The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-06
DIVERSE VIEWS Of HYMNS.
A QUESTION OF SOME MOMENT An
swERED NJ CLERGYMEN.
Personal Preferences of Noted
American Divines Salvation
Army Hymns I'm - Languages.

ages Is the most helpful and popular
hymn in the English language. Mr.. Stead
gives this as hts deliberate Judgment,
formed after personal inquiry addressed to
large number Of eminent persons. Writ
ten by Topladv. the Calvanistic vicar OF a
parish in Devonshire. England. Rock Of
Ages" has made the tour OF the world
eide by side with the Bihle.' Mr. Gladston.
has translated 1t into Latin. Greek and
Italian. The prince consort In his dying
hour asked to hear IT, When the London
went down in the Bay Of Biscay. January
IL. 1855. the last thing heard by the few
survivors who left her side In a boat was
the voices Of doomed passengers singing
those familiar lines:
Other refuge have I none
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee
Yet there is room for doubt whether Mr.
Stead Is not dogmatic in saying that mo
other English hymn can be named which
haa laid SO broad ard firm grasp on the
English speaking world" That many lead
ing American clergymen give other hymns
the precedence Is evident from the follow
Ing expressions of opinion. obtained in an
swer 10 the question: What hymn In the
English language do you regard as the
most helpful and popular? And what Is
your own favorts hymn
Without naming his own preference Dr.
Lyman Abbott replies: Hymns are hut the
expression of a religious feeling or mood
NdAfAcA Say mat ROCK or Ages or any
other one hymn has been most helpful in
church work"
DR. John Hall. the venerable pastor Of
the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian church also
differs with Mr. Stead He says: Rock
OF Ages is not the first and greatest hymn
in the English language. as so many moods
must he expressed and human feelings
vary so greatly. In many cases a stirring
martial hymn would appeal to a greater
number
DR.. Theodore L. Cuyler. Of Brooklyn,
says:
'Artst'cally, Rock of Ages Ia by far
the greatest OF all hymns. The only Amer
lean hymn which has attained worldwide
popularity and which may contend with 1t
Is Ray Palmer's My Faith Looks Up to
Thee Next I would place Jesus. Lover
OF Ny Soul. and Lead. Kindly Light"
Rev. William Hayes Ward. editor OF the
Independent. says
There Is no more popular hymn than
Rock of Ages As prayers. Jesus Lover
OF MY Soul and Ny Faith Locks Irp to
Thee are equally useful As an express
sion of Christian loyalty and faith. 4 Love
Thy Kingdom. Lord oh. Could I Speak
and How Firm n Foundation can hardly
fall behind. Holy. Holy. Holy and Abide
with Me- are also very popular but too
esthetic to be ciassed with the others"
In the last 100 years believe that Just
as Am has done the most good TO the
greatest number IL the opinion expressed
by Dwight l.. Moody. the noted evangelist.
Writing from his study in fremont Tenn
pie. Boston, DIR. George c. Lorimer saws:
1T is not easy to answer your question.
/ am not sure that any hymn is pre-eni-
nently popular and helpful. The soul has
50 many moods that various HYMNS become
IN turn the most acceptable organ OF ex-
preston. I notice that my congregation
turns most frequently 70 Jesus, Lover OF
r.
Lead Kindly Light and How Firm
Foundation But OF all. my own soul finds
most TO Inspire and thrill in Luther's Elm
Feste Burg l often repeat II before going
into the the pulpit. and in the severest
hours OF trial recall the sentiments that
made the field OF Lutzen forever glorious
Mr.. W. T. Steads favori;e is also very
precious to me. and / know 1t Is to multi
tudes OF believers"
DR.. Edward Everett Hale says 'It is GER
tain that Nearer My God TO Thee by
Sarah Flower Adams. is the hymn most
used In public service now"
Another eminent Unitarian minister, DIR.
Minot j. Savage says:
"By no means would 7 place Rock Of
Ages as the first hymn There IL some
thing very revolving TO me In the line
about the fountain OF blood and In fact
the whole tenor OF the words is too gross
even for the time IN which It was written.
should say that Nearer NY God 70 Thee
Judging from the number Of different coll
lections Of which II forms a part IS the
most useful and popular hymn. II was
written by Sarah Flower Adams an En-
slish Unitarian, and Il Is a noteworthy
fact that nearly all the great hymns of the
last fifty years have been written by Uni
tsrians. Music and sentiment have much
TO do with a hymns power and some
crude poetry Is popular a song on ac-
count Of it's swing and the beauty OF its
music"
Rev Robert Coliyer gays:
'T well remember one dav when this
subject was the object Of a discussion he
tween Ralph Waldo Emerson and Or. OIL
yer Wendell Holmes The latter said that
pieces of cabinet work. The writer's had
taken a number OF pretty phrases glued
them together and called the result
hymn. In his keen and inimitable way he
satirized many. Then his voice deepened.
his eyes shone. "a we remember him In his
noblest moments. as he said: One hymn
think supreme Emerson threw hts head
hack. IA he always did when his attention
was arrested and watched. DR. Holmes
repeated the first verse:
Thou hidden love Of God. whose height.
Whose depth unfathoned, no man knows.
I see from far thy heau;eous light;
Tnly I sigh for thy repose.
Ny heart Ia panied. nor can e he
~ rest tiIi Il find rest IN thee
"T know know exclaimed Emerson.
That "a the Supreme hymn. This fas al
ways been a favorite Of mine. II was
translated from the German by John we~-
ley. Another. written ny Or. Holmes
Lord Of All Being. Whose Glory Flames
From sun and STAR and Nearer Ny God
10 Thee are also OF great WORTH"
Writing from Chicago. Rev. John Henry
Rarrows says:
''The most helpful and popular hymn
written IN the English language s. IN my
opinion Charles Wssfey's Jesus. Lover Of
Ny Soul My owr fsvorite hymn is Lead.
Kindly Light This seems 10 ne the finest
expression Of faith In cur language. II has
one great advantage over some other ex-
csllsni hymns IN that IL fs noble poetry.
Furthermore, Il speaks ~ the universal
religious consciousness. ard may De sung
by men Of genuine faith IN all the
churches
Mrs Bsoth-Tucker. consul OF the SAL
vaticn Army. expresses herself on the sub
tect as follows.