III. The Testimony of History
The Bible is our only infallible rule of faith and practice. It needs — and allows — no supplementation from history or tradition. Nevertheless, there is value in the testimony of history. If our understanding of Scripture is correct, we will often find corroboration here. And the interesting fact is that church history also testifies that musical instruments were not originally used in the worship services of the Christian church.
"As the Christian church rests historically on the Jewish church, so Christian worship . . . rests on that of the synagogue, and cannot be well understood without it."(7) From as far back as the time of the Babylonian Captivity, synagogue worship was worship without instrumental music, and so it has been until modern times. As one authority has put it, "a dispersed Jewry was a sorrowing Jewry, and in synagogues that were now to be found almost everywhere in the known world, an abstention from instrumental music served as a lasting reminder of the glories of the temple worship of the past, which should, it was confidently believed, after a period of patient waiting some day be renewed."(8) In the Apostolic period, at least some of these synagogues became Christian churches (Acts 17:10-12). Thus it comes as no surprise to find no musical instruments in the worship of the early Christian church. Indeed, it is not too much to say that the witness to this "rejection of all musical instruments is consistent among the Fathers."(9) And so deeply was this contrast between church and temple understood, that even to this day the Greek (or Eastern) Orthodox Church "disapproves the use of organs."(10) "The Latin (or western) Church introduced it pretty generally, but not without the protest of eminent men, so that even in the Council of Trent a motion was made, though not carried, to prohibit the organ at least in the mass."(11) Thomas Aquinas, the great medieval theologian of the Roman Church, still spoke of musical instruments as illegitimate in worship. The first recorded instance of the use of such was in the eighth century, but they did not become common until the thirteenth. Thus the history of the church, prior to the time of the Reformation, is eloquent. It loudly proclaims the fact that musical instruments in worship were a late innovation.
We are not surprised, then, that Reformed churches returned to the ancient simplicity of worship. In Geneva — and then in the Calvinistic churches influenced by Geneva — musical instruments were rejected. They were not, indeed, "forbidden . . . in private . . . but they [were] banished out of the churches," according to Calvin, "by the plain command of the Holy Spirit," because Paul (in I Cor. 14:13) "lays it down as an invariable rule that we must praise God . . . only in a known tongue.''(12) This fact is well known. "The history of music in our denomination," said one writer recently "is a story of how the organ and choir, exiled by Calvin, gradually re-entered the Reformed [worship] service."(13) The same could be said of virtually any Reformed or Presbyterian church. And one of the things that has greatly impressed us, in our historical research, is the way in which this re-entry took place. No church of Jesus Christ has ever been perfect. This statement also applies to the church at the time of the Reformation. Thus we may never argue that a thing is right merely because "that is the way it was at the time of the Reformation." It is significant, however, that the Reformers rejected the use of musical instruments in worship because they understood the Scriptures to require this. They were also able to give a clear and convincing statement of their reasons. But was this true in later times when the organ was reinstituted in the churches? Did the ministers (and theologians) of that time first show that they understood this to be a thing commanded by the Lord in Scripture? Did they present a convincing argument from the Bible? The answer to these questions is, sad to say, emphatically no!(14) Like so many retrograde changes that have been made in Calvinistic churches since the Reformation, this was simply by way of concession to popular demand. As Professor Slenk says — reviewing briefly the history of this concession in Holland — "Although Calvinist consistories of the sixteenth century wanted no organ music, they could not remove the organs from the premises because church buildings were the property of the city. The city councils realized the value of the great Dutch organs and wanted people to enjoy them. They appointed city organists (stadsorganisten) to play frequent recitals. A convenient recital time was Sunday morning, just before and after the service." But then "prominent pamphleteers like Constantijn Huyghens insisted that if the organ was to be used on Sunday, the organist should play psalms and hymns and lead congregational singing as well," and "Calvinist consistories gradually and grudgingly accepted the organ as a musical instrument for use in church."(15) So it was concession that dictated the change: not principle. And from Calvin's day to this, "no synod or classis in the Reformed tradition has addressed itself to this problem, or outlined the proper liturgical role of organ music in worship.''(16) Or, to put the matter in our own words, no one has ever justified on a Biblical basis the great change that has been made.
