smaller and poorer congregations, which, unless encouraged by pecuni- The following then, are the general outlines of the scheme which I To enforce the adoption of such a scheme as I have ventured to sketch, a variety of considerations might be adduced. Instead, how ever, of adding anything of the kind of my own, I shall do what is better, and what I am sure I shall receive thanks for doing, append the statement that was presented to the session of Biggar by its moderator, in 1814, and which issued in the establishment of the minister's library there. 6 “Every considerate Christian must be convinced that a gospel ministry is not one of the least important gifts which the exalted Redeemer has conferred on the church. In the earlier ages of our religion, he was pleased miraculously to qualify many of those whom he called to this important office for the respectable and profitable discharge of its functions, inspiring them, by the immediate agency of the Divine Spirit, with all that knowledge of languages, human nature, religion, and the subjects connected with it, which was requisite for teaching all nations' the doctrine of Christ. When the circumstances which rendered this miraculous dispensation necessary ceased to exist, the qualifications of the Christian minister continued essentially the same, but the means of their acquirement were materially altered. To the diligent and persevering employment of his own faculties, in a dependence on the divine blessing, must the minister of later times look for the acquisition of those endowments which were bestowed on his predecessors of the primitive age, as the immediate gift of the Holy Ghost. "It is not necessary for me to enter into a particular proof of the vast importance of a well-informed and learned ministry, both to the interests of Christianity in general, and of individual churches in particular. The church with which we account it our happiness and honour to be connected, has sufficiently expressed its sentiments on this subject, by requiring a regular course of philological and philosophical study at a university as a prerequisite to admission to its theological seminary; and an attendance of five sessions on its professor of divinity, is by it considered as necessary to entitle a student to be taken on trials for a license to preach the gospel. All this, however, is by no means sufficient for the continued respectable and useful discharge of the duties of the ministry. To make a man what a minister ought to be, as to information, it is necessary that he should be a student for life. A truly conscientious man, on obtaining a charge, does not consider it as a situation of indolent repose from the labours of study, but as a situation which at once affords him an opportunity of a more close attention to the cultivation of his own mind, and which imperiously demands that this opportunity be improved. "The tools of the mechanic are not more absolutely necessary to the practice of his art, than a proper collection of books is to the christian student and minister. Whatever shuts him up from the use of the books which are necessary or useful for rendering his knowledge accurate and extensive, is an obstacle in the way of his success in the ministry. The books which are of the greatest importance to the christian minister, are books illustrative of the Holy Scriptures, and of the languages in which they were originally written, lexicons, commentaries, and critical works. The greater and more valuable part of these books is of a very high and continually increasing price. To procure even a moderate collection of them would subject a minister, especially a young minister, to an expense which, if he has no private fortune, it would be in the highest degree imprudent to incur. The necessary consequence is, few ministers have such libraries as they would wish to have, or, if the duties of their office are taken into view, as they ought to have. "The consequences of this state of things have been far more disastrous than the christian people have in general been aware of. It has occasioned much painful feeling to ministers, who, though eager to acquire that information which might enable them still more rightly to divide the word of truth,' have yet found themselves obliged, by the calls of justice to their families, to refuse themselves the gratification of possessing the books necessary for this purpose. An excellent minister lately, in our neighbourhood, has been known to lament this, with tears in his eyes. In many cases, still worse consequences have followed. The young minister, not having the means of employing his hours of relaxation from the active duties of his profession in appropriate studies, has either acquired habits of indolence, which have diffused an enervating influence over all his exertions, or has been induced to engage in agricultural or other secular pursuits, which have occupied that place in his attention and affections to which theology had a right, and which, but for this circumstance, it would have maintained. The meanwhile, the people 'have looked up, but have not been fed.' A dislike has been generated between them and their pastor, and