Sunday School Music

The exercises of the children from Granite stake, in their singing, is quite a surprise to me, and a delight. I have no doubt the musical people connected with the Sunday Schools throughout Zion will profit by the example set us tonight, so that the talents of the young people may be utilized to the very best advantage. We are wonderfully blessed with talent in this line throughout the Church, and we have not only the talent, but we have the love and appreciation also of the labors of such men as Professor Stephens, and we are very anxious — I am sure the General Board is very anxious — that all may be made that can be made of the musical talent with which the Lord has blessed His people; for singing, and good singing particularly, is heavenly. ¶

There is hardly any soul so dull or indifferent as to not appreciate choice singing. The world delights in it, as well as the Saints. It is an accomplishment that will adorn the Latter-day Saints throughout the world, and I have no doubt but that we shall excel in it as one of the important features of the Sunday School cause. I have felt that our Sunday School work is superior, possibly, to that accomplished by any other people. We are not a very numerous people, but the Sunday School work that has been organized and developed within the last 40 years produces what we see here tonight. Nothing like this is to be seen in the world so far as I know; such a body of possibly eight to nine thousand people, gathered together here, interested in the Sunday School cause, workers and pupils, a whole community, their hearts beating warmly towards this cause. In it, by these associations and organizations, the spirit of the Gospel is cultivated. Music is refining; and it is introduced into the homes, until we find that in every home in Zion, whether there be musical instruments or not, but the voices will be trained, and our children will be singers, the musical talent will be developed delightfully; and what is more pleasant than to hear children sing, singly and also collectively? What is there more cheerful in a home and in our social gatherings? I know of nothing that cheers the heart and elevates the sentiment of the soul of men or women equal to the musical sentiment and talent, if it is cultivated. How pleasant it is, where we have a mother who can sing, a father who can sing, brothers that can sing, sisters that can sing! I think we cannot devote too much attention and time to the cultivation of the musical talent with which the Lord has endowed us. I appreciate that the Sunday School is developing this art more extensively and generally throughout our communities, until the Latter-day Saints will be recognized as the musical people of the world, the most remarkable community for musical talent; and the world will be delighted, as they are now. They come to us, and we go to them with our music. The Tabernacle choir, under the direction of Prof. Stephens, has made a sensation throughout the United States, and it is anticipated that they will do so beyond the bounds of the United States. ¶

I hope they will. And I hope that the Lord will bless Prof. Stephens, and bless those who follow in his footsteps, and take up the labor that he has suggested now, and that has been taken up, for there are many among us, many others. Prof. Stephens is not the only one. He has possibly been the leading feature or factor in this line, but there are others whose hearts and souls are just as musical as is Brother Stephens' heart and soul, and we want to avail ourselves of the talent that we have and accomplish everything that can be done to produce joy in the hearts of the Latter-day Saints. ¶

The Lord bless you, my brethren and sisters. I do not feel that I ought to occupy your time. But may the Lord bless you and may we sustain and encourage our young children and those who have musical talents to develop those talents until we shall rejoice exceedingly in it before the Lord. I am sure that the Lord is pleased with this effort and labor; I am sure that the Lord is pleased with the General Sunday School board and with the labors of the people, I am sure that He rejoices therein, and the angels will be delighted with the music that will be made by the children of the Latter-day Saints. ¶

May that spirit and inclination increase in our hearts, now and forever. I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