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CALVIN ON PRAYER"
Church SingingIt is certain that the use of singing in churches (which I may mention in passing) is not only very ancient, but was also used by the Apostles, as we may gather from the words of Paul, “I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also” (1Co 14:15). In like manner, he says to the Colossians, “Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col 3:16). In the former passage, he enjoins us to sing with the voice and the heart; in the latter, he commends spiritual songs by which the pious mutually edify each other. That it was not a universal practice, however, is attested by Augustine, who states that the church of Milan first began to use singing in the time of Ambrose, when the orthodox faith, being persecuted by Justina, the mother of Valentinian, the vigils of the peo- ple were more frequent than usual, and that the practice was afterwards followed by the other Western churches. He had said a little before that the custom came from the East. He also intimates that it was received in Africa in his own time. His words are, “Hilarius, [an ex-tribune], assailed with the bitterest invectives he could use, the custom that then began to exist at Carthage, of singing hymns from the book of Psalms at the altar, either before the oblation, or when it was distributed to the people; I answered him at the request of my brethren.” And certainly if singing is tempered to a gravity befitting the presence of God and angels, it both gives dignity and grace to sacred actions and has a very powerful tendency to stir up the mind to true zeal and ardor in prayer. However, we must carefully beware, lest our ears be more intent on the music than our minds on the spiritual meaning of the words. Augustine confesses that the fear of this danger sometimes made him wish for the introduction of a practice observed by Athanasius, who ordered the reader to use only a gentle inflection of the voice, more akin to recitation than singing. But, on again considering how many advantages were derived from singing, he inclined to the other side. If this moderation is used, there cannot be a doubt that the practice is most sacred and salutary. On the other hand, songs composed merely to tickle and delight the ear are unbecoming the majesty of the church and cannot but be most displeasing to God.
