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Interesting quotes concerning music made by instruments in Churches


trc123

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Justin Martyr (139 A.D.), an early church Father
"The use of [instrumental] music was not received in the Christian churches, as it was among the Jews, in their infant state, but only the use of plain song.... Simply singing is not agreeable to children [the aforementioned Jews], but singing with lifeless instruments and with dancing and clapping is. On this account the use of this kind of instruments and of others agreeable to children is removed from the songs of the churches, and there is left remaining simply singing."

Tertullian (200 A.D.), an early church Father
"Musical concerts with viol and lute belong to Apollo, to the Muses, to Minerva and Mercury who invented them; ye who are Christians, hate and abhor these things whose very authors themselves must be the OBject of loathing and aversion."

Eusebius (260-340), an early church Father
"Of old at the time those of the circumcision were worshiping with symbols and types it was not inappropriate to send up hymns to God with the psalterion and kithara.... But we in an inward manner keep the part of the Jew, according to the saying of the apostle.... [Romans 2:28f]. We render our hymns with a living psalterion and a living kithara, with spiritual songs. The unison voices of Christians would be more acceptable to God than any musical instrument."


Martin Luther (1483-1546), the father of Lutheranism
"The organ in the worship is the insignia of Baal... The Roman Catholics borrowed it from the Jews."

John Wesley (1703-1791), a father of Methodism
"I have no OBjection to instruments of music in our worship, provided they are neither seen nor heard."

Adam Clarke (1760-1832), one of the greatest Methodists
"I am an old man, and I here declare that I never knew them to be productive of any good in the worship of God, and have reason to believe that they are productive of much evil. Music as a science I esteem and admire, but instrumental music in the house of God I abominate and abhor. This is the abuse of music, and I here register my protest against all such corruption of the worship of the author of Christianity. The late and venerable and most eminent divine, the Rev. John Wesley, who was a lover of music, and an elegant poet, when asked his opinion of instruments of music being introduced into the chapels of the Methodists, said in his terse and powerful manner, 'I have no OBjections to instruments of music in our chapels, provided they are neither heard nor seen.' I say the same."

Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), one of the greatest Baptists
"Praise the Lord with the harp. Israel was at school, and used childish things to help her to learn; but in these days when Jesus gives us spiritual food, one can make melody without strings and pipes. We do not need them. They would hinder rather than help our praise. Sing unto him. This is the sweetest and best music. No instrument like the human voice.... David appears to have had a peculiarly tender remembrance of the singing of the pilgrims, and assuredly it is the most delightful part of worship and that which comes nearest to the adoration of heaven. What a degradation to supplant the intelligent song of the whole congregation by the theatrical prettiness of a quartet, bellows, and pipes! We might as well pray by machinery as praise by it."

David Benedict (1779-1874), Baptist Historian
"In my earliest intercourse among this people, congregational singing generally prevailed among them.... The Introduction Of The Organ Among The Baptists. This instrument, which from time immemorial has been associated with cathedral pomp and prelatical power, and has always been the peculiar favorite of great national churches, at length found its way into Baptist sanctuaries, and the first one ever employed by the denomination in this country, and prOBably in any other, might have been standing in the singing gallery of the Old Baptist meeting house in Pawtucket, about forty years ago, where I then officiated as pastor (1840).... Staunch old Baptists in former times would as soon have tolerated the Pope of Rome in their pulpits as an organ in their galleries, and yet the instrument has gradually found its way among them.... How far this modern organ fever will extend among our people, and whether it will on the whole work a RE-formation or DE-formation in their singing service, time will more fully develop."

Albert Henry Newman (1852-1933), Baptist Historian
"In 1699 the Baptists received an invitation from Thomas Clayton, rector of Christ Church, to unite with the Church of England. They replied in a dignified manner, declining to do so unless he could prove, ‘that the Church of Christ under the New Testament may consist of ... a mixed multitude and their seed, even all the members of a nation ... whether they are godly or ungodly,’ that ‘lords, archbishops, etc., ... are of divine institution and appointment,’ and that their vestments, liturgical services, use of mechanical instruments, infant baptism, sprinkling, ‘signing with the cross in baptism,’ etc., are warranted by Scripture."

"It may be interesting to note that this church (First Baptist Church of Newport, organized in 1644) was one of the first to introduce instrumental music. The instrument was a bass viol and caused considerable commotion. This occurred early in the nineteenth century."

Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) - Atheist
"I give money for church organs in the hope the organ music will distract the congregation's attention from the rest of the service."

Edited by trc123
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According to these men of God, even the Organ is an evil and terrible thing to have involved in the Church service and general worship of the Lord; and yet so many today totally accept the organ as part of "sacred" music. What happened to change things? Doesn't truth always stay the same? What happened to our standards? How did we get so corrupted and influenced by the world's ways that we now accept organs in church?

