Praise?

Whether an integral part of prayer, or a separate service, as a means of pleasing God and securing his favour, I think that praise is an outrage upon the service of the Sanctuary, and, if it could have any effect upon the divine mind, it would deserve to be defeated.

or,

The heathen gods silver are and gold,
Work of men s hands they be;
Mouths have they but they do not speak,
And eyes but do not see :
Ears have they but they do not hear,
Noses but savour not;
Hands, feet, but handle not, nor walk,
Nor speak they through their throat."

—Psalm cxv.

and such like, doing it in prose and verse. To give it greater emphasis, we set it to music in endless varieties of song, and blow it up upon the organ ! Can that sort of thing fit any man for heaven? I should be glad to know what is meant, or what conception of deity is before the congregation, when they sing Psalm xcvi. 1 : "0 sing a new song to the Lord" (such as the foregoing?); it can hardly be that of a "spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth." In Isaiah xii. 10, and many other parts of Scripture, the Jews were ordered to "sing unto the Lord a new song." Reader, I would ask you to reason on human matters humanly; if a person attempted to win or retain your favour by any such offices, how would you take it? Let us of the 19th century not forget that to whom much is given of them much shall be required. A different homage is expected of us. A homage of the heart that is not also a homage of the intellect will not satisfy much longer. We are not to frame our services on the lines of even King David. Jesus Christ has taught us to approach God "after this manner," giving a complete and beautiful form of prayer, that there might be no mistake about it (Matthew vi. 9); and, to guard against improprieties of language, he warned the Pharisees anent the notion that they would be heard for their much speaking and their vain repetitions, pointing out to God, I have no doubt, what he ought to do, adding that if they persisted in these follies, instead of a blessing, they would bring down upon their heads "greater damnation." (Matthew vi. 7—9, xxiii. 14; Mark xii. 40; Luke xi. 2.) It is of some importance, therefore, that Christians should give heed to the Saviour's solemn admonition, and adhere a little more closely than they do to the spirit and form of prayer he has given us. It is worthy of note, too, that nowhere has Jesus Christ enjoined us to "praise God." Grateful we ought to feel to the Author of our being for all the blessings of life we enjoy, and magnify his name, if you will, with all your might. If these be duties, uphold them, perform them consistently, intelligently, but don't play fast and loose with the divine attributes; don't blow up the conceptions of illiterate rhymsters upon your organs, don't belittle, don't libel your Creator.