XXXII. The Songs of Radiant Acquiescence.. 352 XXXIII. The Songs of the Happy Workers.. 359 XXXIV. The Songs of the Noble Great...... 375 XXXV. The Songs of the Blessed Visionaries 391 INTRODUCTION NE day I was enjoying a walk through one of the several rich resident districts of Cleveland, Ohio. It was late spring-time and every home had its own entrancing surroundings of trees, shrubs, lawns and exquisite flowers. Enchantment of all the senses was in the air. One seemed to be in fairyland. Suddenly, I turned into a less pretentious street. In a moment my eyes fell upon a hedge of bridal wreath in full bloom. The surroundings were commonplace, compared with what I had just been enjoying, yet, instinctively my heart cried out at the glorious beauty of this simple flower: How wonderfully it sings its song of praise to God. And with a force that was startling in its power and suddenness there sprang into my innermost being the idea: All Nature sings its heart out to God during its life. Why cannot man do the same? I felt he could-therefore, he should do so, and then and there the title and purpose of this book was born: Singing through Life with God. Too long has there been the idea in the minds of men that all song offered to God must be purely formal, stately, solemn, grand, of the dignified type -chorals, hymns, oratorios, masses, and the likeand that thanksgiving must also be in formal, set, solemn and dignified terms. Why? Is it not because of the reflex action of the paltry littleness of the human mind that it attributes to all powers above it the smallnesses of itself? Kings, queens, emperors, princes, the autocracy of earth, require pomp and ceremony, the constant and perpetual bowing-down of men's bodies, and the mean and servile subserviency of their souls in order that their own greatness, dignity and power may be recognized. Hence, in the spirit gendered by earthly kingdoms, men have approached God, and servility, groveling fear, and the constant thought of propitiation have been present in their manner and in their words. Out upon such a debasing idea of God! In the days of the primitive savage such a conception might be tolerated, but now, when man realizes his oneness with God, his real sonship, anything but natural and spontaneous song and thanksgiving is unworthy both God and man. There are times, undoubtedly, when the formal types of song and worship seem to be demanded. Then let them be accorded. But God can have no delight in a worship that is forced, stilted, formal, conventional, even to the words, manner, posture, time, season, and the clothes of the celebrant. Imagine a school of children released for their morning recess, desirous of expressing their joy at their temporary freedom to get out into the sunshine and fresh air, feeling it incumbent upon themselves to approach their teacher and in stately and dignified manner to recite in a solemn and melancholy tone, these words: "Dearly beloved teacher: Our hearts are profoundly moved to express our thanks to you on this occasion that you have freed us from the monotony of the schoolroom. Here, where we have striven daily and hourly to learn our lessons, time often seems irksome to us, yet, now, in the goodness of your heart and in your great loving-kindness to us, you have released us, that for a short time we may play, frolic, dance, sing and shout in our playground. We solemnly and sincerely thank thee, O teacher." I can imagine that the teacher-certainly if he had within him a human spirit-would shout vehemently: "Get out of here, you young prigs!" Does not the very abandon of the school boy and girl, as they rush down the steps, dance and shout in the playground and organize their little games, speak their gratitude, their thanks, with immeasurably more reality than all the formal speeches they might make in a lifetime? Is God a God of formality, of convention, delighting in being praised, thanked, bowed down to, worshipped with many words and much ceremony? |