THE service of song in the Jewish Church was "representative, official, vicarious." "David selected to the service those who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with symbols, to give thanks and praise unto the Lord. These are they whom he set over the service of song, after that the ark had rest; and they ministered before the dwellingplace of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem; and they waited in their office according to their order.". The Levites were the singers in the Jewish temple-the chief, if not the only ones. The service, therefore, was not properly congregational; but the song, in harmony with other religious services, was presented occasionally by the priestly class. The arrangement, however, is altered under the new dispensation. We have no priest but one in heaven; no priests at all on earth, but ourselvesoffering our own sacrifices in the name of Jesus. The first notice of singing in the Christian, as distinguished from the Jewish Church, is the account of the service performed by that memorable congregation in the upper room at Jerusalem, with the Son of Man to lead their devotions," And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." It would appear, the whole of that little congregation joined in the devout act; and thus opened and led the Christian choir, and set an example of the full chorus in which all hearts and lips should join. Vicarious, representative worship comes to an end in Christianity. All God's people are to be priests, and all are to offer the sacrifices of song.

Such was the practice of the early Church. "Christians met together to sing hymns to Christ, before day-break," says Pliny. "They sang hymns together," says Hilary. "They met together, and all sang in common," says Chrysostom; and, again, " Women and men, old men and children, differing in sex and in age, but they differ not in the harmony of singing hymns, for the Spirit tempers all their voices together, making