By REV. JOHN COLQUHOUN, Glendale.
XVII.—The Growth of Ritualism in Scotland.
At the time of the Reformation the Scottish Reformers made a clean sweep of everything that savoured of Romanism. They acted on the principle that everything in the Church should be regulated by an express warrant from Scripture, and refused to receive anything which, though not forbidden, was not commanded. Thus the Reformed Church in Scotland was protected from taking in any of the corruptions of Rome, or receiving anything, contrary to Scripture, that might be approved by any body of men, however numerous. This can be clearly proved from her subordinate
standards from the first Confession of Faith ratified by the Scottish Parliament in 1560 to the Westminster Standards ratified by Parliament in 1649. With regard to the public worship of God, it consisted of prayer, reading of the Scriptures, preaching the Word, and dispensing the Sacraments. This was to be done according to what the Scriptures teach and not according to what men think should be in the worship of God. The Westminster Confession of Faith is very clear on this point. “The acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by Himself, and so limited by His own revealed will, that He may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan under any visible representation, or in any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures” (Chap. xxi. sect. 1). This is the principle on which the vast majority of the people of Scotland have acted for generations. Not only so, but the very Constitution of Britain forbids a change. In connection with the Revolution Settlement in the first Parliament held by William and Mary in Scotland, an Act was passed, expressly ratifying the Confession of Faith, and settling the Presbyterian Church Government. Act 23 of the Parliament of 1693 provided in very express terms for “uniformity of worship” as “at present performed.” As the Church of Scotland at the time was absolutely free of a liturgy of any kind, by this Act ritualism was positively forbidden.
Such was the standing of the Church of Scotland when the Union with England took place in 1707, and this was the position which our Scottish legislators so effectively guarded by the Act of Security, which has been incorporated in the Treaty of Union, and enacted that “the true Protestant religion, and the worship, discipline, and government of this Church” was to “continue, without any alteration, to the people of this land in all succeeding generations.” Thus we find that the law of the land uncompromisingly forbids ritualism in the worship of the Church of Scotland. Not only so, but the Sovereign on his, or her, accession to the Throne has to “swear and subscribe, that they shall inviolably maintain and preserve the foresaid Settlement of the true Protestant religion, with the Government, Worship, Discipline, Rights and Privileges of this Church as above established by the laws of this kingdom in prosecution of the Claim of Right.” One would think that these solemn enactments would forever, as they were meant to do, effectively close the door against ritualism in the Church of Scotland, but subsequent history reveals the contrary to have been the case.
The prelatic party in Scotland, who were so leniently dealt with by the Revolution Settlement, and many of whose clergy upon the taking of oaths of fidelity to the reigning House, were received into the Church of Scotland, were at heart bitter enemies to the Throne and constantly plotting for a Popish successor when
an opportune time would come. They had no love for the Presbyterian form of Church government or the mode of worship of the Church into which they had been received, and would overthrow that government and worship if only they had the power. For a considerable time previous to the passing of the Toleration Act, many of these were secretly and illegally using the liturgical form of the Episcopal Church so that when this Act was passed it only made legal what was before practised illegally. It is, however, with the growth of ritualism in the Church of Scotland that we purpose to deal. This was the Church that witnessed the effects of the fiery eloquence of John Knox and Andrew Melville, was led through very difficult times by the statesmanship of Alexander Henderson, heard the Gospel in its irresistible power and winning sweetness from the lips of such men as Donald Cargill and James Renwick. These are mentioned among many who preferred rather to die than admit ritualism into the Church which they were instrumental, in the Lord’s hand, in setting up and maintaining in the face of persecution, bodily tortures, and cruel deaths. Each had his own special gift, and these, when sanctified by the Holy Spirit, were made meet for the Master’s use. This “great cloud of witnesses” all died in the faith, and were succeeded by generations of ministers who, to all appearances, solicited to be put into the priesthood that they might eat a piece of bread. Their natural gifts varied, but they all emerged from the mould of Moderatism, introducing a deadness which might be felt into the worship of the sanctuary. Their sermons were lifeless productions which confirmed their hearers in that spiritual death in which they were by nature, and the other parts of worship in which they engaged, such as prayer and singing, coming, as they did, from hearts not quickened by the grace of God, manifested in the clearest possible manner the tokens of spiritual death. Episcopalians were not slow to ridicule the form of worship in the Church of Scotland, and especially the manner in which it was performed. Some who took up a more friendly attitude towards the Church began to entertain the idea that a liturgy was the only panacea for the deadness which was all too apparent. The result was that endeavours were made to enlarge the Psalmody by putting parts of the Old and New Testaments into metre without any particular regard for the precise meaning of the original languages in which the Bible was written.
