Arians Changing the Law
With Musical Worship Teams
Arius denied the Deity of Christ and promoted it by the
use of musical worship
teams. The values of his women were
automatically suspect when they put themselves in the role. However,
they attracted the masses to the agent changing the law.
Even so, Arius and his band of
musicians honored Paul's rule for the churches:
when they went into the assembly the musical
worship teams ceased in the name of decency when the Lord's Supper
was served and prayers offered.
Plato warned that when the style of music
changes we should not just worry about the singing but the
nature of the songs. His warning
was sounded because he had been told
that when the nature of music
changed it was in order to change the style of government.
The musicians were
the menial servants of the priesthood
to force
or pacify,
through induced drugs (endorphins), the people to go along with the
changes even though the emotionally-mature knew that it was for the
aggrandizement of the change
agent. They gagged on being fooled but
would suffer anything to "keep the unity of the brotherhood." I would
think that even an illiterate shepherd would know that wolves and
sheep cannot coexist when the walls are
broken down.
It just seems impossible to use talented,
professional level singers without bringing along new styles and new
words to replace the Words of Christ. Of course, our choice and style
once divided the church but have become "codified" and therefore
scriptural.
"Already at the end
of the second century the Byzantine, Syrian, and later the Armenian
church showed a marked preference for new, nonscriptural hymns, despite all warnings by the catholic
authorities. Even Canon 59 of the Council of Laodicea (360-81), which
expressly prohibited nonscriptural texts, was constantly circumvented and openly violated, as
the enormous hymn
literature of the
Eastern churches demonstrates.
CANON LIX.
No psalms composed by private individuals nor any
uncanonical books may be read in the church, but only the Canonical
Books of the Old and New Testaments.
"The fact that the
Maronite or Uniate
Armeanian churches came under Roman jurisdiction did in no way
diminish the quantity of free hymns in their liturgies. Such
inclinations are obviously remnants of ethnic,
possibly
pagan, predilections, which no doctrine, however strict,
could
eliminate.
Musically speaking,
this results in the relatively larger number of metrical tunes in the
Eastern tradition...
The West remained conservative,
faithful to
scripture, and admitted
rather late (seventh to eighth century) metrical Latin hymns to its
official liturgy." (Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, p. 460,
Abingdon).
The Arians understood that the way to gather a
crowd (not worth gathering) was by exhibitionist musicians:
"The Arians, as we
have said, held their meetings without the city. As often therefore
as the festal days occurred, that is to say, the Sabbath and Lord's
day of each week, on which assemblies are usually held in the
churches,
they congregated
within the city gates about the public piazzas, and sang responsive verses adapted
to the Arian heresy.
This they did during the
greater part of the night; and again in the morning, chanting the
same responsive compositions, they paraded through the midst of the
city,
and so passed out
the gates to go to their
places of assembly."
(Socrates or 'Scholasticus,' Ecclesiastical
History, Book VI,
Chapt. ViII., p. 314).
Chapter VIII.
The Arians and the Supporters of the
`Homoousion' hold Nocturnal Assemblies and sing Antiphonal Hymns, a
Species of Composition ascribed to Ignatius, surnamed
Theophorus.39 Conflict between the Two Parties.
"The Arians, as we have said,
held their meetings without the city. As often therefore as the
festal days occurred, that is to say, the Sabbath and Lord's day of
each week, on which assemblies are usually held in the churches, they
congregated within the city gates about the public piazzas, and sang
responsive verses adapted to the Arian heresy. This they did during
the greater part of the night; and again in the morning, chanting the
same responsive compositions, they paraded through the midst of the
city, and so passed out the gates to go to their places of assembly."
(Socrates or 'Scholasticus,' Ecclesiastical History, Book VI, Chapt.
VII., p. 314).
But since they did not desist from making use
of insulting expressions in relation to the Homoousians often singing such words
as these: `Where are they that say three things are but one power?'
John fearing lest any of the more simple should
be drawn away from the church by such kind of hymns, opposed to them
some of his own people, that they also
employing themselves in chanting
nocturnal hymns,
might obscure the effort of the
Arians,
and confirm his own party in the profession of their faith.
John's design indeed seemed to be good, but it
issued in tumult and
dangers. For as the Homoousians
performed their nocturnal hymns with greater display,-for there were
invented by John silver crosses for them on which lighted wax-tapers
were carried, provided at the expense of the empress Eudoxia,-
the Arians who were very numerous,
and fired with envy, resolved to revenge themselves by a
desperate and riotous attack upon their rivals.
For from the remembrance of their own recent
domination, they were full of confidence in their ability to
overcome, and of contempt for their
adversaries. Without delay therefore,
on one of these nights, they engaged in a conflict; and Briso, one of
the eunuchs of the empress, who was at that time leading the chanters of these hymns, was wounded by a stone in the forehead, and also some
of the people on both sides were killed. Whereupon the
emperor being angered, forbade the Arians to chant their hymns any
more in public. Such were the events of this occasion.
We must now however make some
allusion to the origin of this custom in the church of
responsive singing. Ignatius third bishop of Antioch in Syria from the
apostle Peter, who also had held intercourse with the apostles
themselves,
saw a vision of angels hymning
in alternate chants the Holy Trinity.
Accordingly he introduced the mode of singing he had observed in the
vision into the Antiochian church; whence it was transmitted by
tradition to all the other churches. Such is the account [we have
received] in relation to these responsive hymns.
Not even the Arians dared bring the musical
performance into the secret places where they met the Lord in His
Supper. However, their mass meetings were to inculcate a diminished
role for Christ and an increased, oversight -
teaching
role for women:
"Arius, therefore, and Achilles,
having lately entered into a conspiracy, emulating the ambition of
Colluthus, have turned out far worse than he.... they... endured no
longer to be subject to the Church; but building for themselves dens
of thieves, they hold their assemblies in them unceasingly, night and
day directing their calumnies against Christ and against us. For
since they call in question all pious and apostolocal doctrine, after
the manner of the Jews, they have constructed a workshop for
contending against Christ,... and preaching that he is only the equal
of others." (Alexander, Epistles on the Arian Heresy, Ante-Nicene VI,
p. 291)
As always, the recruited women were convinced
by the leader (hiding his methods and motives) that their exhibitionism was serving God. They knew little of God's Mind or Spirit and were just
sheep helping the new change agent bring the existing churches into a
tribunal (published far and wide to make the churches of Christ look
like immature fools) to judge the old pattern makers and applaud the
new paradigm makers:
"And now indeed, they drag us
before the tribunals of the judges, by intercourse with
silly and disorderly
women, whom they have led into error;
at another time they cast oppribum and
infamy upon the Christian religion,
their young maidens disgracefully
wandering about every village and street. Nay, even Christ's indivisible tunic, which His
executioners were unwilling to divide, these wretches have dared to
rend " (Alexander, Epistles on the Arian
Heresy, Ante-Nicene VI, I)
First
Friendship Evangelism with Musical Women
Any woman who would get involved with putting
herself on display was automatically looked upon with suspicion. Of
course, among those looking for entertainment how better to attract
them. However, talented or spiritually motivated, Paul knew that it
was not possible for women to preside, oversee or stand over the
flock of sheep--perhaps mostly goats--without misdirecting their
minds to sensual "worship" to replace a quiet reading of the already
- preached songs and sermons recorded in Scripture.
"For these seducers do always lie,
nor will they ever speak the truth. They go about the cities,
attempting nothing else but that under the mark of friendship and the name of peace, by their hypocrisy
and blandishments, they
may give and receive letters,
to deceive by means of these a few silly
women, and laden with sins, who have
been led captive by them'." (Alexander, Epistles on the Arian Heresy,
Ante-Nicene VI, p.
296).
However, the common theme is that when our
"patterns" are failing and we need, as in Mexico and Babylon, to help
God hold up the skys, we find a legalistic way to get God to rescue
us we turn to music. The sexual appeal of women has always been used
to enhance the religious system for financial gain. Of Corinth, where
their assemblies "did more harm than good." The Arians and their
female musical worship teams were repeting a common practice of the
pagan world. Many examples show that a loss of confidence in the old
"wineskin" caused people to do outrageous things because they
believed in "the holiness of sin."
"This mountain was covered with
temples and splendid houses; but was especially devoted to Venus, and
was the place of her worship....and it was enjoined by law, that one
thousand beautiful females should
officiate as courtesans, or public
prostitutes, before the altar of the goddess of love. In time of public calamity and imminent
danger, these women attended at the sacrifices, and walked with the other
citizens singing sacred
hymns...
"Foreign merchants were attracted
in this way to Corinth; and in a few days would be stripped of all
their property...It became the most gay, dissipated, corrupt, and
ultimately the most effeminate and feeble
portion of Greece." (Barnes, Albert, Introduction to 1 Cor., p. iv).
In time, the church would return to its pagan
roots and demand clergy musicians to replace the congregational
singing of the Words of Christ. In order to keep their flock from
being seduced by the Arian musical worship teams, the old wineskin churches
adopted their practices, perhaps to keep their leaders home:
"In competition with
pagan
musical art, congregational singing began to wane. Basil states
that he had 'the Psalms rendered by
skillful presentors after the manner of
the triumphal Odes of Pindar, the congregation joining at the closing
verse, with the accompaniment of lyres." Int Std Bible Ency., p.
2494A For more CLICK
HERE
Malchion wrote against Paul of
Samosota
"Neither need I say anything about
his pride and the haughtiness with which he assumed worldly dignities,
and his wishing to be styled procurator (employed to manage
your
affairs) rather than bishop (servant or shepherd) and his strutting
through the market-places, and reading letters and reciting them as
he walked in public, and his being escorted by multitudes of people going
before him and following him.
These men always sold themselves as ministers or servants. However, the
obvious and early method was to subjugate the church to his plans and
programs. If you didn't endorse his control of your money and
spiritual authority he turned on you and gored you to put you out of
business so the others would not dare speak or protest:
"Nor of his censuring and
insulting those who did not applaud him nor shake their handkerchiefs, as in done in the
theatres, nor bawl out and
leap about after the manner of
his partisans, both male
and female, who were such disorderly listeners to him, but chose to hear reverently and modestly
as in the
house of God; nor of his unseemly and violent attacks in the congregation upon the expounders
of the Word who have already departed this life, and his magnifying
himself, not like a bishop, but like a
sophist
(clever but devious speakers--for hire) and juggler (jokester, buffoon); nor of his putting a stop to the psalms sung in honour
of our Lord Jesus Christ, as (he
supposed) the compositions of recent
men, and preparing women to sing psalms in honour of himself in
the midst of the church, in the great
day of the Paschal festival, which choristers one might
shudder to hear."
You cannot sing the magical incantation of
Fanny Crosby and preach a sermon extolling her virtues (however
deserved) without worshiping Fanny. You cannot sing "praise" songs
composed to display the looks and talent of a musical worship team
without diminishing the Word of Christ written to be our songs and
sermons.
Musical Worship Teams Engender
Pride
It seems clear that entertaining church
assemblies and large buildings are intended to reflect favorably upon
the team. One historian noted the connection between cathedrals and
"civic pride." The biggest building with the best entertainment got
the concession for the fairs and lots of trinkets and books and
sermons were sold. Perhaps big money will under gird your effort
because it is good for the motel and entertainment industry. No magic
handkerchiefs for the not-quite-fools but magical little books to
make you more spiritual. Kill off the competing gods by holding news
conferences.
"Just now there is a
commotion
among the choirs of some of the city churches, which extends to the congregations,
growing out of high bidding for leading singers--one church bidding over another.
It is said that one Presbyterian church has
offered a lady who sings in an Episcopal choir the sum of
eight hundred dollars
per annum to change her position. In
another Episcopal church the choir is being reconstructed on a basis
of expending some twelve hundred per
year for music. In other churches there
is uneasiness in the choirs, and all are looking for something
better. The church that has the most popular choir draws the
largest miscellaneous
audiences.." (Millennial Har., 1868,
pp. 280-285).
I doubt that we would convene a loud,
amplified, rehearsed choir to play while God-Incarnate took upon
Himself the suffering of lost mankind. These performances, even they
say ten thousand "Lord, Lords" or other mantras, must and may be
intending to hide the God Who demands that we give up trying to
arouse idols and come before Him in silence.
This Paul of Samosata refused to acknowledge
that the Son of God came down from heaven. The women who could be
seduced into being his co-ministers were kept with the clergy:
"Nor shall I say any thing of the
quackery
which he practises in the ecclesiastical assemblies, in the way of
courting popularity and making a great parade, and astounding by such
arts the
minds of the less sophisticated; nor of his setting up for himself a
lofty tribunal and
throne, so unlike a disciple of Christ;
nor of his having a secretum and calling it by that name, after the
manner of the rulers of this world;
nor of his striking his thigh with his hand and
beating the tribunal with his
feet;
nor of his censuring and insulting those
who did not applaud him nor shake their handkerchiefs, as is
done in the theatres,
nor bawl out and
leap about
after the manner of his partisans, both male and
female,
who were such disorderly listeners to him, but chose to hear
reverently and modestly as in the house of God; nor of his unseemly
and
violent attacks in the congregation upon the
expounders of the Word who have already
departed this life, and his
magnifying of himself, not like a bishop, but like a sophist and
juggler;
nor of his putting a stop to the psalms sung in honour of our Lord Jesus Christ,
as the recent compositions of recent
men,
and preparing
women to sing psalms in honour of himself in the midst of the
Church.
in the great day of the Paschal festival, which
choristers
one might shudder to hear. And besides, he acted on those bishops and
presbyters, who fawned upon him in the neighbouring districts and
cities, to advance the like opinions in their discourses to their
people.
3. For we may say, to anticipate a little what
we intend to write below, that he does not wish to acknowledge that the Son of God came down from
heaven. And this is a statement which
shall not be made to depend on simple assertion; for it is proved
abundantly by those memoranda which we sent you, and not least by
that passage in which he says that Jesus Christ is from below. And
they who sing his praise and eulogise him among the people, declare
that their impious teacher has come down as an angel from heaven. And
such utterances the haughty man does not check, but is present even
when they are made.
And then again there are these
women-these adopted
sisters,
as the people of Antioch call them-who are
kept by him and by the presbyters and
deacons with him, whose incurable sins in this and other matters, though he is cognisant of them, and has convicted
them, he connives at
concealing, with the view of keeping
the men subservient to
himself, and preventing them, by fear
for their own position, from daring to accuse him in the matter of
his impious words and deeds. Besides this, he has made his followers
rich, and for that he is loved and admired by those who set their
hearts on these things. (Malchion,
Ante-Nicene Fathers).
This Paul probably didn't know much about the
Apostle Paul:
"While Paul's contempt of musical instruments was based upon the Pharisaic view, the later Christian
authorities had much more cogent reasons for their antagonism against all instrumental
music. The pagan theater and circus,
with their licentious (read: "head exposed for exhibit.")
female musicians, attracted
vast masses of
Gentile Christians, who were
accustomed to these spectacles... The church
needed three centuries of severe legislation to eradicate at least
the worst of these orgiastic
customs." (Interpreters Dictionary of
the Bible, p. 468-9, Abingdon).
Surely, if we put our talent and women on
display the "gentiles" or unbelievers can be attracted to our church.
The "children of god" movement put their women and even young girls
out as prostitutes knowing that this is a powerful way to attract
customers. Afterward, we can somehow get him indoctrinated and
initiated into our mysteries.
"We have evidence of ritual dances
in the context of other Syrian cults. One of the Ras Shamra poems, in
a passage...mentions mrqdm 'dancers' apparently in connection with a
sacrifice. Herodian depicts Heliogabalus at a sacrifice to his god of
Emesa, 'dancing round the altars to the sound of every kind of
musical instrument; with him certain women of his country performed a sprightly
round, with cymbals and tambourines in
their hands. At Dair ee-Qala'a, near Beirut, there was a sanctuary
dedicated to Baal-Marqod, 'Baal of the Dance' whose cult evidently
involved dancing. An inscription relating to the sanctuary mentions a
deuterostates, a technical word for one who stands in the back row of
the choir." (de Vaux, Roland, p. 241, The Bible and the Ancient Near
East, Doubleday ).
CLICK
HERE to see Plato's comments on how
to change the law with music.
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