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By Roger A. Scully, Jr.
removed from the fellowship of the church. In 2:15 he instructed, “hold the traditions you were taught, whether by
word or by epistle.” Thus, we have precedence for the fact that the practice followed by congregations during the
time of the apostles stands as a mode of authority and example for men who worship God under the New Testament
patter for all time. This is why Paul wrote that the church in Thessalonica was an “example to all that believe” (1
Thess 1:7). It should follow, then, that if mechanical instruments were permissible by the apostles in the worship of
God, under New Testament law, then we should be able to find countless numbers of congregations during the first
and second centuries using them continually. Let us now look to history and see if the instrument can be found as a
part of New Testament worship.
Why is it important to look to history? Because during the time of the apostles there were inspired men, which
means there were men who were receiving direct instruction from the Holy Spirit of God, thus the way they
worshipped God sets a precedence for the manner in which we are to worship Him today. If history shows no use of
the instrument, then it follows that those, who had divine authority, who taught those of the first century how to
worship God, never authorized them.
“Neither Ambrose, nor Basil, nor Chrysostom in the noble encomiums which they severally pronounced upon
music, make any mention of instrumental music in their religious worship” McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia. “It is
generally admitted that the primitive Christians employed no instrumental music in their religious worship” Coleman.
“It was the ancient custom, as it still is with us, for all to come together and unitedly join in singing. The young and
old, the rich and poor, make and female, bond and free, all join in one song” Chrysostom, A.D. 400. Only 100 years
after the death of the apostle John Eusebius wrote: “They sang loud with their voices,” 160 A.D.—no mention of an
instrument. A Roman governor during the time of apostles is recorded as saying, “They would recite hymns.” It is
interesting to note that none of the historians here mentioned were a part of the church of Christ; hence no one can
claim that they are making some “church of Christ doctrine.”
90 years after the death of the apostle John, in 190 A.D. the flute was brought into the worship in Alexandria
Egypt, however, it was quickly removed, for, said the church leaders, “there is no authority for it.” From the
establishment of the church forward 637 years, there is not even the mentioning of a mechanical instrument as a
part of worship. Martin Luther called it the ensign of Baal, after completing his German translation of the Bible and
spending a great deal of time in Greek research. John Calvin said it is not fit to be brought into the worship
assembly, for there is no apostolic example, or one mention of it in the New Testament. Note what Dr. Frederic Louis
Ritter, Director of the School at Vassar College, wrote, “The music which formed a part of religious devotion of the
first Christian congregations was purely vocal. Instrumental music was excluded” (History of Music from Christian Era
to the Present Time, p.28). Edward Dickinson, Professor of the History of Music says, “While Greek and Roman
songs were metrical, the Christian psalms were antiphons, prayers, responses, etc. They were unmetrical; and while
the pagan melodies were always sung to an instrumental accompaniment, the church chant was exclusively vocal.
The use of instruments was condemned.” Frank Landon Humphreys wrote, “All music employed in their early
services was vocal, and the rhythmic element was forbidden” (Evolution of church Music, p.42).
From where did the first instrument come? Pope Vitalian is related to have first introduced organs into some
western European Catholic Churches in 670 A.D. (American Cyclopedia, Vol 12, p.688). “In the Greek church the
organ never came into use. But after the 8th century it became more and more common in the Latin church; not,
however, without opposition from the side of the monks. Its misuse, however, raised so great an opposition to it, that,
but for the Emperor Ferdinand, it would probably have been abolished by the Council of Trent” (Schaff-Herzog
Encyclopedia Vol 2, p.1702). “The Greek word psallo is applied among the Greeks of modern times exclusively to
sacred music, which in the Eastern Church has never been any other than vocal, instrumental music being unknown
in that church, as it was in the primitive church” (McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia, Vol 8, p.739).
Since history shows that the Christian assembly during the time of, and after the death of, the apostles, for more
than 600 years, never used a mechanical instrument, it must be concluded, by all honest hearted, logically thinking,
rational persons, that the instrument was not authorized, never ordained, hence never permitted by the Holy Spirit of
God. Therefore, it was not designed to be a part of New Testament worship.