From 1648 to 1781 the question of an enlarged psalmody, on various occasions, occupied the attention of the General Assembly of the Established Church of Scotland. This proposed enlarged psalmody took the form of various passages of Scripture being turned into metre, and in 1781, an Interim Act anent Psalmody was passed by which the Assembly “appoints these
translations and paraphrases to be transmitted to the several Presbyteries of the Church, in order that they may report their opinion concerning them to the ensuing General Assembly; and, in the meantime, allows this collection of sacred poems to be used in public worship in congregations where the minister finds it for edification.” This is the only authority the Supreme Court ever gave for the use of paraphrases in the public worship of the Church of Scotland. This permission, such as it is, was given in the dark days of Moderatism, and in an Assembly, many of whose members gave the clearest possible proof that they were of the earth earthy. From then onwards many additions have been made to the Hymnal used in the Church of Scotland, each addition manifesting but little regard to the inspired manual of praise originally used by the Church of the Reformation in Scotland. In 1866 the same question began to agitate the Free Church of Scotland, and in 1872 the Assembly allowed the use in public worship of a collection of paraphrases and hymns presented to it that year.
In 1778, Dr. James Beattie, Professor of Moral Philosophy and Logic in Aberdeen University, and the author of the well-known essay on “Truth,” wrote to Dr. Hugh Blair of Edinburgh a letter dealing with congregational singing. In this letter he suggested that only good singers should sing in Church and that those who did not come into that class should remain silent. Here we find the origin of a trained choir as far as the Reformed and Presbyterian Church of Scotland is concerned. On the subject of instrumental music he is equally far astray from Scripture. He avers that the reasonableness of instrumental music in worship can be proved “from Scripture; from the general practice of Christians; from the constitution of the human mind; and from the very nature of the human voice, and of musical sound.” The result of these effusions on the part of the learned professor was seen in a more practical form than he ever thought would take place for many generations. In 1807 Dr. Ritchie, the minister of St. Andrew’s Church, Glasgow, and a few heads of families in his congregation, formed themselves into a Musical Association for the purpose of improving themselves in the art of sacred music. To help them they introduced a small organ, but in a short while the organ was introduced into the public worship in the Church on the Sabbath. That this was a determined effort to flout the laws of the Church and of the State is manifest from the facts that the Church of Scotland by its Confessions and Directories for Worship banned the use of instrumental music in public worship, that the State accepted these Standards, and, further, that the congregation of St. Andrew’s Church, through their minister, the previous year, unsuccessfully applied to the Magistrates of Glasgow for permission to remove certain seats in order to make room
for an organ which they intended to set up. At this stage the matter was taken up by the Glasgow Presbytery and came to an end, for the time being, by the minister of St. Andrew’s Church undertaking that the organ would not be used again in the church. Three very able papers appeared on the subject, as a result of the controversy: one by Dr. Ritchie himself, of course, defending the use of the organ; one by Dr. William Porteous of St. George’s Church, Glasgow, and one by Dr. James Begg of New Monkland, the father of the better-known Dr. James Begg of Newington Free Church, Edinburgh. The last two papers are masterpieces on the subject, and ought to be studied by everyone who wants to adhere to a scriptural form of public worship.
We find the next serious attempt to introduce ritualism into the Church of Scotland in 1857, when Old Greyfriars Church, Edinburgh, was re-opened. On that occasion the congregation, on the instructions of Dr. Robert Lee, their minister, knelt at prayer as in the Episcopal Church, stood at singing, and the minister read the prayers from a book of church services drawn up by himself. In a few years a harmonium was introduced and two years later a large organ was set up. At the time of his death Dr. Lee was engaged on a work, the first portion only of which he lived to publish. In this book he advocates liturgies, instrumental music, and the re-introduction of festivals and feasts, such as Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter. His innovations brought Dr. Lee to the bar of the Assembly and the controversy ceased only with his being struck down with paralysis on the day before the opening of the Assembly of 1867.
In the Free Church, ten years after the granting of permission for the use of uninspired hymns in public worship, the Assembly was faced with a clamour for the introduction of instrumental music. In 1883 permission was given, the Assembly declaring “that there is nothing in the Word of God, or in the constitution and laws of this Church, to preclude the use of instrumental music in public worship as an aid to vocal praise.” It is in connection with the sanctioning of uninspired hymns and instrumental music that Dr. Kennedy of Dingwall said that if these departures from the Constitution of the Free Church had Barrier Act legislation to support them it would have been enough to cause a separation.
