The Indian Advocate. (Sacred Heart Mission, Okla. Terr.), Vol. 7, No. 3, Ed. 1, Monday, July 1, 1895 Page: 4 of 28
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52
THE INDIAN ADVOCATE.
voice now be in lioaven above since on
earth thou didst ravish angels by its
melodies! "
As music is the natural expression
of man on earth so also we know from
Holy Writ that it is the language from
heaven. There the joy of the blessed
angels of God is expressed in divine
and celestial song. There the angelic
hosts are ever engaged in singing the
praises of God and proclaiming His
majesty; there the air is resonant with
cries of joy with the sweet concord of
many sounds mingled with the angelic
harpers on their harps.
"Music has charms to soothe the
savage breast.' ' The wildest passions
are controlled by music; w.e cannot
exaggerate its power. When St. Igna-
tius' loyal sons went out to win souls
to God in South America the tribes
met them armed. They would not
listen to the message of peace and love
but with poisoned arrows awaited them
on the river bank. One of the devoted
soldiers of Christ took a musical instru-
ment and commenced to play an old
sacred melody the others lifted up
their voices and sweetly they sang the
praises of Jesus and Mary. The sweet
melody floated over the waters and
resounded through the woods. The
birds hushed their songs that the'
might hear. The savages ravished
with delight cast away their weapons
plunged into the river following the
musicians with captive hearts. Thus
upon the bosom of song floated the first
tidings of salvation to these benighted
savages.
Music soothes sorrow and lightens
the yoke of bondage. The sole remem-
brance of the canticles of Sion was a
source of the saddest regret and at the
same time a source of true consolation
to the hearts of the Hebrews captive
on the banks of the Euphrates. But
what shall we say of the source of
delight an impressionable race has
found in the sweet strains of music!
It is a well known fact that the negroes
found the burden of slavery immeasur-
ably lightened whenever they could
give free vent to their natural gift of
song. Often when the worst passions
are stirred a strain of music restores us
to our wanted calm. Scripture says
that when the evil spirit tormentod
Saul David took his harp and played
upon it and the spirit departed and
the king was calmed.
When the stirring and martial sounds
of the bugle are heard by the soldier
his heart beats quicker and all his
nobler amotions are stirred up. Ask
him what the bugle says and lie will
answer "security terror. Security
for my country terror to its foes."
The tired soldier fights upon the battle-
field all day and faces death in a
thousand forms. Now he advances
now he retreats every nerve is strung
up until at length nature appears to
yield and the tired warrior seems unable
to wield his sword any longer. But as
soon as the national music strikes up
all the martial fire is aroused. Valor
patriotism is raised within him
wounds weariness forgotten. Music
has strengthened him lie springs to
arms rushes to the front of the battle
again and sweeps the enemy from the
field.
But oh! how sorrowful the sound of
the same instruments when the body
of a brave companion is committed to
the grave! When the blighting hand
of disease is laid upon us and life is
stripped of its flowers when we see
" vanity " written on all things earthly
music comes to give us peace and makes
us forgetful of pains and suffering.
Therefore
Lot a taste for music be cultivated in
the rising generation and the results
cannot be but good. Even in a moral
point of view it is thoroughly human-
izing in its influence and therefore
should be cultivated in every home.
"A home without music is much like
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The Indian Advocate. (Sacred Heart Mission, Okla. Terr.), Vol. 7, No. 3, Ed. 1, Monday, July 1, 1895, newspaper, July 1, 1895; Sacred Heart Mission, Oklahoma Territory. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc69759/m1/4/: accessed March 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.