Mexborough and Swinton Times, 8th July, 1932
Music’s Magic Sing More and Sulk Less
Mr. Joseph Jones’s Advice
If we sang more we should sulk lees. Music and anger cannot live long in the same place. It is the mission of music to remove some of the asperities of human life. There is a magic in music that rational man cannot describe. These were among the aphorisms of Mr. Joseph Jones, J.P., C.B.E., General Secretary of the Yorkshire Miners’ Association in an address on Music and Religion at Wombwell on Sunday.
He was speaking at the anniversary services of the United Methodist Church in Cemetery Road. They missed the real purpose of music, said Mr. Jones, if they were satisfied merely to be entertained., Music was a tonic not a soporific. Music had the power to rouse the spirit to creative adventure. How happy were they whose souls reacted to it, not intellectually but spiritually.
“Music,” said Mr. Jones, “has been helping to save the world for ages. A little more music and life would be brighter and happier. Music consoles us in disappointments and restrains us in success. I appeal to you to exercise more and more this delightful art as a means by which you may give colour and strength to your faith.”