It is at this point that we must again recall the regulative principle of worship. True worship is commanded worship. What is not commanded is not true worship. This is the clear — and consistent — teaching of the great Reformed Confessions and Catechisms. Yet how clear it is that this principle has long since lost its hold on many who have professed adherence to these documents. In 1881 the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church of North America voted on a memorial asking that the article in the Directory for Worship banning the use of musical instruments be repealed. The overture was carried by a majority of 8. The interesting thing, however, is that the change was made with the following resolution: "that this decision is not to be considered as authorizing instrumental music in the worship of God, but simply as a declaration of the judgment of the church that there is no sufficient Bible authority for an absolutely exclusive rule on the subject.''(17) Those with discernment will clearly see that the change was not made because it was shown that the Bible commands the use of musical instruments. No such proof was offered, nor (so far as the record shows) even asked by the General Assembly. The change was simply that a majority (as the resolution clearly shows) did not any longer believe that the regulative principle is correct. Without realizing it (no doubt), these men had moved from a Reformed view of worship (what is not commanded is forbidden) to a Romish view of worship (what is not forbidden in Scripture is allowable).
The writer has often discussed this subject with others. Apart from mention of such texts as Ps. 150:4, little attempt is made to prove from Scripture that God has commanded the use of musical instruments in worship. Most arguments, in fact, are entirely negative: they seek to show either a) that God has not forbidden the use of musical instruments in worship, or b) that musical instruments are simply a practical necessity. To the first type of argument we have but one response: the plea that those who so argue will go back and study again the Scripture evidence for the regulative principle.(18) To the second type of argument we therefore proceed.
1) One of the most common arguments for the use of musical instruments in worship is simply the fact that they are thought to be a practical necessity. The argument runs something like this: There is no divine commandment that we should have church buildings, or pews, or Psalm books. Yet we do have these as a matter of practical necessity. Why then may we not also use musical instruments for the same reason? In answer to this argument it is sufficient to say this, that it assumes the very point at issue. The writer worships each Lord's Day without the use of any musical instrument. In point of fact, then, musical instruments are not a practical necessity. It is necessary, however, to meet in some place. How can we obey the Lord's command to assemble ourselves together, if we do not meet at some designated place (and in some building since the weather is often inclement)? Furthermore, how can we sing Psalms together (as we are commanded to do) without some kind of Psalm book? It may be argued, of course, that it is possible to memorize the Psalms — in a certain metre and with a certain tune — so that no book will be necessary. This is true. But then we merely have a memorized book. And whenever there is a revision of this Book of Psalms with music (as there ought to be from time to time) it will, again be necessary for a time for every one to have a book (whether individually, or collectively in the hand of an instructor). In other words, the argument fails. It can easily be disproved. It is disproved constantly by congregations that sing the Psalms of the Bible without musical instruments.
2) But is it not true, someone may ask, that even in such congregations there is someone who uses an instrument of a sort in order to get the pitch? To this, of course, the answer is yes, someone must establish the pitch, and (unless there is a person who has perfect pitch) it is often necessary to use a tuning fork or pitch pipe to do this. Well then, it may be said further, doesn't this really show that there is at least some minimal necessity for the use of an instrument of music? And to this, too, the answer is clearly yes! If the tuning fork or pitch pipe be called an instrument of (or for?) music, then there is often a minimal necessity for its use. Then what is the difference in principle? If I use a tuning fork, or pitch pipe, or organ, or guitar, to get the pitch, isn't it all the same? Once more the answer will be yes. And if that is all the organ (or tuning fork, or pitch pipe, etc.) is used for, no objections should be made. There is nothing sacred in even the most traditional method of finding the proper pitch, nothing whatever. But here again common practice contradicts theory. Many congregations do sing praises to God continually without benefit of any kind of mechanical means of setting the pitch. There are persons in most congregations who can learn to give the pitch with sufficient accuracy to eliminate such a need. But even where such a need exists, how simple it is to supply. If the organ (or anything else) is only used to give the proper pitch, then the sole test of necessity has been met. As it is, in most churches, this minimal necessity that has been used to justify all manner of violation of the regulative principle — so that we now have the prelude, the postlude, the interlude, and the mood music that often is played during the pastoral prayer. The writer often finds it necessary to have a glass of water at hand on the pulpit. A swallow or two of water is sometimes essential in order to speak. Now suppose that someone would argue, from this minimal necessity, that every pew should have a built-in fountain, so that drinking could become a ritual! Wouldn't this be comparable to what has happened because of the abuse that has been made of the little tuning fork?
