The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1867-03-13

Songs OF Praise. 1t seems necessary to
make few remarks upon the communication
of the respected Secretary of Publication.
l. We volunteered no criticisms upon the
book; they were, from the nature of the case,
invited by the Secretary when he sent it to our
Office for the usual editorial notice. The Editor
is not infalible, and therefore might err in
judgment as to the merits of the volume; at
any rate his estimate might not be satisfactory
to all others. They have a right to their
opinions, and we have freely published them.
We also freely givethe Secretary an entire COL
umn,. although it is quite out of the usual
course to admit replies to criticisms of books
sent for criticism. But it was far from our
wish to injure the sale of this work or to do
injustice to any one.
2. The Editor. of the Central Presbyterian
is member of the Committee of Publication,
and united in the unanimous approval by
the Committee" referred to- Let itbe under
stood, however, that it was upon the report
and recommendation of the Secretary, and not
upon personal examination as must often be
the case
8. The remark was made in our former ar
ticle, that "much of what is now sung in our
Sabbath Schools is very trashy, the poetry in
ferior, and the tunes jiggy, fdgetty, and
frothy." This volume was not mentioned in
that remark, nor indeed aimed at. We knew
nothing then, nor upon much more careful
examination since do we now know a piece in
it that deserves the application of the words
trashy, jiggy, fdgetty, or frothy." But We
do think considerable number of them are of
an inferior grade, both as to poetry and music
When the Secretary and two other members
of the Committee examined the whole work
expressly ito see that the sentiments contained
in the hymns were unexceptionable, containing
no false doctrine, nothing political or secular,
no mere sentimentalisms, we regret that they
were not entirely successful. What is to be
thought of the piece found on page 47th? 1t
is introduced in the book with this predatory
note:
Opposite our chamber window is a clear,
cool, never-failing spring; and, running merri-
ly along by its side, yet entirely disconnected
from it, is sprightly, bubbling, singing little
brook, whose music lulls us to sleep at night
and gently awakens us at early dawn - The
Parsonage.
Then comes song to thiS beautiful spring
The first of four verses we give as a speci-
men:
90, goodly thing is the cooling spring,
By the rock where the moss doth grow;
There is health in the tide, there's music beside,
In the brooklet's bounding flow.
(oHoRUs)
Merry, merry, little spring
Sparkle on, sparkle on;
Merry, merry, little spring,
Sparkle on for me.''
The poetry in this and the other verses is
fair of its kind, but there is not particle of
religion in it, not even the name of God, nor
an allusion to his providence. There may be
no objection to singing it as purely secular
song, but when we read the title of this book,
we understood it to mean" Songs of Praise"
to God, and were not prepared to find one {" for
Sabbath School," to sing, which is from be-
ginning to end in praise of good aoater, how
ever much we like the article.
There are two or three others which are also
exceptionable in the sense of being out of
place in a book like this-no worship in them.
4. Was it impracticable to make the range
of selection aoider?" The three volumes from
which it was made contain about 260 tunes not
composed by VIM. B. Bradbury, among the
authors of which we notice such standard
names as Lowell Mason, Thomas Hastings,
Kingsley, and many others. Butwe have pre-
sented to us volume of about 14O tunes, of
which about 70, or one-half are from the
prolific William B. Bradbury. Now, what
ever his merits, we must think still that
it is rather too much of good thing" Mr..
Bradbury may be very popular at the North,
and have decided excellences, but he has hard
" made 70 tunes of such high order as to de-
serve place in this select volume, when from
the very materials at command a larger
draught might have been made from the
choice pieces of authors of high reputation.
5. We stand by the opinion expressed as to
what best suits Sabbath School. We have
no more objection to tunes specially adapted to
children than we have to such prayer as,
Now l lay me down to sleep" But we
sbould like to see no niece introduced ina work