Spring Warrior Church of Christ

7432 S. Red Padgett Road

Perry, FL 32348
584-5176

Prove All Things Vol. 1 No. 28

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Instrumental Music in Worship: More Voices

by Jeff Himmel, jshimmel@perry.gulfnet.com [8/15/01]

1 In two past articles we've reviewed statements of both historians and early
religious writers concerning music in worship. Both attest that singing was the only kind
of music in Christian worship for centuries. The Roman Catholic church began adopting
musical instruments during the Middle Ages, but that hardly closed the debate on their
use. The Greek church in the East continued to reject them; and even as late as the
sixteenth century there was enough protest within the Roman church that the Council of
Trent (1545) came very close to abolishing their use (Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia, II,
1702).
The sixteenth century also saw the dawn of the Protestant Reformation, and with it a
renewed vigor of opposition to instrumental music as unscriptural. That opposition
continued in many denominations for several hundred years. Consider the words of a
few major figures from the Reformation era and the denominational religious world.
Some of them may surprise you.
Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536), Dutch scholar: "We have brought into our
churches a certain operose and theatrical music; such a confused, disorderly chattering
of some words, as I hardly think was ever heard in any of the Grecian or Roman
theatres. The church rings with the noise of trumpets, pipes and dulcimers; and human
voices strive to bear their part with them . . . Men run to church as to a theatre, to have
their ears tickled" (Comments on 1 Corinthians 14:19).
Martin Luther (1483-1546), reformer and founder of what is now the Lutheran
Church: "The organ in the worship is the insignia of Baal" (Mcclintock & Strong's
Encyclopedia, VI, 762).
John Calvin (1509-1564), another reformer, founder of modern Prebyterianism:
"Musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would be no more suitable than
the burning of incense, the lighting up of lamps, and the restoration of the other
shadows of the [Mosaic] law . . . Men who are fond of outward pomp may delight in that

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noise; but the simplicity which God recommends to us . . . is far more pleasing to Him"
(Comments on Psalm 23).
John Wesley (1703-1791), an Episcopal and a founder of Methodism: "I have no
objection to the instruments in our chapels, provided they are neither heard nor seen"
(Quoted by Adam Clark).
Adam Clark (1762-1832), Methodist commentator: "I am an old man, and an old
minister; and I here declare that I never knew them [musical instruments] productive of
any good in the worship of God; and have had reason to believe that they were
productive of much evil. Music, as a science, I esteem and admire: but instruments of
music in the house of God I abominate and abhor. This is the abuse of music; and here I
register my protest against all such corruptions in the worship of the Author of
Christianity" (Commentary, IV, 686, on Amos 6:5).
Charles Spurgeon, renowned nineteenth century Baptist preacher: "We do not
need them [musical instruments]. They would hinder rather than help our praise. Sing
unto Him. This is the sweetest and best music. No instrument like the human voice. . . .
What a degradation to supplant the intelligent song of the whole congregation by the
theatrical prettiness of a quartet, the refined niceties of a choir, or the blowing off of
wind from inanimate bellows and pipes! We might as well pray by machinery as praise
by it" (Comments on Psalm 42:4).
Andrew Fuller, another Baptist scholar of the 1800s: "The history of the church
during the first three centuries affords many instances of primitive Christians engaging
in singing, but no mention (that I recollect) is made of instruments. (If my memory does
not deceive me) it originated in the dark ages of popery, when almost every other
superstition was introduced. At present, it is most used where the least regard is paid to
primitive simplicity" (Complete Works, III, 520).
Questions on the Confession of Faith and Form of Government of The Presbyterian
Church in the United States of America (1842): "Question 6. Is there any authority for
instrumental music in the worship of God under the present dispensation? Answer.
Not the least, only the singing of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs was appointed
by the apostles; not a syllable is said in the New Testament in favor of instrumental
music nor was it ever introduced into the Church until after the eighth century, after the
Catholics had corrupted the simplicity of the gospel by their carnal inventions. It was
not allowed in the Synagogues, the parish churches of the Jews, but was confined to the
Temple service and was abolished with the rites of that dispensation" (55).
Why is all of this important?
All these quotes represent a very definite view on music in worship: in the New
Testament age, instrumental music is without God's approval. I wonder what these men

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would think if they could see what their modern counterparts are up to. Today the vast
majority of Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist, and Baptist churches (and
any number of others) use instrumental music. Why has their belief and practice
changed so much in just the last couple of centuries? Is it due to some new revelation
from Heaven? If not, then what has caused it?
Next time: the rest of the story.

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