Page:A Sermon Preached in the Temporary Chapel of Keble College.djvu/19

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15

I am persuaded better things. I must indeed frankly say this much, that I think our responses have grown rather weaker lately; that you lean too much on the Choir; that there are too many mouths shut, too many whose look of indifference must make it harder for others (I find it so myself) to be earnest. [The same thing applies by the way to Grace in Hall: and I should like to take this opportunity of asking you to make it hearty, instead of the half-ashamed mutter which it now often is.] But as I have said once already, on the whole our Services are good. Let us make them better in the new Chapel. In such ways as these. Let us all join in the responses with a clear voice. Let us make a point of joining in the musical parts according to our powers, and not according to our fancy: not singing music which we like, and leaving what we dislike unsung. We are careful to provide books for all. Prayer Books, Bibles, and Hymn-books; I should like to see a general habit among us of following the Lessons in the Bible. Those who act as Readers of the Lessons should do honour to this subordinate but important part in the conduct of the Service by reading them to the utmost of their power audibly, intelligently, and with reverence of voice and manner. Our Choir should be as full and good as possible; and to those who have the qualifications I would suggest that they should join it, even at a slight sacrifice of time, or of taste if the music is not the kind they care most for singing,