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Untitled Article
ed to his own voice , and where they can give a solemnity and an effect to psalmody , which cannot be obtained if the same persons are scattered up and down in different parts of the building . Neither would I wholly condemn the use of so sublime an instrument as the organ , an instrument peculiarly and completely adapted to add to the solemnity and dignity of psalmody . It is always wrong to argue against the use oY a thing because it sometimes happens to be abused . But as experience is the best , and indeed the only rule by which to regulate our practice , and as an ounce of
Jt is worth a ton of theory , I shall take the liberty to fctate to W . A . the mode of conducting psalmody at the chapel ^ where I have for many years had the pleasure of attending and of assisting , under the hope that what has been long practised there with success , may be tried with , equal effect in other places . In the first place ^ those gentlemen of the congregation , w ho aie capable of assisting in the band , have always made it their duty to attend there , in order not only to give the aid of their voices , but to regulate the proper selection and appropriation of the tunes , for on this , as I have before shewn , the effect of this part of public worship almost entirely depends . The
utility of such a practice 1 have found to be very great ; it serves to give regularity and solemnity to the performance , and effectually prevents any of the abuses I have before mentioned . A few of the children of the congregation are regularly taught to sing ; they are thus early inspired with a love of psalmody , and a constant succession of singers is ,, by this means , supplied . The band is assisted by an organ , on which the tunfesare performed in the most simple mannerj and the custom of playing interludes between the verses ,, is not admitted . This method of conducting the psaJmod y ^ has been practised for many years with success . The congregation are not excluded , but on the
contrary invited to join , and the baud is in so respectable a state _ , as to afforu the most powerful assistance at the performance of sacred Oratorios / for the benefit of the public charities of the city . I cannot here forbear mentioning that ^ whenever any of the Dissenting endowments or charities , have needed the contributions of the Norwich Unitarian congregation , their band has received the aid of the choir from the Cathedral , to assist in the performance of any Charity Hymn or Anthem , which assistance has always been given in the most liberal and friendly manner . I hope I * hall be pardoaed for mentioning a circumstance , which
Untitled Article
185 On Psalmody in Unitarian Congregations .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1807, page 188, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2379/page/20/
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