ANCIENT CHRISTIAN WRITERS
AQUINAS "Our church does not use musical instruments, as harps
and psalteries, to praise God withal, that she may not seem to Judaize."
(Thomas Aquinas, Bingham's Antiquities, Vol. 3, page 137)
AUGUSTINE "musical instruments were not used. The pipe, tabret,
and harp here associate so intimately with the sensual heathen cults, as
well as with the wild revelries and shameless performances of the degenerate
theater and circus, it is easy to understand the prejudices against their
use in the worship." (Augustine 354 A.D., describing the singing at
Alexandria under Athanasius)
CHRYSOSTOM "David formerly sang songs, also today we sing hymns.
He had a lyre with lifeless strings, the church has a lyre with living
strings. Our tongues are the strings of the lyre with a different tone
indeed but much more in accordance with piety. Here there is no need for
the cithara, or for stretched strings, or for the plectrum, or for art,
or for any instrument; but, if you like, you may yourself become a cithara,
mortifying the members of the flesh and making a full harmony of mind and
body. For when the flesh no longer lusts against the Spirit, but has submitted
to its orders and has been led at length into the best and most admirable
path, then will you create a spiritual melody." (Chrysostom, 347-407,
Exposition of Psalms 41, (381-398 A.D.) Source Readings in Music History,
ed. O. Strunk, W. W. Norton and Co.: New York, 1950, pg. 70.)
CLEMENT "Leave the pipe to the shepherd, the flute to the men who
are in fear of gods and intent on their idol worshipping. Such musical
instruments must be excluded from our wingless feasts, for they arc more
suited for beasts and for the class of men that is least capable of reason
than for men. The Spirit, to purify the divine liturgy from any such unrestrained
revelry chants: 'Praise Him with sound of trumpet," for, in fact,
at the sound of the trumpet the dead will rise again; praise Him with harp,'
for the tongue is a harp of the Lord; 'and with the lute. praise Him.'
understanding the mouth as a lute moved by the Spirit as the lute is by
the plectrum; 'praise Him with timbal and choir,' that is, the Church awaiting
the resurrection of the body in the flesh which is its echo; 'praise Him
with strings and organ,' calling our bodies an organ and its sinews strings,
for front them the body derives its Coordinated movement, and when touched
by the Spirit, gives forth human sounds; 'praise Him on high-sounding cymbals,'
which mean the tongue of the mouth which with the movement of the lips,
produces words. Then to all mankind He calls out, 'Let every spirit praise
the Lord,' because He rules over every spirit He has made. In reality,
man is an instrument arc for peace, but these other things, if anyone concerns
himself overmuch with them, become instruments of conflict, for inflame
the passions. The Etruscans, for example, use the trumpet for war; the
Arcadians, the horn; the Sicels, the flute; the Cretans, the lyre; the
Lacedemonians, the pipe; the Thracians, the bugle; the Egyptians, the drum;
and the Arabs, the cymbal. But as for us, we make use of one instrument
alone: only the Word of peace by whom we a homage to God, no longer with
ancient harp or trumpet or drum or flute which those trained for war employ."
(Clement of Alexandria, 190AD The instructor, Fathers of the church, p.
130)
CLEMENT "Moreover, King David the harpist, whom we mentioned just
above, urged us toward the truth and away from idols. So far was he from
singing the praises of daemons that they were put to flight by him with
the true music; and when Saul was Possessed, David healed him merely by
playing the harp. The Lord fashioned man a beautiful, breathing instrument,
after His own imaged and assuredly He Himself is an all-harmonious instrument
of God, melodious and holy, the wisdom that is above this world, the heavenly
Word." … "He who sprang from David and yet was before him, the
Word of God, scorned those lifeless instruments of lyre and cithara. By
the power of the Holy Spirit He arranged in harmonious order this great
world, yes, and the little world of man too, body and soul together; and
on this many-voiced instruments of the universe He makes music to God,
and sings to the human instrument. "For thou art my harp and my pipe
and my temple"(Clement of Alexandria, 185AD, Readings p. 62)
ERASMUS "We have brought into our churches certain operatic and
theatrical music; such a confused, disorderly chattering of some words
as I hardly think was ever in any of the Grecian or Roman theatres. The
church rings with the noise of trumpets, pipes, and dulcimers; and human
voices strive to bear their part with them. Men run to church as to a theatre,
to have their ears tickled. And for this end organ makers are hired with
great salaries, and a company of boys, who waste all their time learning
these whining tones." (Erasmus, Commentary on I Cor. 14:19)
EUSEBIUS "Of old at the time those of the circumcision were worshipping
with symbols and types it was not inappropriate to send up hymns to God
with the psalterion and cithara and to do this on Sabbath days... We render
our hymn with a living psalterion and a living cithara with spiritual songs.
