Excerpt from Spiritual Songs for Social Worship: Adapted to the Use of Families and Private Circles in Seasons of Revival, to Missionary Meetings, to the Monthly Concert, and to Other Occasions of Special Interest
The chief design of this publication, is to present to the lovers of devotional song, a convenient manual for the use of families and social religious meetings. In the larger and more dignified assemblies, psalmody will continue to hold its appropriate place; but for social and private uses, something is needed which is more familiar, more chantant, and more easy of execution. The importance of such music has become too evident to escape the notice of intelligent Christians; and the demand for it, especially in seasons of revival, has of late been increasing.
It is to be lamented, however, that in meeting this demand, compilers have not more frequently had recourse to good music. Hitherto, the best compilers have done little more for this department, than to furnish occasional specimens among psalms and hymns of the ordinary character. These, though the number has been gradually increasing, have not been equal to the public demand. The consequence is, that a multitude of insipid, frivolous, vulgar, and profane melodies, have been forced into general circulation, to the great disparagement of the art, as well as to the detriment of musical reform.
Such a result as this might, indeed, have been naturally anticipated, in times and circumstances like our own. Impenitent men, for example, who might be ignorant of the true principles of devotional music, would, immediately on their conversion, be found to exercise their religious feelings in such melodies as might then be at hand, whatever might be the character of those melodies, or however they might have been previously connected in the mind of others, with profane or impure associations. Almost any music which should be applied to solemn words, under such affecting circumstances, would, for a little time, be sung with delight by the young convert, and heard with interest by such Christians as had previously neglected the whole subject of devotional singing; and such, there is some reason to apprehend, is the majority of professors at the present day.
There is also, one fact in the history of psalmody, which has lent its influence to the result above mentioned.
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