sense, which we presume to be the basis of the best governments, we must conclude that the rule of the best qualified is the best, and, therefore, if there be any protection against the blunders of incompetent elders, it cannot be looked for in the congregation which selected them, and of which they are the very wisest. The scriptures would rather point us to the precedent set in the appeal made to the church in Jerusalem, than to the expedient of a popular vote. Upon this point, however, we cannot now speak. With one more observation we must conclude. A violation of any settled principle of policy, founded in wisdom and the nature of things, always tends to work its own correction, and we know of no surer or more speedy way of preventing the selection of incompetent elders, than by insisting on their having all the power and authority with which the scriptures clothe these officers. If a church will do her duty, she will not be long in providing suitable men for elders;—if she neglects her duty and selects men not qualified, she must not claim to herself the authority proper to the officers she has chosen, and thus stultify them and herself, but she must sit patiently under the misrule of her own invoking, and bear both the shame and the guilt of it, till she is constrained to reform, and provide men better fitted for the high office of ruling over a congregation of Christians. Let the churches remember that elders are not like the fishermen of Galilee-raised to competency now-a-day by inspiration; but like Timothy, must give themselves, diligently, to the study of the word, and whilst working for the congregation, recieve the hire of which they are worthy. When this is done, we shall have better times-but until then, walking contarary to the word, we can only expect to stumble and create roproach. W. K. P. LETTER TO ELDER THOMAS CAMPBELL. THE following private letter to my father, from my son-in-law, R. Y. Henley, of Virginia, recently received, I have thought would be edifying and useful to many of my readers, and therefore, on my own responsibility, without the consent of the writer, I lay it before them. The writer is a very devoted evangelist, and labors both arduously and successfully, in the counties bordering on the place of his nativity, and on the fields of labor of his eminent father, elder Thomas M. Henley, so well known to thousands of our readers. A. C. KING AND QUEEN, February 28th, 1849. MY DEAR GRAND FATHER: 20* of affection for you, though many months, yea years, have rolled round since we took the affectionate but painful shake of separation; still, you occupy the same place in my affections which you then did. I say painful, because I feared that our personal intimacy on earth was at an end; for I left you, as I thought, nearly at the conclusion of the race, almost in sight of Jordon, with the fear that I "should see your face no more"-and I went forth, not knowing how short my journey might be. But adored be the name of our Father, that we are still spared-you are still standing on the threshhold of Eternity, waiting till 'the silver cord be loosed,' and anticipating the hour when you shall meet with that Saviour whom you have loved and served, and an entrance into that society above, for the enjoyment of which you have been so long training yourself. I still indulge the fond hope of seeing you again, and of conferring with you upon the interesting matters connected with spiritual wellfare. I often think of the profitable and entertaing hours we have spent together around my lonely hearth, when God, Christ, and Salvation were the themes of conversation. Often have I arisen from these interviews with my spirit refreshed, resolved to be more faithful. I think of our weekly prayer meetings-of the pleadings at a throne of grace-the songs of rejoicing, "when love in one delightful stream from every bosom flowed." I think, too, of the many assemblings of the Saints on the first day of the week, when we went up to the House of God together, and partook of the same loaf and cup-where a Saviour's love and a Saviour's sufferings moved every heart to sympathy-where we gazed upon Him, bathed in "tears, in sweat and blood." But these precious seasons have passed, and since then, many tears of joy and sorrow have been wept by us both. Bethany is the spot where I began to live spiritually; (it is the birth place as well as the grave of many of my joys,) upon the bosom of the church there was I placed a "babe in Christ,” and among the many noble and Godly ones who composed its number, none nursed me with more tenderness and sympathy than yourself; for which, I shall ever entertain the liveliest gratitude.—And I know that the pleasure thus afforded you of ministering to the inexperienced, compensated you for all your "labors of love." But where are those who were my "nursing fathers and mothers" in Christ? A few, like Demas, have gone to the world—some (like myself,) have been scattered-and many have "rested from their labors" and have joined the church above. Only five of the original members remain. Truly this is. a changing world.