Letters    

ON THE PERNICIOUSNESS OF ROCK MUSIC

Dear J. F.                                                                                                   November 16, 1989

      It is very difficult for a Christian parent to keep the carnal world at bay. One way is to carefully supervise activities so that the sticky fingers of rebellion are not left on our children. Yet, the world persists with its seductive advances.

    In just two generations, Rock 'n Roll music has seduced the youth children of our nation teaching them to rebel against all authority. Today, it is the chief siren of the drug culture. We have never allowed Rock music in our household, and we feel this is a primary reason we do not have a problem with rebellion in our children.

       We will not allow our children to go the way of the world. If it is wicked for children to dance and "rock" to the beat of the music of rebellion, music that has grown out of the drug culture, it must be very wicked to encourage children to do it.

      Therefore, I have withdrawn my children from the "pep" rallies, and ask that you will either stop the rock aerobics, or that you will dismiss my children from the class. If not, I will withdraw them from the class.

OF REPENTANCE AND MUSIC

Dear D. K.                                                                                                            June 1, 1992

     ...It is thought that God is more interested in our praise than He is in our obedience; that repentance is simply apologizing to people for what we do; that God is not to be feared, etc. The fact that there are so many "Christians" today who find it "fun" to flippantly worship the God of Heaven makes me think they are under the influence of demons, which influence is perpetuated by charismatic music.

ON THE USE OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Dear W. F.                                                                                                            April 9, 1992

       ...I hesitate to give an alternate viewpoint from the one you give on the subject of music because I do not believe it should separate brethren, and I value your friendship. Let me say, however, that I have Gadsby's Hymnal, and some of the selections are included in my little volume, but many of the songs are metered in a terrible fashion, and are very difficult to sing to any tune, known or unknown. However, Gadsby sure did a fine job on his Memoirs of Hymn-Writers and Compilers.

    I also have the Primitive Baptist songbook, and the selection, "Oh Christ, He Is The Fountain" sung to the tune of "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus" is taken from the volume. I think some of the Primitive Baptists attempted to throw off meditative worship by applying such tunes that would not allow it. I have used several selections from Spurgeon's Hymnal, and have gone through probably 100 other songbooks. ...

     I did not state that older works did not use musical notes because some did. Lutherans such as Bach, and Mendelssohn used notes, and thought it no sin to do so. Before them, the Papists used shaped notes. Perhaps the Primitive Baptists and the Reformed brethren refused to use them because they considered to do so would be a return to Romanism.

     As to the refusal to use musical instruments in worship, it is difficult for me to understand since "the man after God's own heart" was himself the inventor of many musical instruments. When did God do away with the use of them?

Dear W. F.                                                                                                        April 27, 1992

       ...Can I venture a few comments regarding music without raising your ire? I would like to mention a few things without appearing combative. First, it was Benjamin Keach, a Baptist, who introduced congregational singing in the churches. Until that time, there were professional singers in worship, but no music in worship for the common man.

     Second, if there is instrumental music in the Old Testament, as well as in Heaven (Revelation 5:8; 14:2; 15:2), forgive me if I fail to catch the reasoning of John Girardeau, and of the reformers who withstood it.

     And third, as God commanded the Israelites to "Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet ...with the psaltery and harp ...with the timbrel ...with stringed instruments and organs ...upon the loud cymbals" (Psalm 150:3-5), I would think they did not have as much reason to rejoice as new Testament believers do.

     Let us agree to disagree, but love and pray for each other. Thank you again, my friend. "May God Smile On You"—J. S. Bach.

OF RELIGIOUS ART

Dear W. F.                                                                                                          April 9, 1992

     ...As to religious art being a violation of the second commandment: if this is so, would God have instructed the Israelites of old to make cherubims both in the coverings of the Tabernacle and as sculptures upon the Mercy Seat? Knowing that God does not contradict Himself, the second commandment is not that we are prohibited from making a graven image of anything that is in heaven, etc., but rather that we are prohibited from making a graven image to bow down and worship.

     During the Middle Ages, it was not uncommon for some Papists to chip off paint from an icon and to mix the lead based paint in their cup; and many died. Must go.

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