Musical Instruments
James Dodson
—IN—
Divine Worship
Condemned by the Word of God.
BY
REV. D. W. COLLINS, D. D.
PITTSBURGH:
FROM THE PRESS OF STEVENSON & FOSTER, 151 WOOD STREET.
1881.
Copyright Page
Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1881,
BY REV. D. W. COLLINS, D. D.,
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
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PREFACE.
The only apology of the writer for this discussion, is his interest in the subject, as so deeply affecting the interests of the church of which he is a member. The necessity of the discussion involved in the overture of the law in our Directory for worship on instrumental music, by the General Assembly, is to him a matter of the deepest regret; especially is this true in view of the circumstances under which that action was taken. The writer was one of a number of memorialists who asked that Assembly to take proper measures to have her law on instrumental music enforced by her Presbyteries. Instead of granting the request, the Assembly advised the memorialists to institute proceedings before the various Presbyteries in whose bounds violations of the law existed. Instead of giving any evidence of a disposition to assert her authority in favor of the enforcement of the law in her Directory, she yielded to the demand of those who were involved in its violation, to submit the question of its retention to the Presbyteries. In the discussions of the Assembly, no little measure of blame was attached to the memorialists for presuming to ask the enforcement of her law by her authority—a right and a duty which she cannot possibly ignore and retain that authority. It is this phase of the matter particularly that has led to the present humble effort to maintain the rightfulness of the present law on the subject of instrumental music in the worship of God.
In this discussion some notice has been taken of a pamphlet, recently issued by Rev. D. F. Bonner, in favor of instrumental music. The name of Brother Bonner is not used in referring to his pamphlet except in a foot-note, because this effort was not intended specially as a review of
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his work, and because of the desire to avoid any appearance of personal feeling toward a highly respected brother.
It is proper further to state that the writer was well advanced in this work before he learned that Dr. James Harper was about to issue a pamphlet on the same subject. This goes to press before the appearance of that work. No doubt the subject will be more ably handled by that brother. There may be in this work some repetition of points in the question better handled by him; but it is hoped some phases of the subject are discussed in the one that are not in the other.
Contents
CONTENTS.
Chapter I.—Importance of the question.
“ II.—Statement of the question.
“ IV.—Is there a permissive warrant for anything in the mode of praise.
“ V.—Evidence that no such warrant exists.
“ VI.—The mode of reasoning by instrumentalists fatal to the theory of a permissive warrant.
“ VII.—Instrumental music in the patriarchal dispensation.
“ VIII.—Instrumental music within the Levitical dispensation.
“ IX.—The ceremonial character of the temple praise.
“ X.—Does the New Testament warrant the use of instruments in the worship of God?
“ XI.—Instrumentation not in accord with New Testament worship.
“ XII.—The time not auspicious for the introduction of instruments.