their mutual comfort and edification have been materially injured. "It may indeed be urged, that ministers may connect themselves with libraries, or borrow the books of which they stand in need. Something, no doubt, may be done in this way; but a reflecting person must soon perceive that neither of these schemes affords an adequate remedy for the evil specified. In the greater part of libraries accessible to ministers in the country, the particular description of books of which he is most in need are not at all to be found. Books are of two kinds,→→→ books to be read, and books to be consulted. For the first class of books a loan from a library or from a friend, with the help of a book of extracts, may suffice; but books of the second class-books of reference-by far the most expensive and valuable, must be constantly at hand in order to answer their purpose. "It is a thought that has often occurred, on reflecting on this subject (and the thought, when communicated to those who are best able to judge on this point, has appeared important), that, could some scheme be fallen upon to supply this deficiency, which is every day felt more severely, it would deserve the attention of christian churches in general. Might not religious societies, of whatever description, whether Presbyterian or Independent, Established or Dissenting, provide for their minister not merely a place for performing the rites of public worship, and a house to reside in-a church or meeting-house and a manse,-but a collection of books, which, while their property, might be devoted to his use. To secure that the books be well read, let the minister have the choice of them; to prevent his particular taste from injuring the library, let the presbytery, or association to which he belongs, have a negative on his choice. The foundation of such a library might be laid by a voluntary contribution; and it might be supported either in the same way, or by a fixed sum annually given from the congregation's funds. "Such is the general outline of a plan which your minister has long pondered, the adoption of which, by this congregation, he is convinced will be followed by the happiest consequences, and which, he trusts, a sense of duty induces him to submit to the session, and through them to the committee of management and their constituents." To this statement I have nothing to add, but to express my hope, that it may be as successful now as when it was first made, and may issue in its being universally acted upon in the churches of the Secession. May I be pardoned, if I venture to suggest to presbyteries or sessions who may enter into the scheme now submitted, that they could not better serve the cause, than by agreeing to overture the Synod to the effect proposed. Biggar, 2d March, 1846. D. S. P.S.-I have confined my attention simply to ministers' libraries, but it is also of great consequence that the scheme which may hereafter be adopted, should be so framed as to include some provision for supplying every student in theology, who requires help, with such a set of books as is requisite to enable him to prosecute his studies with efficiency and success. This important object will not, it is to be hoped, escape notice, when the question of ministers' libraries is taken up by the church in right earnest. ON CHURCH PSALMODY. MUSIC, whether as a science or an art, has peculiar claims to the attention of the Christian. Other subjects, indeed, there are which bear NO. IV. VOL. III. Y more directly on the practical purposes of life, and which, by their direct influence on the general interests of society, have succeeded in obtaining the more general attention of mankind. But in raising the mind by thoughts of the majesty of God, and improving the heart by impressions of order, harmony, and peace, music has a place peculiarly its own. It comprehends principles which lie deep in the constitution of nature, and which, whether in themselves or their numerous exquisite arrangements, testify and proclaim the sovereign wisdom of their author.* That music is a science, that it comes to us as an arrangement of divine wisdom,-that it holds within it the elements of divine greatness,—should suffice to rescue it from general neglect. On what principle may the jealousies of some, and the positive aversions of others, on this subject, be justified? But music is an art, and it is chiefly as an art that it has claims on the Christian. It forms an interesting and important part in the exercises of christian worship. It acts as an aid to devotion, and in this respect has been gratefully acknowledged in every age. As a means to spiritual elevation, or as a source of pure and holy enjoyment, it is practised in heaven, and forms, amid the splendours of the sky, the happy exercise of the spirits made perfect. In the worship of God, the practice of music is enjoined on every Christian. In other parts of sanctuary duty, a prominent place may be held by an individual, but in this the prominency must be held by the church. It is incumbent on all worshippers, and can be delegated by none. And surely in a matter which affects the interests of every one, and in which more especially the