-Many who were dear to us, both in the flesh and in the Lord, are now with Christ. Their seats in the earthly sanctuary are vacant; their voices, which were mingled with ours in the songs of Zion, are heard no more; their tongues, which spoke of a Saviour's love and tenderness, are hushed in silence; their hearts, which burned and beat with gratitude, are now cold and still; and their eyes, which beamed with joy, are dimmed by the shadow of death. They are gone, but not lost; we shall meet them again; we shall unite with them in the song of redemption, in the mansions of peace, where our elder Brother reigns. Oh! joyful will be that meeting which will know no parting, and triumphant will be that song which shall roll on forever without a dying cadence. I must here arrest my thoughts, for I doubt not, from the interest you have always manifested in me, you would like to hear of the state of my spiritual health, and something of the cause in this region. Well, I cannot boast. The miasma of this world often interrupts my health and renders me feeble. I often have to apply to the Physician of souls for relief, I find his remedies always effica cious. The balm of Gilead is not only healing, but invigorating. I feel entirely dependent upon Christ, not only for spiritual life, but for its perpetuity; and I thank the Lord that I can say I feel an increasing interest in his cause, and am resolved, he being my helper, to press forward and “not become weary in well doing," for I hope to "reap in due season, if" I"faint not." But the world is very unfavorable to piety-the Christian meets with many trials by the way, which make his journey often very unpleasant. When these press upon me, and darkness and danger surround me, then it is, that I long for home--for that celestial circle "where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest." May the Lord enable me to discharge every duty, and to divest myself of everything which impedes my progress to the heavenly city--to cultivate all those tender feelings and sympathies which the gospel inculcates, and to form a character in harmony with the society above. "Oh for a closer walk with God, A calm and heavenly frame; I am constantly engaged in the proclamation of the word, and my feeble labors have been blessed beyond my expectations-I have witnessed the confession of many during the last year. Prejudice is very strong against us, and I regret to say that from no denomination have we received more unkindness and injustice, than from the Baptists. Well, the Lord-will judge them and us, and his judgment will be just. I have no party feelings to gratify, "my heart's desire and prayer to God, is, that all" mankind "may be saved;" and in order to this we must be united upon the TRUTH. While I am fully satisfied that we have the truth, I am not satisfied with our practice;--for after all, men will judge of the correctness of a theory by its practical results. And while we are not a whit behind our opponents in practice, still, there is great room for improvement. The standard of morality, much more of piety, is, by far too low in this age of professions. Many seem to think that they can take care of themselves while living, and if they can only have religion enough, when they come to die, to escape perdition, they are satisfied. They are strangers to those elevating and transforming influences of the Gospel-they do not look upon it as a system of training. The cross must be borne ere the crown can be reached; and in order to the enjoyment of heaven, we must, while here, have imbibed and cultivated tastes and feelings congenial with that blessed society with which we hope to associate forever. We need more. personal piety-a more watchful care over our hearts and actions; for it is evident that if a man fail to discharge his duty to himself, he will fail to discharge it to others. If he neglect his own salvation, we cannot expect him to feel interested in the salvation of his family or neighbors. It is the imperious duty of every one to reform himself. We need more devotional reading of the Holy Scriptures, and meditation thereon. We are so constituted that we will imbibe the feelings and habits of those with whom we associate. If we are much in the company of Christ and his Apostles, and are communing with them, we will imbibe their spirit and emulate their example. Who would not possess the patience of Job, the devotional feelings of David, the zeal, hope, and self denial of Paul, and the tenderness and resignation of our sympathetic High Priest? Oh! how delightful to linger around the "cross of Christ," and feel its hallowed and life giving influence shed upon our souls. There, every murmur is hushed, and the heart learns the lesson of resignation while gazing on a suffering Saviour, and how cheering to anticipate the hour when we shall meet with him who died for us; and with all who have been redeemed by him. "If such the sweetness of the streams, Oh, what will the fountain be?" We need more private prayer. There are other matters, but my sheet admonishes me to close. Remember me to all my friends, and especially to every member of the Bethany family. I hope to see them all ere long; but I shall not see all that I left there. Death has removed three from that happy circle. When I parted from them in tears, little did I suppose that it would be my last salutation. Their absence will rob my visit of much of