I do not intend to write about musical treats, as people in Shanghai know enough about them by way of enjoying or missing them. No, I am trying to write in deep earnest about a new discovery, just being introduced into our life of suffering, applicable to the most hidden, most complicated illnesses of nature, coming on the wings of music—an angel to poor suffering humanity.
I do not speak about"the general soothing, comforting, rousing, exhilarating effect of music on the mind, but of the effects of music on the body, which may justly be called new discovery. It is now and universal, as it does not require people to be musical in order to be influenced; it blesses everybody who it It is a treatment (at least I take it to be meant as a treatment) which is to be compared to galvanic treatment, but more acting on the whole body than this, It works not on the nervous system only, but plays on all the membranes of the internal ganism, thus being specially beneficial for tired lungs and asthmatic persons. It gives thobraina wholesome shake which no other treatment could safely undertake, It gives one a sensation similar to that of enjoying a bath in the pure ocean, and it seems certain that a sufficient application of it would restore and refresh the languid system in a peculiar way. All that through right application of musio—and, may I add for readers in straightened i eet, cheap in the extreme, it It has been found that the des pes; tones of our music, ie, of music porceptible for human' ears, produced in sufficient volume exercise that influence Up to the present only our church-or seem to be provided with the possibilities of such music; and again, not in every church they are realised, much less used.
It was with pleasure that I listened to the sweet strains of the "brand-new organ" (as the Rev. ©. E. Darwent puts it) in Union Church, when my attention was suddenly drawn to the excoedingly sweet basses of the beautiful instrument. Wave-like it took possession of my body, scorned to play with it innermost parts, never touched before. I felt as if I could measure the length of the musical wave by the inch, and this Length changed as the foot of the artist touched the next pedal. And at once I remembered that only once before in 9 western church with an old organ, whilst listening to the soul-moving strains of "passion-music," I realised the same strange sensation for seconds. Ever since it had been problem on my mind whether this heretofore rather unknown beneficial quality of music might not be utilised or at least be more appreciated. Here in Shanghai I find it utilised and here I find a whole church being benefited by it.
This must be the organist's intention. Perhaps every reader knows that a good organ generally is provided with a peda
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.