[pg 177]
MUSIC'S MISSION.
BY REV. E.N. ANDREWS, HARTFORD, WIS.
Suggested by the following words by Rev. B.A. Imes in the May Missionary:
"The Mozart Society at Fisk treated us to an excellent rendering of Haydn's great oratorio, 'The Creation.' Many came over from the city (Nashville),—whites from the "best families," all crowding in, listening, wondering, enjoying! How the music of those well-tuned instruments and voices caught us up and carried us away! Color-line melted and faded out. How we wished the politicians all might have been brought under that magic spell of solos and choruses!"
O Music, with thy wand celestial, touch
The hearts of men, and by thy alchemy
Divine, resolve, remelt, aye, e'en recast
The thought and very being! Selfish man,
So filled with prejudice and hate hath need,
O heavenly messenger, of all thy aid.
And as thy votaries in anthems sing
With the immortal Haydn, and do praise
Creative Wisdom, Who, of one blood made
All Nations for to dwell on earth in love,
Then let celestial fires descend and burn
Complete, the offering of the lips, and purge
The dross of caste and hate from every soul!
This do, for Satan hath his spectrum set
Before the door of human hearts and cast
Upon the screen the separated lines
Of black and red and yellow—white forsooth,
While these should mingle in that glorious Sun
That shines alike on all, impartially.