The unison voices of Christians would be more acceptable to God than any
musical instrument. Accordingly in all the churches of God, united in soul
and attitude, with one mind and in agreement of faith and piety we send
up a unison melody in the words of the Psalms." (commentary on Psalms
91:2-3)
MARTYR "Simply singing is not agreeable to children (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." (Justin Martyr, 139 AD)
MARTYR The use of music was not received in the Christian churches,
as it was among the Jew, in their infant state, but only the use of plain
song." (Justin Martyr, 139 AD)
ALZOG "St. Ambrose and St. Gregory rendered great service to church
music by the introduction of what are known as the Ambrosian and Gregorian
chants.... Ecclesiastical chant, departing in some instances from the simple
majesty of its original character, became more artistic, and, on this account,
less heavenly and more profane; and the Fathers of the Church were not
slow to censure this corruption of the old and honored church song. Finally,
the organ, which seemed an earthly echo of the angelic choirs in heaven,
added its full, rich, and inspiring notes to the beautiful simplicity of
the Gregorian chant" (Alzog, Catholic Scholar, Church Historian of
the University of Freiburg and champion of instrumental music in worship,
was faithful to his scholarship when he wrote, Universal Church History,
Vol. 1, pp. 696, 697).
AMERICAN "Pope Vitalian is related to have first introduced organs
into some of the churches of Western Europe about 670 but the earliest
trustworthy account is that of one sent as a present by the Greek emperor
Constantine Copronymus to Pepin, king of Franks in 755" (American
Encyclopedia, Volume 12, p. 688).
BARCLAY "If God is spirit a man's gifts to God music gifts of the
spirit. Animal sacrifices and all manmade things become inadequate. The
only gifts that befit the nature of God are the gifts of the spirit - love,
loyalty, obedience, devotion" (W. Barclay, The Gospel of John, Vol.
1, p. 161).
BARNES "Psallo … is used, in the New Testament, only in Rom. 15:9
and 1 Cor. 14:15, where it is translated sing; in James 5:13, where it
is rendered sing psalms, and in the place before us. The idea here is that
of singing in the heart, or praising God from the heart" (Albert Barnes,
a Presbyterian, Notes on The Testament, comment on Eph. 5:19).
BENEDICT "In my earliest intercourse among this people, congregational
singing generally prevailed among them. . . . The Introduction Of The Organ
Among The Baptist. 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 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."
(Benedict, Baptist historian, Fifty Years Among Baptist, page 204-207)
BEZA "If the apostle justly prohibits the use of unknown tongues
in the church, much less would he have tolerated these artificial musical
performances which are addressed to the ear alone, and seldom strike the
understanding even of the performers themselves." (Theodore Beza,
scholar of Geneva, Girardeau's Instrumental Music, p. 166)
BINGHAM "Music in churches is as ancient as the apostles, but instrumental
music not so . . . The use of the instrumental, indeed, is much ancienter,
but not in church service. . . In the Western parts, the instrument, as
not so much as known till the eighth century; for the first organ that
was ever seen in France was one sent as a present to King Pepin by Constantinus
Copronymus, the Greek emperor. . . . But, now, it was only, used in princes
courts, and not yet brought into churches; nor was it ever received into
the Greek churches, there being no mention of an organ in all their liturgies
ancient or modern." (Joseph Bingham, Works, London Edition. Vol. 11,
p. 482-484)
BINGHAM "Music in churches is as ancient as the apostles, but instrumental
music not so." (Joseph Bingham, Church of England, Works, vol. 3,
page 137)
BURNEY "After the most diligent inquire concerning the time when
instrumental music had admission into the ecclesiastical service, there
is reason to conclude, that, before the reign of Constantine, ;is the converts
to the Christian religion were subject to frequent persecution and disturbance
in their devotion, the rise of instruments could hardly have been allowed:
and by all that can be collected from the writings of the primitive Christians,
they seem never to have been admitted." (Charles Burney, A general
history of Music, 1957, p. 426)
CALVIN "Musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would
be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting of lamps,
and the restoration of the other shadows of the law. The Papists therefore,
have foolishly borrowed, this, as well as many other things, from the Jews.
