Unquestionably unacceptable and dishonoring to God. By Octavius Winslow, nothing but what is holy in its sentiment, spiritual in its tone, and edifying in its influence should be uttered by a Christian's lips.

The magnificent composition of Handel's Messiah supplies no exception to this rule, admitting the divine inspiration of the words, the transcendent genius of the composer, the sublime character of the music, and the elevating influence of its skillful and masterly execution, We must yet maintain that Handel's Messiah, as performed in modern times by unholy worldlings, should be as distasteful and painful to the Christian and spiritual mind as it is unquestionably unacceptable and dishonoring to God.

What spiritual mind can listen to the solemn words of Christ, expressive of His heart-sorrow, His soul-anguish, His bodily sufferings, used to arouse the plaudits of a theatre, without indescribable torture of feeling and the most depressing sadness of spirit? Could we thus listen to a recital of the humiliating insults, the lingering tortures, and dying agonies of one near and dear to our hearts? Never.

Beware, then, of the unholy fascination of music. It may lead you from God, allure you from Christ, and draw you into the world. It may become a fascinating and a fatal snare to your soul.

Seek the deep sanctification of the gift of music and its holy and supreme consecration to God. As such, sacred music, breathing from a spiritual mind and a Christ-loving heart, may be a valuable aid to the soul, soothing, sanctifying, and elevating.

God can give you a night song, a song in the gloom of your sorrow, loneliness, and woe, a song of His unchanging love, of His unfailing faithfulness, of His presence sweetening your sorrow, soothing your grief, cheering your solitude, making you submissive, happy, and cheerful in the darkest and most painful path along which your redeeming God is leading you.

Beloved, the chief employment of heaven is music. Oh, what melody! Floats through those bowers, rings through those mansions, reverberates through that dome from the spirits of just men made perfect. They sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. They sing of the everlasting love, of the sin-atoning blood, of the sovereign grace that brought them there.

Around the Lamb once slain they cluster,
And upon His head, once filled with bruises,
Torn and bleeding with the thorn crown,
They bind the diadem of their praise.

And, O how worthy is He of Their sweetest anthem, their loftiest song, Their loudest hallelujahs! So resplendent will be the unveiling Of His divine glory, So great will appear His love, so glorious His work, so rich His grace, and so precious Himself to the heart, that from every creature who is in heaven will be heard the anthem, Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto Him who sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Then, O disciple and follower of Christ, separate yourself from all secular, carnal, worldly music, and learn on earth, in the house of your pilgrimage, in the strange land in which you dwell, and amid your trials, sorrows, and conflicts, the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb, which will employ your tongue throughout eternity.

They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy.