Charles Inglis Day: singing the songs of Sion in early Canada

Saturday past, 16th August, was the commemoration of Charles Inglis in the Church of Ireland calendar of 'worthies'. Today, therefore, we have a belated observance of Charles Inglis Day on the blog. Each year, Charles Inglis Day is an opportunity both to reflect on the witness of this son of the Church of Ireland (his father was a rector in the Diocese of Raphoe) and to consider the character of early Canadian Anglicanism, not least in light of the abysmal state of the contemporary Anglican Church of Canada.

This year, we consider a short, passing reference in Inglis' 1803 visitation charge, to the clergy of Nova Scotia:

It may be proper to add, that, at the present time, great attention is paid to the Improvement of Psalmody by the Members of our Church in England; and that several excellent Publications have lately appeared there, which will much assist those who are disposed to promote, or engage in this laudable design.

In a footnote, Inglis highlights two then recently published works:

I refer particularly to Dr. Edward Miller's book of 'Psalmody for the use of Parish Churches'. Inscribed to his Grace the Lord Archbishop of York, 1790 and to the Reverend and very worthy Mr. Tattersall's 'Improved Psalmody'. Dedicated with permission to the King, 1794. The merit of these publications, if estimated by the dignified rank and number of the Subscribers, must be great indeed. All lovers of Sacred Music are much indebted to Mr. Tattersall for procuring, among other things, a great number of new excellent Tunes, by the most celebrated Composers of the late and present times, fitted to the Psalms.

It is a reminder of an aspect of Episcopalian worship lost as the 19th century progressed: the singing of metrical psalms. This practice was robustly defended up to the 1840s by Old High figures. It has, of course, suffered from the 'enormous condescension of posterity' that is routinely demonstrated towards 18th century Anglicanism. Inglis' reference to it, however, invites us to consider how and why it was characteristic of Episcopal worship in early Canada, just as it had been in the American colonies and then in the American Republic, and in the Kingdoms of England, Ireland, and Scotland since the Reformation. 

The two works - by Miller and Tattersall - to which Inglis points note how the singing of metrical psalms, in addition to urban churches with greater musical resources, was found in "country churches" (Miller), "country parishes" (Tattersall). The simple, plain country churches that Inglis consecrated for communities of Loyalists in Nova Scotia, such as Old St. Edward's, Clementsport and Old Holy Trinity, Middleton, were such churches, in which the singing of metrical psalms would have been heard. 

There was a pleasing correspondence between the character of such churches and psalm singing. We see this in Miller's account of the singing of metrical psalms:

The common psalm tunes used in our parish churches may not, by many, be thought capable of producing these grand effects; for, as all the congregation join, or ought to join in them, simple and easy melodies can only be used in such places: but their construction, though simple, is elegant and dignified ...

Likewise, Tattersall:

We are all perfectly agreed that plainness and simplicity are the grand criterion, that ought to guide us ...

Congregational singing of metrical psalms was well-suited to the "simple ... elegant and dignified" country churches which Inglis established.

The practice also placed the Church of England within the wider context of magisterial Protestantism, something which Inglis would have heartily affirmed as entirely uncontroversial. Indeed, for Inglis, following in a long and noble tradition of English divines, the Church of England was the premier expression of magisterial Protestantism.  Miller reflected this in his work, as he began by noting:

In the parish churches of England and Holland, the usual custom is to sing the melodies to the common metrical Psalms ...

Placing the parish churches of the Church of England alongside those of the Dutch Reformed Church immediately emphasises a common, shared magisterial Protestant culture. When he critiqued how the metrical psalms were sung in English parish churches, Miller also turned to Protestant Europe for a better example, urging:

the old common time tunes in quicker measure than at present, according to their original intention, and as they are now sung in the Lutheran churches in Germany.

A plainness and simplicity that echoed the quiet dignity of country churches; a shared magisterial Protestant culture; and, lastly, a means of rooting the piety and devotion of congregations in the Psalter. Inglis was very much aware of how Revivalist Enthusiasm disordered both the decent order of the Church and the sober piety of the Church of England. He would, then, have robustly agreed with Miller's assessment that the dignified congregational singing of metrical Psalms stood in stark contrast to the hymns of Enthusiasts:

The new melodies, or tunes that are introduced into this book, it is hoped, will be found neither so dry, nor uninteresting as some of those in mere counter-point of the ancients, nor so ballad-like and indecorous as many which are now sung in the tabernacles of modern Methodists. Devotion being the proper object of church music, levity of air in the composition, or theatrical graces and embellishments in singing, rather tend to dissipate than heighten its effects; for which reason, in the solemn and venerable old tunes, inserted in this book, the harmony has been inviolably preserved.

Tattersall concluded the preface to his work by quoting "the sentiments of that truly pious and eminent Prelate, Dr. Matthew Parker ... respecting the conjunction or fitness of psalms and tunes". In 1567, Parker had published a metrical Psalter (some of these psalms can be heard sung by the Tallis Scholars in the video at the end of this post). Parker's Psalter is an indication of how congregational singing of metrical psalms was a feature of the Elizabethan Settlement, a feature which would extend over the centuries following in the Church of England. 

Having invoked Parker, Tattersall then provided a rather beautiful description of why the singing of metrical psalms was a practice to be retained and encouraged:

it is humbly hoped, that this attempt, which is somewhat similar, will be viewed with a favourable indulgence. Indeed, if the example of this celebrated Prelate is studiously copied, we may have reason to believe, that our people will learn to lift up their hearts and voices with understanding to God in the heavens, whenever they assemble to sing the praises of JEHOVAH in the congregation of the faithful.

On this belated Charles Inglis Day, therefore, as we look at pictures of those simple, dignified country churches which Inglis established, we can almost hear those Loyalist communities, having known defeat, and now in a strange land, singing the songs of Sion. As I have mentioned, the practice of singing metrical psalms is now usually dismissed with great condescension. Inglis, however, might suggest to us that singing metrical psalms in plain country churches offers a much richer scriptural piety than what is now often found in the Anglican Church of Canada.