that anciently the Greek or Latin Christians had any metrical version of the Psalms; yet we find continual mention of congregational psalmody. It is singular, that, from the prevalent neglect in late times of the practice of chanting, it has come to be considered a more difficult acquirement than the singing of metrical psalms; and hence a degree of prejudice has been created against its restoration. But there is no reason why it should not be as general among the members of our English congregations, as it appears to have been in the East, in the time of St. Chrysostom, who speaks of the poor almsmen of the rich, and of artisans at the work of their trade, as beguiling their labour, or returning thanks for bounty bestowed, by singing psalms of praise. It is surely no inconsiderable reason for preferring the chanted psalm, that we thus send up to heaven the words of the Holy Spirit in their simplest form, as they have come down from heaven to us, without human additions, often painfully unfaithful to their sense. And good men of former ages have left on record their sense of its high value, as "a check to that drowsy dulness of devotion, which is brought in, when the solemn melody of the organ, and the raptures of warbling and sweet voices are excluded "." From what has been done of late years to revive this ancient melody of the Church, it may be confidently hoped that the difficulties which have attended many 7 St. Chrysostom, Hom. in Psalm. xii. Psalm. xli. in Isai. v. Bp. Hacket's Christian Consolations, c. iii. earnest efforts for its restoration are in the progress to be removed. The objections have indeed been most strengthened by the abuses introduced by ambitious composers, who, in ignorance of the true character of the chant, have loaded the choral service-books with the most incongruous adaptations of music, never intended for sacred purposes. The true chant, as it has been well described, is, indeed, no more than a way of reading the Psalms musically'; and there is something in its very tone, which marks it as set apart for holy uses, speaking the words of ancient days, in melodious sounds which seem to claim kindred with the words, and, like the words, to have been created for perpetuity. Should any profits arise out of this publication, they will be devoted to replacing the Church Plate of St. James's Church, Morpeth, which was unhappily stolen on the 25th of January last, and to other strictly charitable purposes. 9 See the "Parish Choir," for February, 1847. CONTENTS. Ye, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 1 |