3) But aren't you magnifying this one thing out of all proportion, someone may ask? Do you think that yours is the only true church because you sing Psalms without any musical instruments? The answer to this argument is that no church is as pure as it ought to be. Who can say which church, after all, is burdened down with more impurities? One church may excel in one way (such as faithful preaching), while lacking sadly in another (such as purity of worship). Another may sing only the inspired Psalms without musical instruments, and yet allow such human inventions as the altar call (and often an Arminian sub-gospel). Neither church would have any reason to boast. It may, under certain circumstances, be wise to attend the church that preaches the gospel most faithfully, even though (in doing so) one would have to lament the defective elements of worship. There is — in short — a point to this objection: and it is well taken. We have no right to boast, or feel self-satisfied, merely because of purity in one aspect of the life of the church. But still, we hasten to add, this takes nothing away from the intrinsic importance of the point at issue. The question remains one of moment: Has God, or has God not, authorized the use of musical instruments in worship? To see an element of value in the objection stated above, then, must not mislead us. It is no argument at all so far as the issue itself is concerned.
4) If I cannot use musical instruments, someone may say, then how can I go on singing the Psalms in which they are so frequently mentioned? Those who have followed our argument in this article will anticipate our answer. We should sing these Psalms with the same spiritualized meaning that we find in the New Testament itself, where we say "Christ our passover is sacrificed for us" (I Cor. 5:7), and that we are come "to Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God" (Heb. 12:22). Just as we sing of the hyssop, altar, bullock, sackcloth, evening sacrifice, goats, cherubim, ark, new moon, etc. (Pss. 51:7, 43:4, 50:19, 69:31, 66:15, 80:1, 132:8, 81:3), so we sing of the trumpets, and lyre, and the loud cymbals. We can sing them all precisely because we see that they all have their heavenly counterpart in the glorious work of Christ and the spiritual worship that he has given.
5) Well, someone will say, I still love the sound of a great pipe organ — I just can't help it — and I just can't enjoy worship without it. This, in the end, is where most discussions cease. The marvel of it is that people who say such things seem to imagine that they have really said something of substance when they have said this. But consider these words again: is it not evident — painfully evident — that these are arrogant words? "Who cares what God wants," such people say in effect, "so long as I have what I want! I am the important one!" This is the very antithesis of true religion. What we should say — first, last, and always — when we come to worship God, is this: "Lord, you show me the way, and then I will find rest and peace." And this, in the final analysis, is the incredible thing. You leave behind these human inventions — the uninspired hymns — and the great emotion arousing pipe organ — and the incense, and candles, and pictures and images — and you begin to enter into the simple spiritual worship of our Calvinistic fathers. Then one day a strange thing happens. God himself enables you to see the beauty of holiness, and you suddenly realize that it surpasses the beauty of ceremonial worship as the light of day surpasses night. And you understand what a fool you were to think that you were giving up so much! You see now that you gave up nothing but weak and beggarly elements, in order to taste of the supreme delight of that worship which is in spirit and in truth. May our gracious and sovereign God bring His church again to glory in this worship.
Notes
7. Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1912), 1:456.
8. John O. Ward, ed., The Oxford Companion to Music, tenth edition, (London, 1970), p. 538.
9. New Catholic Encyclopedia (New York: McGraw-Hill Book. Company, 1967), 10:106.
10. Schaff, ibid, 4:439.
11. Ibid.
12. Calvin, ibid., p. 636.
13. Howard J. Slenk, "Music in the Christian Reformed Church: History, Present Problems, and Future," The Banner, 104(no. 37):6. The Banner is the official organ of the Christian Reformed Church.
14. For an example, see McClintock & Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, 7:425-26. Consult also the Digest of the Principal Acts and Deliverances of the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church of North America from 1859 to 1902 (Pittsburgh, Penn.: United Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1903), pp. 107-17.
15. Slenk, ibid.
16. Ibid.
17. Digest of the Principal Acts and Deliverances, p. 109.
18. See note 1.
This article is taken from The Biblical Doctrine of Worship, a collection available for $20 from Crown and Covenant Publications, 7408 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15208-2531, telephone 412-241-0436, Psalms4U@aol.com. Reproduced by permission.