Songs, on the other hand, or sounds
from the voice, may have an injurious influence on the mind."
The Quakers, in their view of this subject, make the same distinction as
this ancient father of the church. They have a stronger objection, if it
be possible, to vocal, than to instrumental music. Instrumental music,
though it is considered to be productive of sensual delight, is yet
considered as incapable, on account of its inability to articulate, or
its inability to express complex ideas, of conveying either unjust or
impure sentiments to the mind. Vocal, on the other hand, is capable of
conveying to it poison of this sort. For vocal music consists of songs,
or of words musically expressed by the human voice. But words are the
representatives of ideas, and, as for as these ideas are pure or
otherwise, so far may vocal music be rendered innocent or immoral.
The mere singing, it must be obvious, can be no more immoral than the
reading, of the same song, singing is but another mode of expressing it.
The morality of the action will depend upon the words which it may
contain. If the words in a song are pure, if the sentiments in it are
just, and if it be the tendency of these to awaken generous and virtuous
sympathies, the song will operate no otherwise than a lesson of
morality.
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