Men who are fond of outward pomp may delight in that noise; but the simplicity
which God recommends to us by the apostles is far more pleasing to him.
Paul allows us to bless God in the public assembly of the saints, only
in a known tongue (I Cor. 14:16) What shall we then say of chanting, which
fills the ears with nothing but an empty sound?" (John Calvin, Commentary
on Psalms 33)
CATHOLIC "Although Josephus tells of the wonderful effects produced
in the Temple by the use of instruments, the first Christians were of too
spiritual a fibre to substitute lifeless instruments for or to use them
to accompany the human voice. Clement of Alexandria severely condemns the
use of instruments even at Christian banquets. St. Chrysostum sharply contrasts
the customs of the Christians when they had full freedom with those of
the Jews of the Old Testament." (Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 10, pg.
648-652.)
CATHOLIC "For almost a thousand years Gregorian chant, without
any instrumental or harmonic addition was the only music used in connection
with the liturgy. The organ, in its primitive and rude form, was the first,
and for a long time the sole, instrument used to accompany the chant….
The church has never encouraged and at most only tolerated the use of instruments.
She enjoins in the 'Caeremonials Episcoporum', - that permission for their
use should first be obtained from the ordinary. She holds up as her ideal
the unaccompanied chant, and polyphonic, a-capella style. The Sistene Chapel
has not even an organ."" (Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 10, pg.
657-688.)
CATHOLIC "We need not shrink from admitting that candles, like
incense and lustral water, were commonly employed in pagan worship and
the rites paid to the dead. But the Church, from a very early period, took
them into her service, just as she adopted many other things indifferent
in themselves, which seemed proper to enhance the splendor of religious
ceremony. We must not forget that most of these adjuncts to worship, like
music, lights, perfumes, ablutions, floral decorations, canopies, fans,
screens, bells, vestments, etc. were not identified with any idolatrous
cult in particular but they were common to almost all cults." (Catholic
Encyclopedia, Vol. III, pg. 246.)
CHAMBERS "The organ is said to have been first introduced into
church music by Pop Vitalian in 666. In 757, a great organ was sent as
a present to Pepin by the Byzantine Emperor, Constantine, and placed in
the church St. Corneille as Compiegne." (Chambers Encyclopedia, Vol
7, p. 112)
CLARKE "But were it even evident, which it is not, either from
this or any other place in the sacred writings, that instruments of music
were prescribed by divine authority under the law, could this be adduced
with any semblance of reason, that they ought to be used in Christian worship?
No; the whole spirit, soul, and genius of the Christian religion are against
this; and those who know the Church of God best, and what constitutes its
genuine spiritual state, know that these things have been introduced as
a substitute for the life and power of religion; and that where they prevail
most, there is least of the power of Christianity. Away with such portentous
baubles from the worship of that infinite Spirit who requires His followers
to worship Him in spirit and truth, for to no such worship are these instruments
friendly." (Adam Clarke (Methodist), Clarke's Commentary, Methodist,
Vol. II, pp. 690-691.)
CLARKE "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."
(Adam Clark, Methodist)
COLEMAN "The tendency of this (instrumental music) was to secularize
the music of the church, and to encourage singing by a choir. Such musical
accompaniments were gradually introduced; but they can hardly be assigned
to a period earlier than the fifth and sixth centuries. Organs were unknown
in church until the eighth or ninth centuries. Previous to this, they had
their place in the theater, rather than in the church. they were never
regarded with favor in the Eastern church, and were vehemently opposed
in many places in the West." (Lyman Coleman, a Presbyterian, Primitive
Church, p. 376-377)
CONYBEARE "Throughout the whole passage there is a contrast implied
between the Heathen and the Christian practice… When you meet, let your
enjoyment consist not in fullness of wine, but fullness of the spirit;
let your songs be, not the drinking songs of heathen feasts, but psalms
and hymns; and their accompaniment, not the music of the lyre, but the
melody of the heart; while you sing them to the praise, not of Bacchus
or Venus, but of the Lord Jesus Christ" (Conybeare and Howson, Life
and Times of the Apostle Paul, comment on Eph. 5:19).
