1]
Every living creature in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, as
though unable to resist the contagious sweep, catch up the music and add
their own to it. We don't commonly associate music with the animal
creation, nor with nature. It has been said that all the sounds of nature
are keyed in the minor, as though some suffering had affected them. We
talk of the sighing of the wind, the moaning of the sea-waves, and the
mourning of the doves. Though the singing-birds must be excepted. They
seem to have caught and kept some of the upper strains.

But evidently something has occurred to strike a new key-note. For now
they take up the refrain of the joyous song of the others, and increase
the mighty song by their own.

In chapter seven the music has ceased or softened down and is taken up
afresh by the <i>Martyr Chorus</i>.[18] Again John's figures give out. He
declares that nobody could count the multitudes that make up this chorus.
It is a polyglot chorus. They sing in many different languages, but all
blend into full rhythm. It's a scarred chorus, too. These have been
through great tribulation. Their scars tell the mute story of the
fierceness of the fight, and the steadiness of their faith.

Through their singing runs a distinct strain of the minor. Its strangely
sweet cadence, learned in many an hour of pain, runs as an under-chording
through the song of triumph that now fills their hearts and mouths. And as
they sing, the angel chorus and the quartette drop to their knees, and
swell the wondrous refrain.

In chapter fourteen comes the music of the <i>Chorus of Pure Ones</i>.[19] They
are gathered close about the person of Jesus. They sing to the
accompaniment of a great company of harpers. They sing with a peculiar
clearness in their tones. Theirs is a new song. Purity always makes a
music of its own, unapproachable for sweetness and clearness.

The <i>Victors' Chorus</i> rings out its song in chapter fifteen.[20] These
have been in the thickest of the fighting. The smoke of the battle has
tanned their faces. They have struggled with the enemy at close range, hip
and thigh, nip and tuck, close parry and hard thrust. And they have come
off victors. The ring of triumph resounds in their voices, as to the sound
of their own harps, harps of God, they add their tribute of song to all
the others.

And at the last comes the great <i>Hallelujah Chorus</i>, in chapter
nineteen.[21] In response to the precentor's