As far back as 1866 we find the Synod of United Original Seceders taking notice of the progress of liturgical worship in the Established Church in their Acknowledgment of Sins for that year. The relevant part of the Statement is as follows: “Since 1853 matters have not improved in the Scottish Establishment. No measures have yet been adopted by its own judicatories or by the State for the removal of any of those evils which constrained
so many of its office-bearers and members, at the period of the Disruption, to withdraw from its pale. On the contrary, while all the grounds on which the Original Seceders separated from the Establishment still remain, new and in some respects, grosser evils are springing up within the latter. We allude to certain changes in the old Presbyterian forms of worship which have of late been introduced, more particularly to the use of instrumental music in celebrating the praises of God—a mode of conducting the services which was observed under the former ceremonial dispensation, but for which there is no warrant under the New Testament economy, and which the Church of Scotland has always condemned. This, along with the introduction of Liturgies, Popish symbols, and other innovations in the public worship of God, which are now taking place within the pale of the Established Church of Scotland, we must regard as serious steps of defection from her Reformation attainments, and as deeply affecting her character and prospects. Indeed, the tendency to ritualism which has for some time been manifesting itself among Protestants generally forms a marked characteristic and one of the most ominous signs of the present age.”
In our own time, in the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, uninspired hymns, instrumental music, and the observance of so-called holy days are the order of the day, while prescribed prayers out of a book are quite common, showing that the gulf between the Church of Scotland and Episcopacy is much more narrow than in the days of our forefathers, by taking back into public worship what they have cast out. In this connection it would be well to ponder seriously the words of George Gillespie: “Whatever indifference the ceremonies could be thought to have in their own nature, yet if it be considered how the Church of Scotland hath once been purged from them, and hath spued them out with detestation, and hath enjoyed the comfortable light and sweet beams of the glorious and bright shining gospel of Christ, without shadows and figures, then shall it appear that there is no indifference in turning back to weak and beggarly elements, Gal. v. 9. And thus saith Calvin of the ceremonies of the interim, that granting they were things in themselves indifferent, yet the restitution of them in those churches which were once purged from them, is no indifferent thing. Wherefore, O Scotland! ‘strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die,’ Rev. iii. 2. Remember also from whence thou are fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else thy candlestick will be quickly removed out of his place, except thou repent, Rev. ii. 5.”
—Dispute Against the English Popish Ceremonies.
Part IV. Chap. IX. Section 12.
Instrumental Music
By REV JAMES MACLEOD.
Is it Scriptural, or permissible to make use of instrumental music and hymns composed by man in the public or family worship of God under the present dispensation of the Gospel? This is a question that vexed, and troubled many pious minds for the best part of one thousand years! Is the Word of God silent on this question: or can we adduce from the writings of the Apostles (given us under the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit), that the Apostles, or their immediate successors ever made use of organs or man-made hymns in the worship of God? In the book of Revelation, chapter 18, verse 22, we read: “And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee.” That is a very remarkable passage which should cause us to ponder, and think seriously, and prayerfully, have we foreign elements in our worship that must be destroyed in God’s wrath against idolatry, and those who indulge, and practice what is unwarranted? Men must suffer untold misery, for daring, and presumptuously adding to, or taking from the Word, and worship of God. Are the Scriptures of the New Testament sufficient to guide, and enable us to worship God according to His purpose? If so we dare not add anything that is not clearly revealed to us in His own Word. We have the Word, and divine Ordinances of the New Testament, fully, and clearly defined. We have a direct reference in the chapter above mentioned in the book of Revelation, that all extraneous additions that men added to the service and worship of God shall be destroyed in the solemn, and terrible upheavals that will take place at that period in the world’s history. We have in that verse mention made of various instruments of music, and in all probability the “pipes” mentioned is what men called the “organ.” It is made of pipes adapted, and adjusted to make certain sounds. The “pipers” means those who can use the pipes, or trained to use the pipes. This upheaval was to take place at the final destruction of that great city Babylon—see verse 21 of the same chapter. We can rest satisfied that God will not destroy anything that He set apart, and appointed for His own glory, and for the benefit, and happiness of His people on this earth. The “musicians” are to be abolished with the harps, pipes, and trumpets! We all know that the worship conducted in the Roman, Greek, and in the most of the Protestant Churches is largely made up of musical instruments, and man-made song. Did God appoint, or authorise this form of worship in the New Testament Church? What He did not appoint is not
allowable, or permissible. One would think that it was very necessary, and laudable what Uzza did when he saw the oxen stumble that carried the Ark of God—Uzza put forth his hand to hold the Ark . . . And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and He smote him, because he put his hand to the Ark: and there he died before God. Here we see that God is not dependent in any way on man’s help. It was wrong on the part of Uzza to touch the Ark. Jehovah smote him! “There he died before God.” How terribly dangerous to add anything to the service, and worship of God not authorised.
