The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-25
pR, PENNINGTON STEPS OUT.
nm REASONS ron ms LEhIf.G THE
orr ITESi CHJRCH.

rho REASONS Ibf NV LEd ffb iii
OLD FfHSi CHURCH.
r,. second .. Ills Obiectioa TO - Hymn
I,ooh Adopted Ivy tho Church-1lis Crit
e,.. OF Alterations In Old Hymns.
Dr Samuel H. Pennington OF IS East Kinne,
,,occ. Newark. is tho oldest member OF the
rirs, Presbyterian Church. which Is tho oldes
,hurch in Newark. For six generations. and
svo centuries or more. tho PenninRtons have
attended that church. first In the old building
NUT w In 1867, when Newark was tiny set
tIcment. md aftorwnrd In the present struc.
turc. built hundred years ago. But Dr.
samuel IL. Pennington hns broken away from
tho church. and will attend 1t no more.
Tho causes OF his dissatisfaction nre two
Che hymn book adopted by the church month
ago. and the way in which tho hymn book was
sdoptcd. His dissatisfaction Is shared by a
number OF tho older members Of the church.
and may possibly lead to q split In tho congre-
cation. Eighteen years ago. when tho subject
ofahymnal cnms UP in the church for tho FIRST
time. DR.. Pennington was put upon tho COM
mitteo to select one. He opposed hymn
book called songs Of tho Sanctuary" com.
piled by DR.. Charles s. Robinson OF Now York
city. and advocated the Sacrifice OF Praise
complied by tho Brick Church. This was
adopted attcr n struggle on tho part OF the
friends of Dr. Robinsons hymnnL
During all these eighteen years many have
been singing from the Sacrifice OF Praise"
under protest They have called It an old fogy
affair without any representation from tho
new and livclior hymns. such as rcvivals have
mndc popular. But n majority OF tho church
members were satisfied with Watts and Wes-
ley and Toplady and Doddridgc. and tho like.
and thought such hymns moro becoming to m
nh nd OH rob
than "Hallolujah! Tis Done" and Just Now
Come to jesus" About n month or 80 ago the
church had to havo now hymnals. and COM
mitce of five was appointed. They examined
numerous hymn books. including "Cnrmina
sanctorum." edited by DR.. Hitchcock. and
"LAudes Domni." edited by Dr. Charles s.
Robinson. tho compiler OF the hymn
book Dir. Pennington had opposed TO-
fore. Three OF tho committee. includ-
ing Dr. Pennington. were In favor Of
"Carmina Sunctorum." whilo two advocated
DR.. Robinsons book. The elders. OF whom
DR.. Pennington is the Oldest. held IL meeting.
without the knowledge OF DR.. Pennington. and
laid the committees report on tho table. Then
they decided that tho whole congregation
should vote upon the hymnaL Tho custom
in the church hitherto has been that only the
male members Of the congregation should
vote. This new ruling OF the elders let in the
mission girls and the other young people. who
hHd gCt knE ST the Ysy q the
aboat IS for " Ladies' pomni and I about 80
DR.. Pennington. who is Presbyterian Of the
old school. anti. Briggs, anti-revision: and anti.
innovation of any kind. was much shocked at
these proceedings. first because OF the dis
courtesy shown tho report OF the committee in
not even considering it. and second because
o. the adopting Of DR.. Kobinsons Laudes
!, His first reason is merely local affair. But
ms second reason Is of interest wherever DIR.
Central States and Of The West. Dr.. Fennins:
because it includes revival hymns. He objects
!.s;sTs xiiul "saS;
hymn iyInn writer's e ,Worldwide rerutation: liz
n nsSset ., Dr. Robinson ct OF
tratipg emendations and transpositions.
whether done by himself or by editors whose
xsf he eas |. T s FrssSs a ns
Board of Trustees OF Princeton Theological
Seminary and senior member Of the Board Of
Charles s. Robinson is an hymnologist OF repu-
tation. a Presbyterian OF the highest standing
easily overestimatrd.
nayS tbe PRSnT,t regard for Dr. no1n
vt cannot but think thst this literary van.
that II a man takes poem. changes words
and couplets and meanings. and prints it un-
der the honorable name OF the author. who
cannot but think that he has committed
literary forgery. II man .wero to dc, this
down the wrath OF tho whole literary world.
t thnE yth hymns By Watts BY By
spthors: | would not object SO much ii in tho
here and there substituting another word ana
Enttii!nEE amsndet under the authors name.
word or expression in the work of an author.
But what | do object to is changing cxpres.
.ons and coupIets and whole, stanzas. adding
the author. and then. printing the ae AUTHORS
name underneath with no sign that the words
; above are any different from the words the au-
-. ~ do not say that Pr. Robinson has always
f zone this himself Frequently he has taken
other edit tor and thus. through carelessness
S5 a,9u Wth WEuness h. has stamped
ar, are iavorites with people Of all denominations
tSssa Engsh hymns are sung Some
when they have. changed u polysyllabic word
Tor . phrase of several short, words. more
Ems EASILY sung PVT more often thGy have done
Inc most glazing thin g I'm this way that DR..
Robinson. did was in his previous hymnaI. the |
songs of the Sanctuary He took Cardinal
Sewman's
Lead. Kindly Light. amid the encircling gloom.
and changed this first line to
Send Kind y light amid the encircling gloom,
thus changing tho sonse and spelling the |
hymn. Further on in this hymn he changed |
the lines.
Twill lead me on
o'ermoor ami len. Ger crag and torrent til
The night Is done.
ftc made them rcad
Twill lead mo on
'nIoash irery doubt. through pain and sorrow till
mon r hayo mo no Idea whore he got such a com