Directions for Singing
- Learn these tunes before you learn any others; afterwards learn as
many as you please.
- Sing them exactly as they are printed here, without altering or
mending them at all; and if you have learned to sing them otherwise,
unlearn it as soon as you can.
- Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently
as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder
you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a
blessing.
- Sing lustily and with a good courage. Beware of singing as if you
were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength.
Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being
heard, than when you sung the songs of Satan.
- Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct
from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the
harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one
clear melodious sound.
- Sing in time. Whatever time is sung be sure to keep with it. Do
not run before nor stay behind it; but attend close to the leading
voices, and move therewith as exactly as you can; and take care not to
sing too slow. This drawling way naturally steals on all who are
lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from us, and sing all our
tunes just as quick as we did at first.
- Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you
sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself, or any other creature.
In order to do this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and
see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to
God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve
here, and reward you when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.
---From John Wesley's preface to Sacred Melody, 1761
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Last modified: Sat Dec 11 00:02:15 1999