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According to these men of God, even the Organ is an evil and terrible thing to have involved in the Church service and general worship of the Lord; and yet so many today totally accept the organ as part of "sacred" music. What happened to change things? Doesn't truth always stay the same? What happened to our standards? How did we get so corrupted and influenced by the world's ways that we now accept organs in church?

:coolsmiley:
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According to these men of God, even the Organ is an evil and terrible thing to have involved in the Church service and general worship of the Lord; and yet so many today totally accept the organ as part of "sacred" music. What happened to change things? Doesn't truth always stay the same? What happened to our standards? How did we get so corrupted and influenced by the world's ways that we now accept organs in church?


Actually, this does raise a good point. In times past there was condemnation of all instruments in church, there was a time the organ was considered an evil instrument, there was a time the piano was considered an evil instrument, there was a time when guitars were banned, etc. Most churches today now accept some or all of these, and other instruments as well (except the Church of Christ or Church of God...keep mixing them up...which still doesn't allow any instruments).

Asking why they were not acceptable then but are today is actually a very good question and the answer(s) should shed some important light on the topic.

Today some churches would say an organ and piano or good, but no other instruments in church. Some would also add accoustic guitars, some would accept electric guitars, some would accept various other instruments while not accepting others and then there are churches which would accept virtually any instrument. Why and why not?

This debate continues on today with those who reject anything that anyone tags a CCM label on to those who accept virtually all that falls under the CCM banner. Some accept old style Southern Gospel but reject the new, some accept all. There are those who judge the songs based upon they lyrics and accept them accordingly while others don't care what the lyrics say if they have certain instruments backing the song it's rejected.

All of this kind of reminds me of something David Jeremiah has preached on recently. The hymn Amazing Grace is very different today from when first penned. The music which accompanies the song isn't the same. At one time any one of at least 20 different tunes might be heard with the song until someone added the tune from "New Britain" to the song and it stuck. Even the title "Amazing Grace" has changed; it was originally titled "Faith's Review and Expectation". Not all of the orignal verses are used today and some new ones were added in the mid-1800s. The song was never that big in England but caught on in America and has become a favorite.
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God is a Spirit, He has no need for the physical sound or even the words we sing during a service. The Bible says "making melody in your hearts unto the Lord". What God wants to hear is the "melody" of a joyful, worshipping heart. Music was given to us, for us. God doesn't even need to hear our singing. If the music you play and listen to can influence your heartstrings to play for Him, that's what He's interested in.

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:amen: heartstrings. Most of the people here would not accept the kind of music I play at our youth group, but I think that heartstrings makes a good point here: if it edifies those who are listening and if it moves people to truly worship God, then it is pleasing to God (not the music by itself, but the people worshiping in their hearts). I wonder who would agree with heartstrings if he worships to more classical Christian music and how many with me since I do more contemporary music... ;)

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Interesting discussion, but I have seen very little Scripture so far. The early church rejection of instruments appears to be because the Jews & pagans used it. Even the fact that musical instruments were first devised by Jubal in Cain's line does not make them intrinsically evil, as metalwork, tents & cattle herding also first appear in Cain's line.

The Scriptural argument rests on the "regulative principle" the New Covenant worship should be strictly according to the NT directive, & that is given in Eph. 5 & Col. 3. Google "regulative principle" for more info.

I'm not convinced by either the early church argument, nor the non-conformist argument. We have to beware of spurious & legalistic arguments. We must be guided by Scripture, & Christian love.

More later.

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Oh, I fully believe instruments are great. Regardless of their original design. God makes it clear in Psalms that we can use instruments to praise Him. We have a full orchestra in our church, and the music is just beautiful.

Psalm 150:3-5 says: "Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals."

Interesting delineation. Trumpet: mouth/wind instruments. Psaltery, harp, stringed instruments: stringed instruments. Organs: Organs (and pianos, by default - although, technically, they can be called stringed instruments...). Timbrel and Cymbals: percussion instruments.

Pretty basically covers all of them.

I know some churches don't use guitars because of the association. That doesn't mean it's wrong to use guitars. We don't have any in our orchestra, but there are people in our church who use them when, say, they are visiting the elderly in the nursing homes, etc.

We do have drums in our orchestra, because they are percussion instruments. We don't have snare drums, though, nor do we do a rocky-rolly type music with them.

I think each church has the liberty in Christ to choose to use or not use instruments, and which instruments they will use. The prOBlem comes in when one church declares another church to be in sin because they use instruments. Note, please, I'm saying instruments. There is music that can be played on nice instruments that is not so nice, and is not uplifting or edifying, nor does it bring glory to God. But it isn't the instrument's fault - that fault lies with the player.

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Too many times Christians confuse emotional response to edification....


Right,
The Bible says "Speaking" to yourselves and "songs and singing" so it's the words which edify and bring about the "melody in your heart". Most times, IMO, if the music stirs the emotions or the beat makes you want to move more than the words stir the spirit, it's all in vain. But when the REAL melody in your heart plays, there might be some major emotion....at least that's the way it is with me.


Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Edited by heartstrings
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