opens his Charge by some observations on that spirit of innovation which, not

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