Instrumental Music in Christian Worship. A Review.
James Dodson
CHIEFLY IN THE WAY OF REPLY TO PROFESSOR WALLACE.
BY THE REV. ROBERT NEVIN,
LONDONDERRY.
SECOND EDITION,
REVISED AND ENLARGED.
Londonderry:
BIBLE AND COLPORTAGE SOCIETY, FERRYQUAY-STREET,
AND 20, ARTHUR-STREET, BELFAST.
OTHER BOOKSELLERS.
1873.
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SUMMARY OF CONTENTS.
ARGUMENT FROM THE LIGHT OF NATURE, 4
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN ANCIENT TIMES, 9
INSTRUMENTS IN THE SCHOOLS OF THE PROPHETS, 11
NO MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS IN THE ANCIENT SYNAGOGUE, 13
WAS THE USE OF INSTRUMENTS IN WORSHIP CEREMONIAL? 24
THE MUSIC OF INSTRUMENTS WAS CONJOINED WITH SACRIFICE AND INCENSE, 28
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC NOT PROPHECY, 33
WAS THE USE OF INSTRUMENTS TYPICAL? 40
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC FORMED, IN POINT OF FACT, PART OF THE SYMBOLISM OF THE OLD DISPENSATION, 43
REFERENCES TO INSTRUMENTS IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS, 46
PRINCIPLE APPLICABLE TO THE CASE, 49
MEANING OF “ZAMAR” AND “PSALLO,” 59
MEANING OF “PSALLO” IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, 62
EXEGESIS OF EPH. v. 19, AND COL. iii. 16, 63
ALLUSIONS TO INSTRUMENTS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, 72
DOES AN INSTRUMENT SUSTAIN THE VOICE? 76
INSTRUMENTS “EMBEDDED” IN THE PSALMS, 76
EVILS CONNECTED WITH THE USE OF INSTRUMENTS IN WORSHIP, 77
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PREFATORY NOTE TO THE SECOND EDITION.
A CONSIDERABLE portion of the following pages was in type before we could obtain a copy of the pamphlet by the Rev. J. A. Robson, of Tobermore, which we regard as, in some respects, one of the ablest that have appeared on the Instrumentalist side of the question. Mr. Robson has avoided some of the very unguarded positions assumed by his predecessors on the same side, but he has taken up others that seem to us equally untenable. We were a little surprised to find him reproducing the criticism on the words zamar and psallo that we had thought exploded and abandoned. More surprised, to find him alluding to Professor Wallace’s “proof” from Vitringa, that musical instruments were employed in the worship of the ancient synagogue. Had Mr. Robson no friend better informed, to set him right on that point? It is now five months since we publicly drew attention to the strange mis-statement. Up to the present, the Professor “has made no sign.” We still think some explanation due. Mr. Robson, in his darkness, ventures to speak of “bold assertions” on the subject. If this be repeated by any one in the future, we shall feel at liberty to retort with a much stronger phrase. In the latter part of the following pages, we have contrived to introduce references to what we considered worthy of notice in Mr. Robson’s pamphlet. As we said in the Prefatory Note to the first edition, so we say again—The author earnestly disclaims any feeling towards the larger body of Presbyterians in Ireland but that which is friendly. No one can rejoice more unfeignedly than he, in view of any indication of the real prosperity of that section of the Church. His anxiety is, that, within her pale, the ordinances of worship should be conserved in Gospel purity and simplicity.
Londonderry, May, 1873.