DICKINSON "While the Greek and Roman songs were metrical, the Christian
psalms were anitphons, prayers, responses, etc., were unmetrical; and while
the pagan melodies were always sung to an instrumental accompaniment, the
church chant was exclusively vocal" (Edward Dickinson, History of
Music, p. 54)
DICKINSON "In view of the controversies over the use of instrumental
music in worship, which have been so violent in the British and American
Protestant churches, it is an interesting question whether instruments
were employed by the primitive Christians. We know that instruments performed
an important function in the Hebrew temple service and in the ceremonies
of the Greeks. At this point, however, a break was made with all previous
practice, and although the lyre and flute were sometimes employed by the
Greek converts, as a general rule the use of instruments in worship was
condemned." … "Many of the fathers, speaking of religious songs,
made no mention of instruments; others, like Clement of Alexandria and
St. Chrysostom, refer to them only to denounce them. Clement says, "Only
one instrument do we use, viz. the cord of peace wherewith we honor God,
no longer the old psaltery, trumpet, drum, and flute." Chrysostom
exclaims: "David formerly sang in psalms, also we sing today with
him; he had a lyre with lifeless strings, the church has a lyre with living
strings. Our tongues are the strongs of the lyre, with a different tone,
indeed, but with a more accordant piety." St. Ambrose expresses his
scorn for those who would play the lyre and psaltery instead of singing
hymns and psalms; and St. Augustine adjures believers not to turn their
hearts to theatrical instruments. The religious guides of the early Christian
felt that there would be an incongruity, and even profanity, in the use
of the sensuous nerve-exciting effects of instrumental sound in their mystical,
spiritual worship. Their high religious and moral enthusiasm needed no
aid from external strings; the pure vocal utterance as the more proper
expression of their faith." (Edward Dickinson, Music in the History
of the Western Church, p. 54, 55)
FESSENDEN "This species. which is the most natural, is to be considered
to have existed before any other... Instrumental music is also of very
ancient date, its invention being ascribed to Tubal, the sixth descendant
from Cain. The instrumental music was not practiced by the primitive Christians,
but was an aid to devotion of later times, is evident from church history.
(Fessenden's Encyclopedia of Art and Music, p. 852)
FINNEY "The early Christians refused to have anything to do with
the instrumental music which they might have inherited from the ancient
world." (Theodore Finney, A History of Music, 1947, p. 43)
FISHER "Church music, which at the outset consisted mainly of the
singing of psalms, flourished especially in Syria and at Alexandria. The
music was very simple in its character. There was some sort of alternate
singing in the worship of Christians, as is described by Pliny. The introduction
of antiphonal singing at Antioch is ascribed by tradition to Ignatius ...
The primitive church music was choral and congregational." (George
Park Fisher, Yale Professor, History of the Christian Church, p. 65, 121)
FULLER "The history of the church during the first three centuries
affords many instances of primitive Christians engaging in singing, but
no mention, (that I recollect) is made of instruments. (If my memory does
not deceive me) it originated in the dark ages of popery, when almost every
other superstition was introduced. At present, it is most used and where
the least regard is paid to primitive simplicity." (Andrew Fuller,
Baptist, Complete works of Andre Fuller, Vol 3, P. 520, 1843)
GARRISON "There is no command in the New
Testament, Greek or English, commanding the use of the instrument. Such
a command would be entirely out of harmony with the New Testament."
(J.H. Garrison, Christian Church)
GIRADEAU "The church, although lapsing more and more into deflection
from the truth and into a corrupting of apostolic practice, had not instrumental
music for 1200 years (that is, it was not in general use before this time);
The Calvinistic Reform Church ejected it from its service as an element
of popery, even the church of England having come very nigh its extrusion
from her worship. It is heresy in the sphere of worship." (John Giradeau,
Presbyterian professor in Columbia Theological Seminary, Instrumental Music,
p. 179)
HASTING If instrumental music was not part of early Christian worship,
when did it become acceptable? Several reference works will help us see
the progression of this practice among churches: "Pope Vitalian introduced
an organ in the church in the seventh century to aid the singing but it
was opposed and was removed." (James Hasting, Encyclopedia of Religion
and Ethics.)
HUMPHREYS "One of the features which distinguishes the Christian
religion from almost all others is its quietness; it aims to repress the
outward signs of inward feeling. Savage instinct, and the religion of Greece
also, had employed the rhythmic dance and all kinds of gesticulatory notions
to express the inner feelings . . . The early Chrisitians discouraged all
outward signs of excitement, and from the very beginning, in the music
they used, reproduced the spirit of their religion-an inward quietude.
All the music employed in their early services was vocal." (Frank
Landon Humphreys, Evolution of Church Music, p. 42)
KILLEN "It is not, therefore, strange that instrumental music was
not, heard in their congregational services..... In the early church the
whole congregation joined in the singing, but instrumental music did not
accompany the praise" (W. D. Killen, The Ancient Church, pp. 193,
423).
KNOX "a kist (chest) of whistles." (John
Knox, Presbyterian, in reference to the organ)
KURTZ "At first the church music was simple, artless, recitative.
But rivalry of heretics forced the orthodox church to pay greater attention
to the requirements of art. Chrysostom had to declaim against the secularization
of church music. More lasting was the opposition to the introduction of
instrumental music." (John Kurtz, Lutheran Scholar, Church History,
Vol 1, p. 376)
LANG "All our sources deal amply with vocal music of the church,
but they are chary with mention of any other manifestations of musical
art . . . The development of Western music was decisively influenced by
the exclusion of musical instruments from the early Christian Church."
(Paul Henry Lang, Music in Western Civilization, p. 53-54)
LEICHTENTRITT "The Biblical precept to "sing" the psalms,
not merely recite, them, was obeyed literally, as is testified by many
statements in the writings of the saints. Pope Leo I, who lived about 450,
expressly related that "the Psalms of David arc piously sung everywhere
in the Church." Only singing however, and no playing of instruments,
was permitted in the early Christian Church. In this respect the Jewish
tradition was not continued. In the earlier Jewish temple service many
instruments mentioned in-the Bible had been used. But instrumental music
had been thoroughly discredited in the meantime by the lascivious Greek
and Roman virtuoso music of the later ages, and it appeared unfit for the
divine service. The aulos was held in especial abhorrence, whereas some
indulgence was granted to the lyre and cithara, permitted by some saints
at least for private worship, though not in church services. It is interesting
to note that the later Jewish temple service has conformed to the early
Christian practice and, contrary to Biblical tradition, has banned all
instruments. Orthodox Jewish synagogues now object even to the use of the
organ. (Hugo Leichtentritt, Music, History and Ideas, Howard University
Press: Cambridge, 1958, p 34)
LONDON (London Encyclopedia says the organ is said to have been first
introduced into church music in about 658AD.)
LORENZ "Yet there was little temptation to undue elaboration of
hymnody or music. The very spirituality of the new faith made ritual or
liturgy superfluous and music almost unnecessary. Singing (there was no
instrumental accompaniment) was little more than a means of expressing
in a practicable, social way, the common faith and experience. . . . The
music was purely vocal. There was no instrumental accompaniment of any
kind. . . . It fell under the ban of the Christian church, as did all other
instruments, because of its pagan association" (E. S. Lorenz, Church
Music, pp. 217, 250, 404)
LUTHER "The organ in the worship Is the insignia of Baal… The Roman
Catholic borrowed it from the Jews." (Martin Luther, Mcclintock &
Strong's Encyclopedia Volume VI, page 762)
MCCLINTOCK "The general introduction of instrumental music can
certainly not be assigned to a date earlier than the 5th and
6th centuries; yea, even Gregory the Great, who towards the
end of the 6th century added greatly to the existing church
music, absolutely prohibited the use of instruments. Several centuries
later the introduction of the organ in sacred service gave the place to
instruments as accompaniments for Christian song, and from that time to
this they have been freely used with few exceptions. The first organ is
believed to have been used in the Church service in the 13th
century. Organs were however, in use before this in the theater. They were
never regarded with favor in the Eastern Church, and were vehemently opposed
in some of the Western churches." (McClintock and Strong, Cyclopaedia
of Biblical Literature, Vol 6, p. 759)
MCCLINTOCK Sir John Hawkins, following the Romanish writers in his erudite
work on the history of music, made Pope Vitalian, in A.D. 660, the first
who introduced organs into the churches. But students of ecclesiastical
archaeology are generally agreed that instrumental music was not used in
churches till a much later date; for Thomas Aquinas [Catholic Scholar in
1250 A.D.] has these remarkable words, 'Our church does not use musical
instruments, as harps and psalteries, to praise God withal, that she may
seem not to Judaize.'" (McClintock and Strong, Encyclopedia of Biblical
Literature, Vol. 6, Harper and Brothers, New York, 1894, pg. 762.)
