thems, chants, responses, and many special arrangements can be rendered only by a few trained voices. The quartette or chorus choir is therefore indispensable in connection with these. The singing of two or three such selections during the hour of worship, in a devout and effective manner, adds greatly to the richness of the service. But the danger is, in most churches, that the people will permit the choir to monopolize the singing. The only way to prevent this is to insist on having the congregation unite in singing the hymns. Let the service be arranged to that end. Both people and choir should sing the hymns of devotion that are selected from the hymn book; and if the suggestions already made are adopted, this can readily be done. With a good precentor, and the right kind of hymn and tune book, the whole congregation, choir included, can soon be brought into the most delightful unity of voice and spirit, thereby fulfiling the Psalmist's injunction: "Let all the people praise thee, O God!"

A choir is frequently a hindrance to congregational singing. It need not, and should not be. On the contrary, a choir composed of the right material, can be a great help in this direction. While the choir may not be expected to lead the congregation, an individual leader being always necessary,yet with their well-trained voices and knowledge of music, they can do much toward making congregational singing a

success.

There is one church in the land that has taken a long step toward solving the problem of church music,- the Ruggles Street Baptist Church, in Boston. To be sure it requires a great deal of money to carry out the plan there adopted. While this plan may be impracticable, and perhaps undesirable, in many churches, yet we will briefly present it here, as an illustration of what can be done, when there is a desire and determination to accomplish a certain result. In the first place, this church employs a first-class male quartette, one of the finest in the country, whose fame is already widely extended. This quartette usually sings two or three of its own selections during each service. There is a leader for the con

gregation, which always sings the hymns. The quartette unite Stationed at various with them or not, as they choose. points throughout the house, are individual singers, with prominent voices, who help lead those near them, and assist greatly in sustaining the time and volume of voice in the congregation. The organ stands near the pulpit, the quartette stationed between them. Hymn books and special slips are used alternately. This plan has been in operation at this church for several years, and gives excellent satisfaction. It is largely through the generosity of one man that the quartette is employed, and this high quality of church music sustained. In this church, at least, the ideal method of conducting sacred song has been well-nigh reached.

But, whatever form or method may be adopted in any church, one thing should be kept constantly in mind, viz: church music must be so arranged and conducted as to become an essential part of worship. It ought always to be an inspiration and aid to devotion. Whether few voices or many unite in the singing, a spirit of religious earnestness and spiritual quickening should breathe through the entire service, - uplifting all hearts, and bringing them into harmony with S. P. Smith. the heavenly choirs above.

ARTICLE XXVI.

Pilatism.

POPE declares of Cromwell that he is "damned to everlasting fame." Political feeling doubtless led the poet astray. Cromwell's fame is secure, but not because of any condemnation after time will put upon him. The words might well be written of that Roman Procurator whose name furnishes the title to this article. Certain it is that of no other character in history are they so true. One of many hundreds of officials in foreign lands, his name would to-day be practically unknown were it not linked indissolubly with that of Jesus the Christ. Upon the lips of all who utter it is it a hissing and a by-word. His infamy is as broad as the loved fame of the one he crucified. It may also be said that in the act of Pilate there is not even the dubious heroism of that of Erostratus, who to insure the immortality of his fame, set fire to the famous temple of Diana at Ephesus. Pilate's thoughts went not beyond his own earthly future. What posterity might think of him he thought not of. Pilate thought to insure his worldly success; at least thought not to endanger it, and won an undying infamy. Upon him is visited constantly the world's condemnation. It is well to condemn intelligently, that we may condemn justly, to find the exact point of his weakness, that his life and its failure may proffer us its proper lesson.

To judge one like Pilate in full justice is not easy. He lived in another age, and was trained under conditions so different from our own, that we can hardly "put ourselves in his place" in the best sense of the phrase. Then we feel, to begin with, that he deserves condemnation on general principles, and so content ourselves in dealing out what is due without inquiring into particulars. Not readily can we measure the force of the perplexities that faced him in the discharge of his duties. The Jewish character is one with which we have little sympathy, especially as it manifested itself to him. It is not altogether clear to us just what was expected of this Roman official.

NEW SERIES. VOL. XXV.

28

Very likely, even to himself, this was not clear. Very likely, much was left to his own discretion. Not only can we not understand his position well enough to take note of all its many difficulties, but we are apt to confuse the attempt to do so by taking with us the atmosphere of our own age and surroundings. We are apt to ignore the fact that Pilate had no Christian training, that back of him were many generations of paganism, and not, as behind us, eighteen centuries of the Gospel. Pilate lived in the first century, and not the nineteenth. He was a Roman with a Roman's training and environment. Roman institutions and customs had, of conrse, left their impress upon him. By his time, and its conditions, and not by ours, is he to be judged and condemned, if such be the demands of jus tice. We who sit in judgment upon him would hardly be willing to be judged by the thirty-sixth century. Let us not then be unjust or unfair in our dealing with this man, who certainly has enough of deserved obloquy to bear.

Let us also remember that we see, what Pilate could not, events in a truer perspective. We can look back to the event with the light of eighteen hundred it. upon We can years cast measure the importance of the act by the results that have flowed from it. We know who the illustrious criminal was that stood that morning before Pilate as he sat as the dispenser of Roman justice. Could he have seen these things as we see them, who can doubt that his action would have been vastly different in every particular. He would have recognized the momentousness of the occasion, and perhaps have proved more worthy of the responsibility that rested upon him.

Feeling that he deserves condemnation, let us be the more discriminating and careful. His burden of condemnation will be heavy enough without any that does not belong to him.

Let us then take careful note of the circumstances; search into the man himself, that we may lay bare to our gaze the spots of weakness or evil that unfitted him to be the hero of his time that made it possible for him to permit the "great crime of history" to be committed. If we find, as we may, that he was what he was somewhat through influences he could

not question or resist, no more than can we those that reach, and, in some measure, mould us, with our condemnation will mingle, perhaps, a little pity.

It is very evident that Pilate did not understand the Jews. In fact, the difference between Roman nature and Jewish was so radical that he could not well comprehend certain peculiarities of the race he was sent to govern. The Roman was cold, calculating, self-poised, and, if the word may be used, dignified. In it was little tendency, to say the least, to fanaticism. The religion of the Roman had little to do with life and action, for with the educated and aristocratic classes, religion had ceased to have any vitality. If they observed its requirements, it was that through it the weaker and more ignorant might be controlled. How different all this from the Jew and his religion, By nature he was inclined to fanaticism. Readily was he quickened into fierce enthusiasms. When the fit was upon him he recked nothing of his own life, or that of others. To him his religion was an every day reality. It was the supremest concern of his life. To it he gave more thought or attention than to all else. The Roman, to whom religion was nothing, could not be expected to understand the Jew, to whom it was everything. For this lack of power to understand these people, not easily understood by any one, Pilate is hardly to blame. He was a Roman, and could not be different. He was what Roman influence made him.

But not understanding them, he made an unfortunate mistake. And this, too, was in large degree the result of his age and race. He despised the people it was his duty to govern. However, in this we all are apt to share. What we do not understand we are apt to despise, to consider beneath our notice. This contempt destroyed his judicial sense by lessening his feeling of responsibility.

Now, without doubt, Pilate was expected to govern in the name of justice. If differences arose between two Jews, other things not interfering, the scales of Justice would doubtless be evenly balanced. If the dispute was between a Jew and a Roman, it is to be suspected that they would not be with exact