I came across this last night while I was looking for something else and thought there is still a lot of truth in what John Wesley believed to be good singing rules. Of course the comment at the top of the list said that he had a "method" for everything, but sometimes I wonder if that is all bad. In case you didn't get the comment about a method for everything, in addition to being a prolific songwriter and evangelist, John Wesley was involved in starting the Methodist Church. With that said here are his singing rules:
1. learn the tune
2. sing the song as it is printed
3. sing all the song
"if that is a cross to you, take it up and you will find a blessing"
4. sing lustily and with good courage
lustily means full of vigor, vitality, powerful, strong, merry, joyous
5. sing in time
do not run before or stay behind
6. sing modestly - do not bawl, sob or cry out loudly
7. above all - sing spiritually
have an eye to God in every word you sing -
aim at pleasing Him more than any other creature -
8. attend strictly to the sense of what you sing and see that your heart is not carried away
with the sound
9. offer your singing to God continually
we continue to sing as we go . . .
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1 comments:
Good words.
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