honour of God is concerned, it is the duty of every Christian to see it properly and efficiently observed. The right exercise of the heart is admitted to be the grand element in devotion. It is this which forms the one great principle in all religious duties. But as a stimulus to the heart, as an awakener of its spiritual energies, as an incitement of its faith, and hope, and love,it is authorised of heaven. And the man who has a reverence of his Maker, —who holds large and impulsive views of the work and character of his Saviour, or who cherishes a regard to his own spiritual interests and enjoyments, while careful to sing with the spirit and with the understanding, ought not to overlook the singing itself. He is commanded to sing. The praises of his God he may not merely speak or recite, and in obedience to his Lord, as well as to his own feelings, he will enclose himself in the harmonies of song, and waft his believing soul in sacred melodies to the skies. Praise ye the Lord; for it is good to sing praises unto our God, for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. Whether music has obtained its place in the churches of Scotland cannot be matter of dispute. It is universally confessed that the psalmody of our Scotch congregations is inferior to that of the congregations of the Continent or of England. The forms of music which these churches have adopted we do not commend; but, assuredly, in the appreciation and employment of music as an aid to devotion, they are far in advance. Whether from the alleged stoicism of Scottish character, or, what is more probable, from the painful associations of Scottish *Plane judico, nec pudet asserere, post theologiam nullam esse artem quæ possit musica aequari.-Martin Luther. history, the Christians of Scotland have long been indifferent to the claims of music; their minds are not favourably disposed to it; some almost look on an improvement of the music of our churches as a peculiarity of Antichrist. How far these sentiments are correct it is not necessary to inquire. But if music be the language of feeling, and if, as the vehicle of feeling, it be admitted into divine worship, and that, by appointment of Heaven, it becomes every soul seriously to know whether, by fidelity to itself and the Saviour, its interests have been duly consulted, or whether, through prejudice, they have not suffered neglect. From whatever cause, the character of our congregational music is generally low. In many cases it can hardly be said to be music at all. There is nothing in it of the softness, and sweetness, and force of music proper; it is rather a combination of noises, without knowledge and without taste. And in the case of other churches, whose proficiency in the art it would be thought presumption to question, no great improvement is observable. Six, twelve, or twenty of the whole congregation may be all who have mastered the first elements of the science, and these, taking a prominence in the church, may have somewhat raised the general character of the psalmody; but what is the state of the psalmody after all? Passing over the character of the tunes, which are generally selected for their novelty and not for their beauty, how often have our feelings been offended by the tasteless and meaningless distribution of the harmony.-Male voices are exerted on a part where trebles only should be heard, females sing the notes which are intended only for the tenors, and a roaring bass carries to the lowest depth of the scale a strain which is adapted only to the soprano. Such a style may please where there is no taste to be shocked, and no knowledge to be offended;-where the demand is for the amount of the sound, without regard to the quality. One obvious defect in all our congregational singing, is the absence of musical expression. There is no regard had to the character of music as the language of feeling. The same note, unmodified in strength and timbre, is made the expression of very different sentiments.-Love, anger, gratitude, wonder, praise, grief, are all uttered in the same unvaried accents; the natural distinction of sounds is overlooked; we think it enough to drawl forth, in our long familiar accents, our songs of praise without regard to the sentiment. Are we guilty of this in our common intercourse with one another? Who of us, in relating our tales of woe, expresses his feelings in the tones of mirth, or, in recounting his joys, employs the tones of sadness? And yet we have often wondered at the innocent unconsciousness of a people chaunting the grandeurs of redemption, and bewailing the doom of the impenitent, in the same strains. The evil is not ascribable, as many may suppose, exclusively to the precentor. When different feelings are comprised in the verses prescribed by the preacher, the skilful precentor will select a tune which admits of easy adaptation; and the congregation, if properly instructed and trained, will join, in the singing of the verses, that varied expression of tone which the different sentiments of the psalm may require. Excited feelings will express themselves in their own appropriate tones-at once the utterance and the evidence of the feelings |