The Holy Spirit did not, and could not omit anything that was necessary, and essential for the service of God. Did He mention, or refer to any sensuous instrumental music that was to be used in the worship of the New Testament Church? Doth the believer need the aid, or help of any external instrument more than the written Word of God in worshipping the Almighty God, through the High Priest of his profession? “Ye shall not add unto the Word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you” (Deut. iv. 2). And again, “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it” (Deut. xii. 32). The Lord’s people accept, and believe that the Second Commandment is a divine rule how they should worship God in strict accordance to His divine revealed will in His Word which reads, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them: for I the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments” (Exod. xx. 4-6). The Church of Rome in order to carry on her great blasphemy against God erased the Second Commandment from the Word of God, and divided the Tenth Commandment in order to retain the number ten. We know that the Papal Church is the great “Babylon” of the book of Revelation that shall be destroyed, with all her graven images, harps, pipes, trumpets, and musicians! It is by her gorgeous, and splendid music, and choirs that she draws thousands to her altar of worship. This is not the worship of God. It is the worship of devils. The Second Commandment must not on any account enter within the precinct of her temple: and Christ cannot be worshipped but through her prescribed “graven images.” What a synagogue of Satan this Church of Rome is—notwithstanding the splendour of her music and choirs! Indeed, the sensuous music of the Papal Church should cause the lovers of the true
worship of God to stop and think should choirs and this carnal display be tolerated for one moment, where the Most Holy God is worshipped?
Second: Can we trace in the history of the early Church (for many centuries) any instrumental music in the public worship of God? None! Why not if they were following the divine example of the Apostles in conducting the worship according to the rules and practice laid down by the Apostles? Would the people of God neglect, and object to the rule, and practice of the Apostles, if they had carried forward the musical instruments of the Temple worship of the Jewish Church? We know that the Apostles were very tender and careful not to hurt the feelings of their Jewish brethren that believed that Jesus was the Saviour. Is there any reference in the book of Acts that the Apostles made use of any of the ancient instruments of music that was a part of the ceremonial worship? None! We also know that the Jews were very musical, and therefore fond of music. We have many references to instrumental music, and the various kinds of instruments used in the Temple worship under the old economy, but the Holy Spirit is absolutely silent about them under the present dispensation of the Gospel. Very remarkable! Christ foretold His disciples: “He shall glorify me: for He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John xvi. 14). He (the Spirit) shewed them how to believe, worship, and follow Him as we read in Acts, and all the Epistles of the Apostles and in the account we have no mention of instrumental music! How significant! Now, let those who justify and adore musical instruments in the worship of God—”Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, said the King of Jacob” (Isa. xli. 21). We must on our part have chapter and verse from the Word of God that it is to the glory of God, and agreeable to His holy and pure nature to make use of choirs, musical instruments, a choir master, organ piper under our present dispensation of the Gospel. If the common practice cannot be proved from God’s Word it is sheer arrogance, and a grave danger of the sin of adding to the Word of God. We are well aware of the natural twisting, wriggling, and wrangling of men and women in this matter, but that is not our concern for our duty is to God, and our people to protect, and defend their minds and consciences against the attacks and insults they are subject to from ignorant and bold men and women who revel in the sensuous music of Papal Rome. Our people may rest assured in soul and conscience that the form of worship they are using in the Church and home is in strict accordance with the Word of God and the practice of the Apostles, and from that position and attitude let none of you ever move from it, whatever people say to the contrary.
