WE find some brethren call a few members of the church who sit together and lead the singing a choir. This is no choir in the popular sense, nor is it at all objectionable, specially if the singing is so conducted that the members generally sing. But this is not the meaning of choir. The choir in a church is composed of artistic performers, who sing for the church; sing difficult pieces that the masses can not sing, for music and musical display, to attract, entertain and gratify the people—to charm them with music. These are professional singers, chosen without any regard to their piety, and frequently without any regard to their moral character. They sing to show how they can sing, amuse and entertain.
[COURTESY IN FELLOWSHIP.]
ANY man who is a christian, or is in Christ, can be received into the fellowship of the church. If a man is not a christian, not in Christ, he can not, in any consistency, be received into the church or into the pulpit. We would not give much for any man’s principles, who can set them aside for a little act of courtesy, or a little pretence of liberality. It is nothing but a sham, an empty pretence and hypocrisy, to receive a man into the pulpit, and recognize him before the people, to whom you would not give the right hand of fellowship.
It is liberality to allow every man the same liberty you enjoy, but a sham, a pretence and hypocrisy to recognize him as a preacher of Jesus, when you do not believe he is in Christ, and would not give him the right hand of fellowship and take him into the church. Nor is it courtesy to receive such a man into the stand as a preacher, but hypocrisy. A man who is in Christ is a brother, and, if a preacher of Christ, may be received as such, in good faith. Such an one has a right to all the privileges of the body of Christ, by virtue of being in it. But the man who ignores the law of the King, and recognizes persons who are not in Christ as brethren, christians and preachers, instead of displaying a broad liberality, an extended charity, shows that he has no settled principles—that he disregards principles and law.
Who ever thought a Mason or an Odd Fellow was discourteous for not recognizing a man as a Mason who did not belong to the order? Certainly no man of intelligence. They have their initiation, and without it you are not in the order, and they do not recognize you, charitably or uncharitably.