His reasons, however, were temporarily good, "because many wanted books and
skill to read." At that time, and for a century later, many congregations
had but one or two psalm-books, one of which was often bound with the
church Bible and from which the deacon lined the psalm.
So villanous had church-singing at last become that the clergymen arose in
a body and demanded better performances; while a desperate and disgusted
party was also formed which was opposed to all singing. Still another band
of old fogies was strong in force who wished to cling to the same way of
singing that they were accustomed to; and they gave many objections to the
new-fangled idea of singing by note, the chief item on the list being the
everlasting objection of all such old fossils, that "the old way was good
enough for our fathers," &c. They also asserted that "_the names of
the notes were blasphemous_;" that it was "popish;" that it was a
contrivance to get money; that it would bring musical instruments into the
churches; and that "no one could learn the tunes any way." A writer in the
"New England Chronicle" wrote in 1723, "Truly I have a great jealousy
that if we begin to _sing_ by _rule_, the next thing will be
to _pray_ by rule and _preach_ by rule and _then comes popery_."
It is impossible to overestimate the excitement, the animosity, and the
contention which arose in the New England colonies from these discussions
over "singing by rule" or "singing by rote.
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