THE following from the Churchman we would commend to the consideration of the authors of a college production not a thousand miles from Oakland, as well as everywhere else. We are happy to state in this connection that the college papers of the Seventh-day Adventists are faithful exponents of the plan recommended. In proof of which we would call attention to the Students' Workshop of the Healdsburg College, Healdsburg, Cal.
“We notice with pleasure that the students in at least one of our great colleges are coming to be a little ashamed of the periodical literature which has heretofore been the chief literary exponent of collegiate life. They are beginning to see what their elders have seen with some impatience, that the triviality of college papers is of a dissipating character. No one objects to college fun, especially if it be the healthful outburst of animal life in momentary expression; but to print, week after week, the idle, foolish chatter of the college room, is to set before our fellows a very mean sort of literature. We do not expect collegians to be weighty in their wisdom, but they do themselves a wrong when they use the noble art of literature to give currency to twaddle, or, worse still, to feeble satire upon college officers. Why should not the thought of collegians try for a more honorable expression? Let them make their papers exponents of their best thought, not of their idlest. The practice in literature which a college paper affords is not to be despised. It is only the malpractice which right-minded people condemn. Make your papers as light as you will, we say to these literary youngsters, if lightness is your best, but remember that the most genuine light literature is that which gives light.”
Missionaries Arrive Safely in Australia
Australia.
A TELEGRAM from Sydney says: “We have arrived and are all well. We had a very pleasant voyage. Address us at Melbourne.”
Many prayers went with them, for their safe journey. And many prayers will follow them in the beginning of their work. Ps. 118:25.
For the information of all we state that the Australian mail left San Francisco June 6, and leaves every four weeks.
To England.
By the Review just received as we prepare for the press, we learn that the company who went to England had a pleasant and profitable trip. They scattered the publications, held Bible-readings and preaching services, and formed a number of pleasing acquaintances. We hope soon to receive tidings of their work in the Old World.
Zealous, but Ignorant.
By Editor
A MAN in Oshawa, Canada, writes a long communication to the Weekly Globe and Canada Farmer, giving an account of the work and “the death of Millerism.” Somebody has kindly sent us a copy of the paper. A couple of points are sufficient to show the extent of his knowledge of the subject of which he writes. He rehearses as a fact the long-ago and oft-exploded story that the believers in Mr. Miller’s theory prepared “ascension robes,” declaring that the story is true; and we know it is not true. The other point which we will notice will show to the satisfaction of every one that he is entirely ignorant of the matters of which he speaks. He says that Millerism flourished until April 15, 1843, when it died; and that the proclamation of the coming end of the world was greatly aided by “the grandest meteoric shower Canada and the Northern States ever saw.” And this he locates “on the 13th day of November, 1842.” This date with him is not an error of the pen, or a mistake of the printer; he states it deliberately, and describes the hard winter of 1842, following the falling of the stars. Now the winter of 1842–43 was a hard winter, just as he describes it, similar to last winter, but the stars fell in 1833, nine years before! We advise him to inquire of somebody who knows the truth about these things before he attempts to write their history again.
The Bad Boy.
By Editor
WHEN we ride on the cars a volume is thrust into our faces, and we are invited to buy “Peck’s Bad Boy.” Walking the street, a card is handed to us with an invitation to go to the theater, to see the “Bad Boy” performed by a comedy company. We do not suppose our protest will do any good, but we do protest against this raid upon the public by “Peck’s Bad Boy.” To tell the naked truth, bad boys are no novelty in California. We do not have to read a book nor go to the theater to become acquainted with their ways. We only wish that Peck lived in San Francisco, and that he were obliged to walk a nightly round on “Tar Flat,” or the “Barbary Coast,” or “Bryant Street,” and we feel assured that he would be glad to forget that bad boys have an existence.
And we believe that it would be to the interest of juvenile morality if Peck’s bad book were entirely suppressed. There are plenty of boys, not only in San Francisco and Milwaukee, but all through the country, who think that it is funny and smart to become notorious as bad boys, and this demoralizing bad book of Peck’s is not only strengthening them in their belief, but the patronage given to the book by those who ought to know better, is leading scores of tolerably good boys to believe that they have been losing youth’s best opportunities in not developing into bad boys. In their efforts to be good they have entirely failed to become as popular as the bad boy; and most children love to be popular—they love to be admired, and what so pleasing to human nature as to be a bad boy if thereby one can be praised and admired? We hope that parents will consider well before they let copies of this pernicious book fall into the hands of their children. Religious papers ought to warn them against it. All children should be taught that “practical jokes” are both cruel and wicked.
We must be excused; we shall not buy the book, nor shall we go to the theater to see the pranks of any bad boy. We have no admiration for bad boys nor their ways. We see them on the streets only too frequently.
Short Musical Notes.
THERE are two ideas of time in the execution of tunes: the first respects the relative length of sounds in the same tune; the second has respect to manner of executing the tune as a whole—whether slowly or rapidly. It is generally conceded that time is an important factor in all music, either vocal or instrumental, where a number of performers are required. There is really no music made by a choir or a congregation where time is not observed; there is only a medley of discordant sounds. This is one method of murdering (instead of executing) a tune.
The object of church music being to give expression to words, there must not only be a correspondence between the words and the music, but the time must be suitable to both. It is a great mistake to suppose that a tune sung slowly is necessarily “dragged,” and it is a mistake to suppose that church music sung rapidly is necessarily “artistic.” We remember hearing a piece of Sabbath-school music begun in quick time, and the leader cried “faster!” and he led the way in a gallop, so rapidly that it was not possible for the singers to distinctly articulate the words. Such singing is as far as can be from giving proper expression to the words. If there was any devotional feeling at the outset, it was dissipated before many lines were sung.
And it is an error to suppose that in order to be artistic a tune must be sung in staccato style. There is comparatively little church music that requires that style in a marked degree; while there is much that must be sung in a smooth, flowing style, to do it justice. No mere musician—that is, one who has studied music alone—is fit to lead in church music; he must be a student in language, in expression, to do justice to sacred verse. Even the different parts of a verse may require different styles as to time; but here another error must be guarded against: changes from fast to slow or slow to fast must not be too violently made.
And yet one more error we will notice. It is that of supposing that the same tune or the same words have a fixed time from which they cannot be varied. A quartette, or a company of six to ten singers, may sing a piece more rapidly than sixty or a hundred could sing the same piece. It would be quite proper for a few performers to sing a piece in the time which would utterly spoil that piece if sung by a large congregation. A leader must possess judgment, and understand the material he has to handle.
Speaking of tunes, we would remark that there are few tunes as useful—as capable of varied execution—as Arlington. A judicious leader with a sensible company of singers can make of it just what he pleases. He can suit it to a funeral or a jubilee. But this requires skill and taste.