Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-09-10
Tho Songs Our Fathers Sang

log and sympathy, with little thai ap'
pesled 10 the intellect, and nothing
that appealed to a refined TASTE but
We have seen q whole congregation 10
tears as they sang that fine old hymn
aTakiag The Parting Hand" who
ever saw tear start at the bidding Of
a oholri 1t was not the Palhos Of
the poetry alone that stirred feelings
so deeply, There we're tears !" tho
melody, sympathy In every no'e'
though there were graceful harmonles
nowhere, Another grand old hymn
that seems 10 be relegated 10 The llm'
bo of old fashions, II, cam Soldier
of tho Cross Z" We believe II oe'
casIoually forces It's way np through
the crust OF culture, nj least IN The
outlying omission" congregations but
do choln ever sing ~ II sa mag
nlicent melody, equal TO Lu'herS
"EIa testburg," aud - very expressive
Of Christian resolution, Nolhing more
admirably adapted to the force and
volume aud enthusiasm OF congresa'
tional singing lies within our know''
edge. Probably that ID the reason
that chCirs don't sing H. II wants
tho crash aud roar OF u thousand
voices to give full expression to tho
force IN II, and then the man who can
hear 1t uumoyed IL piliable animal
indeed,
The Methodi,ts used to have, forty
years ago. aa ar that they probably
sang to more than one hymn, oo' '"
whatever words It was fitted, every
line was followed by a refrain, "Glory
Hallelujah," tho last one IN Slanni
closing with "oh, Zion, liallel0Jah,
1t was very simple tune hardly
ranging through n single octave
simpler even than the old hymn 'n"e 9,
now called, "John Browns Body
Int Il had n subtle, untraceable power
of eyrrnssion that made II III the feel
ings of an excited congregation u"
an opcn.moulhcd volume of tone 'ha'
made it perfect storm Of melody
Il is gone now, though, but we doubt
much il anything so good has come u"
its place, A very fine sacred song
which we rarely hear now, never near
from choir has . chorus, "WeIl
| Work ill Jesus Calls, aud then be
Welcome Home" The air is ine'
and finely adapted to congregational
singing, the only singing that has any
pretep,ion to q place in genu'ne wo''
ship. A large choir could give II
some Of its proper eflec', but 1t needs
a house full ora woods full OF wor'
SINNERS to make il ring ont all the
force that lies latent in it. -,
One of the most plain'lre OF the oio
time hymns began. or at least one Of
its stanzas did, "Timc, like an evel
rolling tide, bears all ITS sons away,
and it was sung TO the most lachry
NOSE ofall airs, "Dunlap's Creek
It was doleful thing, but 1t hat
melody, character and meaning some
thing that can't be- said OF much o
our cultured sacred music, which ha
no more character than national con
pressman, and no more favor than
! poplar chip. A song frequently sun!
: in q hortatory fashion, as its languag
intends it to be, when converts wer
invited to "come out from the world,
began, Come, humble sinner, II
, whose breast a thousand thoughts re
, volve." 1t was sung to a mild adap
, tation of an Irish air called the "Ped
; Ter and the Goat" but the adaptation
suited the song, and the song suite
the occasion on which it was used
and we have no choir singing halt a
} apt or effective. A beautiful melod.
! was usually, or always, so tar as "
: remember, sung to a song in whlc
occurred this stanza
"Oh, that could with happy John,
Recline my wearied head upon
The blest Redeemer's breast.
From care aud fear and sorrow free.
! Give me, oh Lord to find in tlee
My everlasting rest"
, There is nothing finer in elthe
= music or sentiment in all our latte
day "choiring." But it is utterly gone
We can't take space to notice all tn
fiue old sacred songs and mclodie
} that have passed away with the pro
gress OF community from backwcod
, simplicity to metropolitan dilettante
, ism. but we must allude to one, whic|
, seems to us is a positive loss TO tn