Dr. Ronald Holz—Professor of Music Literature and Instrumental Music at Asbury College and a renowned Salvationist music historian, author, conductor, lecturer, and clinician—is writing a book on the history of Salvation Army music. I was looking for some good quotes for The Red Book Sessions and he sent me some very powerful (and convicting) quotes from the Army’s founders and musical pioneers about the purpose of Salvation Army music. Whether you are a Brass or Praise Bandsmen a Songster or a Screamster I’m sure that these quotes will help focus your ministry of music.
You must sing good tunes. Let it be a good tune to begin with. I don’t care much whether you call it secular or sacred. I rather enjoy robbing the devil of his choicest tunes, and, after his subjects themselves, music is about the best commodity he possesses. It is like taking the enemy’s guns and turning them against him. However, come whence it may, let us have a real tune, that is, a melody with some distinct air in it, that one can take hold of, which people can learn, nay, which makes them learn it, which takes hold of them and goes humming in the mind until they have mastered it. That is the sort of tune to help you; it will preach to you, and bring you believers and converts. -William Booth
We are a permanent mission to the unsaved…and the primary purpose of our music should be to help bridge the gap between the saved Salvationist and the man in the street. I would like to hear more original songs with a real gospel appeal and intelligible to the average pagan – songs that can be used as a solo or by a songster brigade. They will need to be good enough to compete with the latest popular song and yet be of permanent value in our music repertoire. Men like Slater and Herbert Booth served their generation in this way…-Dean Goffin
…you must be careful not to over-estimate its importance [SA band music] or come into bondage to it. Music, in itself, has neither a moral nor a religious character. This can only be imparted to it by the thoughts or feelings of the soul when under its power. That is to say, if music is to have any holy, any Divine influence on the hearts of those who listen, it must be associated with holy feelings and with Divine thoughts. It is this that makes good singing more important to us than the grandest music the Band can play, unless accompanied by the singing of words calculated to carry home its appeal to our hearts. -William Booth
To reach the masses the music called for is that which goes direct to the souls of men, not such as demands a measure of culture and an intellectual process for its comprehension. The Army music is therefore popular in style, depending for its effect more upon melody than harmony, simplicity of style and structure characterize it, and it is this universal in its scope and direct in its effect. -Richard Slater
The soul in the music can be really manifested in playing a simple tune as in giving the most complicated piece. I want you to give your attention not only to playing the highly developed journals, but the same care, the same nicety of touch and style bestowed upon the most simple and commonplace words that the average man—such as I am—can understand. Make your music speak; make it say something to the crowd; play your very hearts into the people’s hearts. -Bramwell Booth
The music of the Army is created to meet certain well-defined and specific needs. The Army does not exist as an entertaining society, to provide a series of concerts. It exists for the direct purpose of winning souls and of helping men and women to be good. It is, or ought to be, secondary and subservient to this great purpose—a means to an end… The Army does not necessarily need the best music, but that which best assists it in the accomplishment of its supreme purpose [winning the world for Jesus]. -Richard Slater
…I have always regarded music as all belonging to God. Perhaps some of you have heard me say in public that there will not be a note of music in hell, it will be all in heaven, and God ought to have it all there, and God ought to have it all here. . . The church has strangely lost sight of the value of music as a religious agency. I think God has used the Army to resuscitate and awaken [it]… and while the bandsmen of the Salvation Army realize it to be as much their service to blow an instrument as it is to sing or pray. . . and while they do it in the same spirit, I am persuaded it will become an ever-increasing power amongst us. But the moment you, or any other bandsman, begin to glory in the excellence of the music alone, apart from the spiritual results, you will begin at that moment to lose your power…You see, when you separate the divine from the human, it ceases to have any power over souls. Don’t forget that. -Catherine Booth
I am also compelled to share Romans 15:5-6
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As well as quote SASB #703
To the war! to the war! every man to his post;
Go, care for the dying; go, seek for the lost;
Hark! converts are singing, their bright faces glow,
As they joyfully shout: To the war we will go!
Youth Department