Total Neglect

“The Total Neglect of Singing Psalms, by many serious Christians, for want of Skill in Singing Psalm Tunes. There are many who never employ their Tongues in singing God’s praises, because they have not the skill […] It is to be feared Singing must be wholly omitted in some paces for want of skill.” (180) Although I believe the main reason we no longer sing hymns and psalms is an artifactual reason I do believe that in one sense we don’t sing them because we now lack the skill. We no longer know how to read music and in many cases we no longer know how to read deep texts with understanding. How did this happen? I believe Thomas Symmes struggled with the same problem when he wrote, “The declining from, and getting beside the Rule was gradual and insensible.” (182) Just like Thomas we need to strive to teach our brothers and sisters and lead them back to the greener pastures we wandered from.