Thirdly: Let us notice that the Reformers of Scotland did away in the 16th century with Papal organs and musical instruments of the monks, nuns and priests. They abolished the whole order and all that belonged to that graceless and wicked order. Their altars, images, organs and vain songs (they called them spiritual hymns); no doubt there was an evil spirit in all of it. The Word of God was restored to its proper place in the Church and home and the worship of God was conducted according to the New Testament mode of worship. The Pope, his nuns, and shaveling priests cast out—”And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; and said unto them that sold doves, take these hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise” (John ii. 15, 16). Here we see “Sales of Work” (“for a good cause”), the gambler’s table, and all the paraphernalia of Satan’s servants swept away, and upon this divine principle and example the Reformers acted when they removed the furniture of the gamblers of the Pope from the worship of God in Scotland—the organs, uninspired hymns, the Babylonish choirs. We read once of an organ they had in the city of Rome, and when the organ-piper would begin to tune its whistles the roar was so loud that the people thought it began to thunder! That suited the Romans of those days. Why then did the Protestant Church restore (We mean in Scotland) what the Reformers abolished from the churches in the 16th century? Unconverted men and women set up some form of idol that the senses can touch, feel, handle when they take up religion. They must see, otherwise they are lost, for to them “faith is not the substance of things hoped for, nor the evidence of things not seen.” Their “faith and hope” is feeling all the time—they can see the organ, hear the music, and take part in the roar of the instrument. All the music is in the head and tongue. Faith, hope, love, and spiritual understanding is not known, or required. The organ, music, and vain song called a hymn is soothing, and satisfying to the poor, miserable unregenerated, ignorant worshipper. The Holy Spirit alone can change all that in the heart and conscience of the poor, awakened sinner—He sends the sinner to the law and testimony of divine revelation. It is the Word of God that the Holy Spirit applies to the soul. When the Lord will make a scourge of small cords the “money changers” are driven out, and silenced. “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (I Cor. ii.). It is when the cause is low that “sheep, oxen, doves, and money changers” are found in the Temple of the Lord. When the cause is revived and men are raised to value and discern the
spiritual importance of the worship of God, the music and dancing of gamblers is cast out. “My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” See Mark xi. 17. When organs and choirs were first introduced into the Christian Church, whether it was the 9th or 13th century is immaterial, the cause of the Lord was low both in Europe and Asia, and it was the first sign of serious declension in the Free Church of Scotland when hymns and organs were re-introduced in the public worship, which the Reformers had cast out as worthless and sinful. The day will come, and the morning shall dawn on Scotland when “the voice of the harpers, and musicians, pipers, and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee” (Rev. 18). The voice of praise tuned by the Spirit of God to sing His praise shall be heard in city, town, and hamlet, converted boys and girls need no Romish choir, or man-made organs, and man-made hymns; the sweet songs of Zion will be heard arising from souls filled with the love of Christ whether in Church, walking the roads, working at your desk, or nursing your baby. Is that day far away? The Lord knows the time, day, and hour when that shall come. Come it will! We do believe in strict harmony in singing the praises of the Lord in the public worship. This part of the worship should be thoroughly cultivated and children carefully trained from early boyhood and girlhood to sing the praises of the Lord in unison, to produce that lovely harmony so that the leader of praise in the public assembly of His people could lead solemnly and harmoniously the congregation. As we have said, this requires thorough training from childhood to old age. There are men and women who are musical, and being gifted in that way could train those who are not so gifted. In this respect the “organ” that needs training are the vocal cords, the ear, and, above all, the understanding in order to value and appreciate this solemn part of the worship of God. It can be done, and should be done, and the neglect of it is not to the credit of any congregation or church.
As we have said, music is a special gift and should be cultivated for the glory of God and the good of His chosen. There is a man there and he is very gracious, godly, yea, saintly, of a meek and humble spirit, but his voice is so weak that the people could not hear the sounds of his vocal cords five yards away. Should he be asked to lead the praise of God in the congregation? No! The good and gracious man is not gifted or suited for leadership. He may manage in his own family circle, but not in a vast congregation of people. Here, common sense should, and must, be exercised as in all other parts of the divine worship. It is the abuse of the gift of music that we oppose, and not the “gift” itself. Men and women have abused the “gift” to the eternal grief and agony of their lost souls, in an undone eternity,
where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. The music hall singers for sordid gain, and their equally godless audiences, shall mourn forever for their hilarious madness in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone—which is the second death. We read of the place of woe that it is “weeping and wailing” and no “charming singers” there. When men and women sacrifice their undoubted gifts and talents to the devil and the flesh, they must bear the burden of their guilt forever.
That is to say, if they will not repent in mercy of sacrificing their gifts and talents to the devil. We have seen and heard excellent leaders of praise in our Church, to name a few of the most outstanding we ever heard, first in order: George MacLeod of Stornoway; Neil MacKinnon, Portree; John MacKenzie, Lochinver; Roderick MacLean of the Parish of Gairloch; Charles MacLean, Inverness—men who could lead vast congregations whether in the open field or in the church. What about “hymns”? Should hymns be used in the worship of God? No, never! The Bible is sufficient for the worship of God. The book of Psalms is divided into three parts: Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and there is no need for any human additions, or sentimental man-made hymns. When Moody preaches, Sankey sings, and there are great “conversions,” but their “newborn babes” die in the birth. What wickedness. “Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God” (Isa. lxvi. 9). My beloved friends, keep to the Word of God, read and study your Bibles all your days. It is like a diamond mine, the deeper you go the more precious the diamonds. Always pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your soul into the glorious riches hid from the godless and graceless world. Light, love, and mercy be with you forever and ever.