The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-01-05
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE HYMN BOOK AND ITS METRES.


give some assistance to our church cholrs,
and to that unfortunate class of country min
listers, to which l belong, that have to start
the singing in their churches. Having had
experience in ''raising tunes" ever since |
Oan remember almost, my sympatbies are
readily awakened for the poor precentor, who
fnds, aigs # confronted, without moment q
warning, With most oatlandish metre
Doubtless the Publication Committee were as
scrupulous and scrutinizing as they could be
in proof-reading, but multitude of errors,
particularly in designating the metres, is
found in both the smaller and larger editions.
The later editions have some corrections,
someof which could hardly be termed enend-
atoms.
l must protest, in the first place, against
the reckless use of P. N. Ito designate all
sorts of metres that might be classified, un-
til the peculiar metres are the most common
almost in the Book. In city where choirs
have an opportunity of rehearsing before Sun
day the tunes to be sung in worship, it may
not seem 80 difficult to select them. But in
the country it is far different. The minis
ter, as he passes up the aisle, puts in the
hands of his clerk slip of paper containing
the hymns. The invocation prevents him
examining it till the first hymnis announced
and read. It is the 303rd marked in one
book, P. M. in another IS. and Is. This
confuses him somewhat, but he turns over his
well thumbed PSalmodist, finds Sicilian
Hymn or Smyrna, whistles it to himself
under his breath, the words do not fit, tries
another tune with the same result, in deS-
pair looks at his index, but it is now time to
sing, ventures on Greenville, only to fail, to
bring ridicule upon himself and the public
worship. He, with red face, the congrega-
ton with suppressed litter, and the minis
ter with bewildered air close their books.
If that hymn instead of being marked P. M
or IS. and 7s., had been designated as IS.
and Is. Peculiar, it would have caught the
minister and clerks eye, and he would have
been prepared at least with the pretty Sun
day school song, "The Shining Shore"
1t takes one very familiar with prosody
and versifcation, as well as with psalmody,
to find tune for the hymn, or to see through
the false guise what metre it is. There is
no list of metres at the beginning of the
book. There should be, and in unusual me-
tres an example given. Thus, for instance:
L. NJ, G. NJ, S. NJ, H. NJ, (theSe are we'll
known) L. P. NJ, as Psalm 146. "I'll praise
my Maker with my breath" L. c. NJ. as
Hymn 40, go could l speak the matchless
worth. This metre would better be
termed, c. P, NJ, thus corresponding with
L. P. NJ, and S. P. N.Y. S. P. NJ, as Ps.
122d, "How pleased and blest was l." In
our Hymn Book, this is marked 6S. and IS.
though in every other it is S. P. N.Y. Hymn
218, "Just as am, is marked IS. and 6s.,
and Hymn 625th, "Friefd after friend de-
parts" is marked 6s. and S. like Ps. 122d !
The 625th should be marked S. L. M,-if
that is not a contradiction-thu correspond
ing with G. L. NJ. Qn some books it is
marked S. H. N.Y. L. M. D., G. M. D.,
S. NJ. D. (These are easily understood }
c. L. NJ, (observe the difference between L..
c. NJ, and c. L. NJ. as Hymn 95th, Chow
calm and beautiful the morn" c. P. NJ,
as Hymn 696th, "There is an hour of
peaceful rest" This metre is better known
as C. NJ 5l.)
The metres designated by Syllables admit
of more explicit designation. Thus, Is,
Is. bl., Is. double, IS. and 7s.. IS. and Is.
bl., as Hymn 61Oth, CLARK ten thousand
harps and voices" 8S and Is double, and
IS. and Is. peculiar, as Hymn 623d, 'My
days are gliding swiftly BY" There is a
manifest difference between this and "Come
thou Fount of every blessing" and it could
be shown in the designation as 1 have init
mated. Is. and 6s., as Hymn 671st, "Rise
my soul and stretch thy wings" Is. and
6s. peculiar, as Hymn SO, go sacred Head
once wounded" 6s. and As, as Hymn 459,
"COme thou Almighty King" 6s. and As.
peculiar, as Hymn $40, "Nearer my God
to Thee" lis, as Hymn 235, "How firm
foundation. lis, peculiar, as Hymn SOS,
"Daughter of Zion." IS. and As, as Hymn
381, "My God, is any hour so sweet" and
IS. and As peculiar, as Hymn 653, "When
the spark of life is waning"
Other metres, designated by Syllable8, do
not, believe, have two varieties bearing the
same name. In these enumerated, there
must be some kind of distinction that there
may be no confusion. 1 have suggested the
word Peculiar" as signifying distinction,
being less pedantic, and more ineligible to
country chorister than such words as
Trochaic, Iambic, Dactylc, Anapaestic,
Catalectic or Acatalectic.
If it meet your appreciation, l will try
and aid the clerk or pastor further by sug
gesting tunes to the more difficult metres.
L.
WHEN ONE SIN is admitted, it is generally
found that it has a companion waiting a
the door; and the former will work hard tt
i \