ich he says:

"I appeal to the witness of God in every heart, considering the
variety of conditions, the different subjects of praise, adoration,
confession, petitioning, &c., contained in every collection of
hymns, whether in the fear of the Lord any one, in whatever state or
condition he may be at the time, can with propriety be ready to sing
whatever may be given out."

John Spalding further testifies as to the effect of formal singing
in worship. "From my own experience I can say it has a tendency to
divert the mind from solemn, serious reflections. I am now speaking
more particularly concerning those, who have attained to a measure
of the grace of God. Ask yourselves, is outward singing intended or
calculated to please the carnal ears of men, or a holy God? Why such
anxiety about tunes, voices, and music? Is the Lord to be pleased
with such poor things? Oh, no, you cannot suppose it. Consider from
what root it springs; from the old man or the new; and remember the
axe is laid to the root to destroy all that is of the earth, of our
fleshly nature. I have considered those passages in the New
Testament where the subject is mentioned, and am confirmed by them
in my opinion of the inconsistency of public singing. The apostle
speaks of singing with grace in the heart; of making melody in the
heart to the Lord, not making a noise with the tongue, unless that
proceeds from the heart."

In a Memorial concerning Edward Cobb of Maine, issued by Falmouth
Monthly Meeting, there is preserved some account of his religious
experience before he became a member of the Society of Friends, which
took place in 1797. In this he states:

"When quite young, I learned the rules and was very fond of what is
called sacred music, sparing no pains to attend schools for that
purpose; and the prayer of my heart to be directed aright regarding
worship, seemed to receive the first intelligible answer by the way
of reproof in this exercise; and when, at the head of a choir of
singers, words have occurred that, through the enlightening
influence of heavenly goodness, (which had long been operating on my
mind), appeared evidently inconsistent with my own state, I have
often, to be unobserved by the company, kept the tune along; while I
feared that taking the words into my mouth, and uttering them as
worship to Him wh