MCCLINTOCK "The Greek word 'psallo' is applied among the Greeks
of modern times exclusively to sacred music, which in the Eastern Church
has never been any other than vocal, instrumental music being unknown in
that church, as it was in the primitive church." (McClintock &
Strong, Vol. 8, p. 739).
NAUMAN "There can be no doubt that originally the music of the
divine service was every where entirely of a vocal nature." (Emil
Nauman, The History of Music. Vol. I, p. 177)
NEITHENINGTON (Exclusion of instrumental music from the church of England
passed by only one vote in 1562, according to Neithenington's: History
Of The Westminster Assembly Of Divines, p. 20)
NEWMAN "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
or . . . 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 cf. p. 88) 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.(Albert Henry Newman, A History of the Baptist Churches in the
United States, American Baptist Publication Society 1915, p. 207, 255)
NICETA "It is time to turn to the New Testament to confirm what
is said in the Old, and, particularly, to point out that the office of
psalmody is not to be considered abolished merely because many other observances
of the Old Law have fallen into disuse. Only the corporal institutions
have been rejected, like circumcision, the Sabbath, sacrifices, discrimination
of foods. So, too, the trumpets, harps, cymbals, and timbrels. For the
sound of these we now have a better substitute in the music from the mouths
of men. The daily ablutions, the new-moon observances, the careful inspection
of leprosy are completely past and gone, along with whatever else was necessary
only for a time - as it were, for children." (Niceta, a bishop of
Remesian or Yugoslavia)
PAHLEN "These chants - and the word chant (and not music) is used
advisedly, for many centuries were to pass before instruments accompanied
the sung melodies." (Kurt Pahlen, Music of the World, p. 27)
PAPADOPOULOS "The execution of Byzantine church music by instruments,
or even the accompaniment of sacred chanting by instruments, was ruled
out by the Eastern Fathers as being incompatible with the pure, solemn,
spiritual character of the religion of Christ. The Fathers of the church,
in accordance with the example of psalmodizing of our Savior and the ho
ly Apostles, established that only vocal music be used in the churches
and severely forbade instrumental music as being secular and hedonic, and
in general as evoking pleasure without spiritual value" (G. I. Papadopoulos,
A Historical Survey of Byzantine Ecclesiastical Music (in Greek), Athens,
1904, pp. 10, II).
POSEY "For years the Baptists fought the introduction of instrumental
music into the churches...Installation of the organ brought serious difficulties
in many churches" (Wm. B. Posey, Baptist, The Baptist Church In The
Lower Mississippi Valley).
PRESBYTERIAN "Question 6. Is there any authority for instrumental
music in the worship of God under the present dispensation? Answer. Not
the least, only the singing of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs was
appointed by the apostles; not a syllable is said in the New Testament
in favor of instrumental music nor was it ever introduced into the Church
until after the eighth century, after the Catholics had corrupted the simplicity
of the gospel by their carnal inventions. It was not allowed in the Synagogues,
the parish churches of the Jews, but was confined to the Temple service
and was abolished with the rites of that dispensation." (Questions
on the Confession of Faith and Form of Government of The Presbyterian Church
in the United States of America, published by the Presbyterian Board of
Publications, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1842, pg. 55.)
PRATT "The, First Christian Songs. - Singing in public and private
worship was a matter of course for the early Christians. For Jewish converts
this was a continuance of synagogue customs, but since the Church grew
mostly among non-Jews, the technical forms employed were more Greek than
Hebrew. The use of instruments was long resisted, because of their association
with pagan sensuality." (Waldo Selden Pratt, The History of Music,
1935, p. 64)
RIDDLE "In the first ages of the Christian church the psalms of
David were always chanted or sung. In the Apostolic Constitutions (Book
II, P. 57), we find it laid down an a rule that one of those officiating
ministers should chant or sing psalms or David, and that the people should
join by repeating the ends of the verses. The instruments of music were
introduced into the Christians church in the ninth century. There were
unknown alike to the early church and to all ancients. The large wind organ
was known, however, long before it was introduced into the churches of
the west. The first organ used in worship was one which was received by
Charlemagne in France as a present from the Emperor Constantine.' (J.E.
