The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-02-27
THE NEW HYMN BOOK
BY REV. E. G. VINE.

IHE Church Harmonies, New and
Old" edited by Bros. Tenney and Lewis,
is so conspicuously superior in every re-
spect and for all purposes as to warrant
special statement of the reasons why
it should come into use in place of other
books which have had the field.
A consideration of great Importance is
the method used in making the book.
The common plan of groups of hymns
under topical heads, such as God"
Christ" Church" &C., is entirely dis
carded. and hymns on any topic come in
where they belong in relation to tunes.
A special index shows where to find all
the hymns representing any topic. This
makes the book what it ought to be, "a
bouk Of spiritual song without undue
attempt to make it a book of themes.
The themes are present, and that more
abundantly, but not on plan hurtful to
the purposes of song. And to further
help these purposes, old tunes and new
of the same metre and style are put to-
gether. so that either can be chosen. The
scheme is one most wisely conceived and
most admirably executed.
But the excellence of the book, which
should carry it into all meetings for
liberal Christian worship, meetings of
every kind and not those of one sect
only. but those of broadly Christian
spirit under whatever name, is in the
extraordinary wealth of the book in
hymns of liberia! thought and feeling,
lyrics of spiritual insight and emotion,
which as lyrics are true poetry and
which most felicitously reflect the relig
ious convictions of new departure
stage of Christian development-tha
new departure which essentially con
sists in recovery of the original and es
sential truth of Christ. In comparison
with the older Church Harmonies,' or
with the best that Unitarianism of
either school has done, the book is an
immense gain and advance, and largely
so because of the number of hymns
which are at once distinctively Univer-
salist and deeply spiritual and rich in
feeling. hymns of ardent faith in the
divine goodness. hymns of that thought
of God and consciousness of eternal life
which was the express revelation of God
10 Christ,-hymDs which have ia them
the heart of the Bible and the heart of
Christ.
The Christian tradition is not broken
with, as in some of the extreme liberal
ventures, but it's maintenance is that of
song and of the heart, liberty of which
cannot wisely be denied; and of new
thought the supply is most generous.
Any people that have not got beyond
singing good Christian religion at all
cannot but find the book more helpful
than any yet made.
The freedom of the volume from
merely sentimental pietism of the Moody
type cannot be too strongly commended.
For young peoples meetings the book
should displace all others, if practical
BILE. and come into universal use, be-
of the best type. hymns and music of
unqualified excellence, and for text
book of religious ideas. hymns of the
deeper Christian thought and the purer
Christian feeling. familiar knowledge of
which would serve the purpose of Chris
tian education of the best type. The
study Of hymns in such book. of groups
of hymns by authors. or by topics given
in the admirable index, would greatly
enrich young peoples meetings. And
for the pulpit, hymn Of fine thought,
appended to a choice Scripture lesson.
would many times enrich So vice. Toe
book, in fact, is one for manifold service,
and one cannot but hope that it will
share with other instrumentalities the
great task OF bringing in the larger fel
lowship of devout souls in which sects
will be vanishing types of unity in
earthly service and eternal hope.
About thirty.five years ago l was in
attendance at the United States Con-
vention of Universalists at Concord. N.
H., and assisted in the service of preach
ing with which the Convention opened.
Atone of the meetings following heard
from Mother" Cobb and Bro. Spalding
an out.pouring of consciousness Of God
10 his eternal goodness which was then,
and has ever since been. to me the
ground and pillar of Christian faith. In
the Church Harmonies, New and Old"
there appears a song book and text.
book of this consciousness more ade-
quate than any other "book of spiritual
song" yet made.
1t should be taken in every case in