The National tribune., 1886-10-28
THE TINKERING OF HYMNS.

THE TINKERING OF HYMNS.
How They Have Been Changed, for Better and fOr
Worse.
rCldries s. Robinson tn The Cenftrp.l
It is interesting TO notice how public opinion,
In cases of literary epidemic, splits in two direc-
tiOns Rt the same moment. and then the same
old sentiments stand confronting each other,
and the same old issues are banded 10 and fro
in the familiar disputes. And Christian peo-
pie. amiable and excellent rs they are, are no
exception 10 this observation. At the present
moment, praise services having become popular
in the various congregations, and so the criti-
csm of hymns having grown TO be in some de-
gree necessary, the question is discussed rather
sharply whether any one has the liberty 10
alter the compositions of poet whose name has
already been received into honor among the
churches. Some writers and many speakers
are decaiming against, and some others for, the
practice, which at any rate is old and eStab-
lished.
The trouble Is, that so many Of the disputants
are familiar with only the collections which
they may have happened TO use in their early
life. What they learned as the true versions of
hymns and psalms il is very natural they
should suppose are the original work OF the au-
thor. and what they find elsewhere they be-
lieve 10 be changes as unauthorized as they are
unweloOme 90 themselves-unwelcome because
they break up the old associations, if indeed
they do not confuse the memory, while they
are trying TO sing with the heart and the un-
derstanding.
lt might be well at some time 20 restate with
wide illustrations the general principle upon
which the church at large has, through many
years proceeded in the shaping Of hymns for
use in worship. ii is in some cases better 20
return TO the authors own language; in other
= nssa flNn hon
which popular sentiment has accepted. Some
one who has been patient enough 10 count has
told us
A STARTLING TALE;
namely, that in one collection there are 697
changes in 345 versions of psalms; in another
there are 1886 in 774 most noted hymns. No
wonder there is objection made TO such whole
sale work.
But is any one ready TO insist that the COM
pliers must reproduce COwper's and Newton's,
Mattss and Mesley's and Doddridges hymns,
with all the crudities and mistakes those COM
pOsers made? Are the declaimers in earnest?
DO they want TO sing On Jordan's stormy banks
j stand" now that some years OF use has made
them familiar with the alteration needed by
the fact that JOrdan's banks never were stormyi
"On Jordan's rugged banks j stand;" do they
really want this restored? DO they wish TO
have everybody taught 10 say, Thus the blind
Bartlmeus prayed" instead OF Thus blind
Bartimeus prayed" DO they decidedly prefer
"Fay'rites of the heavenly king" 10 singing
"Children of the heavenly kingY" All these
are alterations, however, and most tasteful
Christians have thought them felicitous; shall
they be repudiated?
Then there are some changes of q moro ex-
tensive kind. How would a modern singer
relish return to the figure Of Toplady, pre-
cisely as he used it, in one verse Of our familiar
Rock Of Ages, cleft for me"-
whilst draw this fieetiDg breath,
When my eye-strings break IN death"i
After singing the grand alterations made by
John Wesley years ago
Before Jehovah's awful throne,
Te nations. bow with sacred joy" w.
does anybody actually desire TO return 10 the
weak lines of Isaac Watts
" Nations attend before his throne
With solemn fear. with sacred joy'f
The real fact is, almost all criticism OF the
critics is insincere. Public writers and speak
ere in conventions seem TO be resisting yandal-
ism in variations. What they are doing is
witty and often wantOn.
Now and then it happens that criticism is
urged which shows a misunderstanding of the
whole point at issue. The critics complain of
changes where there is only adherence 20 the
author, and grow violent over the "tinkering
when what they really want is 10 make il. Let
Il - y
ago, when the artless compiler Of one of the
modern hymnals was sitting in his study, a
good brother in the ministry entered, and see-
ing his occupation, namely, an orderly selection
for the choir on the succeeding Sunday, imme-
diately started O complementary conversation
on the merits Of the book.
81 like your collection" he said, because
you have courage and taste enough TO resist this
tinkering practice. You give the hymns accu-
rate and honest as their authors wrote them"
The humble singer was perfectly aware how
/ the dialOg would end, aud mischievously in
quired for some particular lyric as an illustra-
tion. With becoming measure of confusion
at the sudden demand the critic specified the
! one beginning I" There is a fountain filled with
| blood" And he continued:
Everybody claims that as in the original; you
got it right at the start. Some of them spoil
| it-ahsolutely run it out at the end"
On further inquiry it appeared that what
was wanted was that the final stanza in par
ticular should remain untouched.
Now CowpeT-he Was a poet; would you
ever find him closiug with such an insignif-
can't couplet as this:
"Mhen this poor. .isping stammering tongue
Lies silent Ia tbe grave?
Turning 10 the hymn, the compiler caught q
glimpse Of a fact which might be embarrassing
The last verse did end in just that criticized
| way; hence his collection was open TO the grave
| objection. Now" continued the triumphant
critic, pressing his point without suspectnl
anything of the authors anguish, "some o.
them have changed the places Of the first two
and last two lines-actually changed them II
seems as If William C0wper would turn in hi,
| grave TO read it, You know how he ended the
hymn with a burst Of confident hope and ex
hilaration." So, with beftting shout anC
gesture, the enthusiast rendered the lines:
" Then Ia a nobcr !-swecter song
III sing thy power 10 savei"
There was nothing 10 do but 10 hand the ora
tor the book; and when he discovered that b,
had praised the taste and skill which stood un
corrupted and brave TO do righteous thing
which was not done, he looked unutterabl,
things at the culprit. But all the apology th,
humiliated compiler had To offer was, tha
Cowper wrote it as he printed it. and "CowDc
he was poet" as had been remarked Blu
now came the swift reversal Of judgment, an,
the adrot relief. After one hesitating momen
the man exclaimed: :" Well declare SO yol
have IL in the other way after all But ml
way is better, great deal better in every re
spect il is more poetic. as am living man 7
That is TO say: First he praised a book 70
having steadily resisted all temptation q
tinker; then he gave an illustration Of tinker
ing as a fine art, which proved not 10 be tinker
ing but fidelity; in the next place he sturdil,
stood up for decided instance of impcrtinen
tinkering in a popular hyran; aud at the en-
be made il perfectly clear that, il he should be
come a compiler, he would tinker 10 his heart
content; for what his own taste preferred wa
better, far better, " as he was a living man /"
Since which period of disciDline this con