The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-12
GERMAN AND SCOTCH HYMNS.
SONGS AND THEIR AUTHORS Dis
CUsSED FROM THE PULPIT.


Rev. Arthur j. Smith, Pastor of the
First Presbyterian Church, Enter
tanned His Congregation Last
Night With the SECOND of His Sc
ries of the Sermons on Church
Music-Mr. Smith Has Made Music
study and His Talks on Hymns
and Their Authors and the Inter-
estinE Services Accompanying
Them Are EDjOyed-DngIish Hymns
Will BE the Subject Next sunday
Night.
The song services at the First Presby-
terrain Church are attracting large con-
gregations for this season of the year.
The church was very well filled at the
service last night The pastor, Rev. Ar
thur J. Smith, seems to be very happy in
his manner of conducting the services. In
his early life he was trained as a must
clan and expected to make music his pro
fession. This may account largely for his
great love for music and his determination
to give ii a large place in all the services
Of the church
The pastor spoke about the hymns of
Germany and the psalms and hymns of
Scotland.
He said the Mythology OF Germany is as
rich as that OF any nation in the world
There are about 100000 hymns in use at
present. Few of them have found their
way into our books. Our book, Hymns,
Ancient and Modern contains 161 Latin
hymns and only Is German hymns. one
reason for this is the difficulty in trans
lation."
Luther was the first writer mentioned
The service was opened by singing the
hymn, IAN Praise TO the Eternal LORD. ."
Mr.. Smith did not speak at length about
this, but did about the world famous
hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is our God. -
This is the national hymn of Germany
the battle hymn of the reformation. Car
lyle, who translated it, said it sounded
like Alpan avalanches, or the first muir
muir of earthquakes" The hymn was
read but not sung by the congregation on
account of the difficult music to which it
is set.
The next hymn sung was my Jesus. as
Thou Wilt" The hymn was written by
Schmolek, Lutheran pastor who spent
most of his life in Siberia. He had many
sorrows in his life and they softened his
nature. His hymns reflect his expert
ences. Mr.. Smith said il would be an
untold blessing to all Christians if they
would learn The hymn, committing it to
memory. He said they should sing it
over and over again until it became Dart
of them and then when trial and sorrow
came, they, having learned the secret of
submission, can calmly say Thy will be
done"
Jesus Still Lead On" by Linzerdorf
was next spoken of and sung. Linzerdorf
was German aristocrat. He made many
sacrifices for Christ and died a poor man.
He wrote 2,O00 hymns and some of them
are very precious.
"Gellerts resurrection hymn, Jesus
Lives, was then sung. Mr. Smith said
that he was one of the most popular of
Germany's poets. He was also a philoso-
pher. His lecture hall was always crowd
ed. In the audiences could be seen
Princes and Emperors, for Frederick the
Great is said to have paid him the COM
pliment of calling upon him. He gained
his reputation because of his learning, elo-
quence and goodness.
From Germany Mr.. Smith took his con-
gregation to Scotland, and into the kinks.
Rous' paraphrase of the Twenty-third
Psalm was sung with great heartiuess
by the congregation. Other psalms would
have been sung had there been time.
The service closed with DR.. Horatious
Bonars hymn, Il Heard the Voice of Je-
sus Say" Miss Summerlin sang the
verses as a solo. and the audience united
with her on the chorus. Dr. Bonar was
born in Edinburgh. He was educated at
the university there. Tate and MacCheyne
were fellow students of his. He has writ
ten many beautiful hymns. Next Sunday
evening English hymns will be sung.