Riddle, Christian Antiquities, p. 384)
RITTER "We have no real knowledge of the exact character of the
music which formed a part of the religious devotion of the first Christian
congregations. It was, however purely vocal." (Frederic Louis Ritter,
History of Music from the Christian Era to the Present Time, p. 28)
ROBERTSON "The word (psalleto) originally meant to play on a stringed
instrument (Sir. 9:4), but it comes to be used also for singing with the
voice and heart (Eph. 5:19; 1 Cor. 14:15), making melody with the heart
also to the Lord" (A. T. Robertson, Baptist Greek scholar, Baptist
Studies in the Nestle James, comment on James 5:13)
SCHAFF "The use of organs in churches is ascribed to Pope Vitalian
(657-672). Constantine Copronymos sent an organ with other presents to
King Pepin of France in 767. Charlemagne received one as a present from
the Caliph Haroun al Rashid, and had it put up in the cathedral of Aixia-Chapelle...
The attitude of the churches toward the organ varies. It shared, to some
extent, the fate of images, except that it never was an object of worship...
The Greek church disapproved the use of organs. The Latin church introduced
it pretty generally, but not without the protest of eminent men, so that
even in the Council of Trent a motion was made, though not carried, to
prohibit the organ at least in the mass." (Philip Schaff, History
of the Christian Church, Vol. 4, pg. 439.)
SHAFF "The first organ certainly known to exist and be used in
a church was put in the cathedral at Aix-la-chapel by the German emperor,
Charlemange, who came to the throne in 768AD. It met with great opposition
among the Romanists, especially among the monks, and that it made its was
but slowly into common use. So great was the opposition even as late as
the 16th century that it would have been abolished by the council
of Trent but for the influence of the Emperor Ferdinand…. In the Greek
church the organ never came into use... The Reform church discarded it;
and though the church of Basel very early introduced it, it was in other
places admitted only sparingly and after long hesitation." (Shaff-Herzog
Encyclopedia, Vol 2, p. 1702)
SCHAFF "It is questionable whether, as used in the New Testament,
'psallo' means more than to sing . . . The absence of instrumental music
from the church for some centuries after the apostles and the sentiment
regarding it which pervades the writing, the fathers are unaccountable,
if in the apostolic church such music was used" (Schaff-Herzog, Vol.
3, p. 961).
SCHAFF "In the Greek church the organ never came into use. But
after the 8th century it became more and more common in the
Latin church; not without opposition from the side of the monks."
(Schaff-Herzogg Encyclopedia, Vol 10, p. 657-658)
SHAFF (new) "The custom of organ accompaniment did not become general
among Protestants until the eighteenth century." (The New Shaff-Herzogg
Encyclopedia, 1953, Vol 10, p. 257)
SPURGEON "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." (Commentary on Psalms 42:4) "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."
(Spurgeon preached to 20,000 people every Sunday for 20 years in the Metropolitan
Baptist Tabernacle and never were mechanical instruments of music used
in his services. When asked why, he quoted 1st Corinthians 14:15. "I
will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also;
I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also."
He then declared: "I would as soon pray to God with machinery as to
sing to God with machinery." (Charles H. Spurgeon, Baptist)
SPURGEON "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...
'Praise the Lord with 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. That
would hinder rather than help our praise. Sing unto him. This is the sweetest
and best music. No instrument is like the human voice." (Charles Spurgeon
(Baptist), Commentary on Psalm 42.)
TAPPER "Both sexes joined in singing, but instruments of every
kind were prohibited for along time" (Thomas Tapper, Essentials of
Music History, p. 34)
THEODORET "107. Question: If songs were invented by unbelievers
to seduce men, but were allowed to those under the law on account of their
childish state, why do those who have received the perfect teaching of
grace in their churches still use songs, just like the children under the
law? Answer: It is not simple singing that belongs to the childish state,
but singing with lifeless instruments, with dancing, and with clappers.
Hence the use of such instruments and the others that belong to the childish
state is excluded from the singing in the churches, and simple singing
is left." (Theodoret, a bishop of Cyrhus in Syria, Questions and Answers
for the Orthodox)
WELIESZ "So far as we can tell the music of the early Church was
almost entirely vocal, Christian usage following in this particular the
practice of the Synagogue, in part for the same reasons." (New Oxford
History of Music, Vol 1, Egon Weliesz, 1957, p. 30)
WESLEY 'I have no objection to instruments of music in our worship,
provided they are neither seen nor heard." (John Wesley, founder of
Methodism, quoted in Adam Clarke's Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 685)