Harper I.2
James Dodson
CHAPTER II.
PLEAS URGED FOR THE PRECEPTIVE THEORY.
Desiring to deal fairly with the views opposed, and to make clear to all who may read this discussion, what the points are to which it will be necessary to reply, I will set down at the outset all the arguments of any consequence which have been urged, or which I can think of, in behalf of the use of instrumental music in divine worship; and accordingly I present first an outline of the argument which may be framed in behalf of the preceptive theory already defined:
I. The Æsthetic, Rationalistic, or presumptive plea.
The purport of this plea is that, as all our powers are to be devoted to the service of God, it is to be presumed that our faculty and taste for music will have full scope allowed them in the worship of God. It may be noted that some would be disposed to regard our possession of a musical power and susceptibility as a sufficient indication of our duty in this matter. Others, however, less daring, adduce the fact that God has endowed us with a musical faculty, as presumptive evidence that he would make provision for the employment of this faculty in the fullest measure in the exercises of worship, and hence, as a reason why we should anticipate that, in making regulations touching his worship, God would not overlook the faculty bestowed upon us, in virtue of which we are competent to enjoy and produce music, instrumental as well as vocal.
There are sundry elements involved in this plea which, for sake of clearness, may be separated and presented in detail. They are such as these:—
(1.) The entire powers of our being should be consecrated to the service and glory of God.
(2.) Musical susceptibility and power are characteristics of our race, revealing themselves in some degree among all men, though not equally in all.
(3.) The musical element of our nature prompts not only to vocal, but also to instrumental music, and men everywhere acknowledge practically the power of the latter as well as of the former.
(4.) It is unreasonable to suppose that God who gave us a nature which finds enjoyment and seeks expression in music, instrumental as well as vocal, would forbid the employment of either kind in his worship. On that supposition, how could we call upon all that is within us to bless his holy name, as we are commanded to do? The principles of all true art are from God. Ought not art, then, in its varied forms to be made tributary to religion? Instead of being suspected and looked upon askance, ought not æsthetics to be cultivated and honored in the department of worship? In order that vocal music even, may, to the greatest ad-
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vantage, be produced in divine worship, the aid of instruments is requisite; the vocal song being thereby guided, sustained and enhanced. The manifest predilection shown in refined communities for an instrumental accompaniment of vocal song, seems to indicate that the principles of good taste dictate such a combination. But the principles of good taste originate with him who gave us our being, and therefore it may be presumed that the application of them in his worship will have his sanction.
II. The Scriptural plea, or combination of pleas.
Under this head, the following considerations are wont to be adduced by the advocates of instrumental music in worship:—
(1.) God did prescribe the use of musical instruments in his worship once.
(2.) There is nowhere in the bible any formal or express repeal of this Old Testament regulation, and if so, it must still be in force.
(3.) There are certain prophetic intimations in the Old Testament, to the effect that, in New Testament worship, musical instruments should be used, and that with divine approval. For instance, in Ps. 66:4, it is said: “All the earth shall worship thee, they shall sing to thy name,” where the word rendered “sing,” it is claimed, includes in it a reference to the use of instruments. Again, it is said in Ps. 87:7, “As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there;” the allusion being, it is presumed, to the New Testament Church.
(4.) There are also in the Old Testament, exhortations and commands addressed to men at large, to praise God with instruments, as, for instance, in Ps. 68:32; 98:3, 4; Is. 12:5, in all of which a verb is used, which, it is maintained, suggests an instrumental accompaniment, and still more expressly in Ps. 149 and 150.
(5.) The impossibility of showing what instrumental music typified, is also urged, as a reason for the belief that it was not typical or transient, but intended to be a permanent element in the worship of God.
(6.) It is contended that in the New Testament, so far from finding a repeal of the old law prescribing the use of instrumental music in worship, we find countenance given to the notion that the law touching such music is still in force. Two classes of passages are cited in support of this view, namely, certain texts in which the verb, “Psallo,” occurs, which, it is alleged, means to sing with an instrumental accompaniment. These texts are 1 Cor. 14:15: “I will sing (Psalō) with the spirit, and I will sing (Psalō) with the understanding also;” Rom. 15:9: “For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing (Psalō) unto thy name;” Eph. 5:19: “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody (Psallontes) in your heart to the Lord;” Jas. 5:13: “Is any merry let him sing psalms (Psalleto).”
The other class of passages consists of texts in which the saints, either in glory, or in the New Testament dispensation, are represented as celebrating the praises of God with certain specified musical instruments. These texts are all found in the Book of Revelation, and are as follows: Rev. 5:8, 9; 14:2; 15:2, 3.
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The substance of the arguments for the preceptive theory has now been laid before the reader, with as much clearness as a desire to be brief would admit, and with as much candor as I can command. Every enthusiast for instruments may not be disposed to rest on every argument now presented, and all are not agreed as to the relative value of the arguments which they do employ, but I have massed together the aggregate of the pleas used to support the view that the use of instruments of music in worship is now obligatory.