its enjoyment. I shall only then realize that they are gone. I have never met with a family whose hearts were so closely bound by the ties of affection and sympathy, and yet how often have those ties been broken. Death has plucked from that circle some of the fairest flowers of earth; but they are blooming in a more congenial clime, where death never enters. Remember me when you approach a throne of Grace. Farewell, my aged father in Christ, may the Lord sustain you in your declining years, and may your path shine brighter and brighter, is the prayer of your brother, who hopes to meet you, when life and its toils are o'er, in the haven of eternal rest. ROBERT Y. HENLEY. A. S. HAYDEN'S NEW MUSIC BOOK. As the subject of church music deservedly receives a considerable share of attention, I beg leave to introduce to the notice of the readers of the Harbinger, a collection of church music lately published by our excellent and devoted brother A. S. HAYDEN. The book is entitled "THE SACRED MELODEON," and comprises upon its 304 pages, a choice variety of the most approved pieces from the old standard authors, with many original compositions. It is certainly a very fine collection, embracing all the kinds of metre used in the hymn book, with many others, and a number of set pieces, anthems, &c., more than sufficient for all the purposes of public or family worship, and singing-schools. This work, furthermore, is something of a novelty in the musical way, since it is printed and arranged on a NEW SYSTEM OF NOTATION, which is designed to simplify and facilitate the study of the science of vocal music in an extraordinary degree. We cannot, however, more briefly state tho peculiarities of the new system, than in the language of the preface: "Professor J. B. Aikin,* in his Christian Minstrel," published in Philadelphia, has introduced a new system of musical notation, which greatly abbreviates the time of study, by removing a number of useless and perplexing distinctions which have too long encumbered this most useful and delightful science. This work is published on that system, in the full persuasion that it is evidently so superior to the other systems of notation that it cannot but soon pass into favor with all who become acquainted with it. These improvements consfst chiefly of the following particulars: 1. In correcting the position of the letters on the staff. 2. Discarding the theory of the minor scale. 3. The use of flats and sharps as signatures, to determine the key, is laid aside. 4. The use of only three varieties of time instead of nine. 5. The shape of every note in the scale indicates its name. A few words will be deemed sufficient in explanation of these particulars. Formerly the letters were applied to the staff in three different ways. Here are three not only differing but conflicting theories in the principle of setting the letters to the staff, in the same book, nay in the same tune! Why embarrass the pupil with three systems, when one answers every purpose? The truth is, few learners ever made themselves familiar with more than one system of lettering, the one belonging to the part they were taught to sing. The Base singers, for example, learned the letters as applied to their staff, chiefly or ontirely neglecting the others; and so of the rest. At length authors struck out the C cleff, thus reducing, by one third, the course of study in this branch of the science. This was found to answer every purpose of the former method. But still there remain two systems to be taught and learned. And why not, as here proposed, proceed one step farther, and set the letters on all the staffs alike? Then, when one is learnedall are learned. Another very important advantage in this improvement is, that it ena. bles the performer to discover and trace the harmony of all the parts with so much ease. The most difficult thing, perhaps for the pupil to acquire, in the whole course of his study, is the relation of the notes or sounds of the Base to the other parts. In spite of theory, he wants to believe that notes on the same line or space in all the staffs are on the same degree of sound. But the double notation theory says No: and it is hard for him to understand and believe this contradiction of the voice of common sense. By the single system of notation this difficulty is removed; and he feels the fitness of placing the same letter, the same note, and the same sound, on the same line or space of all the staffs. 2. In regard to the theory of the minor scale. It is said that every major scale has a relative minor, and that this minor scale is obtained by a new and artificial arrangement of the semitones. It is confessed that it is not natural, but "artificial." Now the simple truth touching this point is, that there is one, only one scale of musical sounds, embracing seven intervals. This one natural scale, with its sharp 4th, 5th, &c., contains every possible variety of musical sound. All music is composed in this scale. What is called the minor scale is in fact portions of two scales. Take a range of sounds commencing below the Key, on the 6th of the scale, and *The author is indebted to this gentleman for much assistance in preparing this volume, especially in reference to the introductory matter. |
