The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1907-09-20
Facts About Hymns.

A. III M the histories OF the Ma /
lions OF the world there Is nothing
that plays q more important part
than It's songs. 50 in all the religious
history there is nothing which marks
the different eras more strongly than
the church hymnody and as the
pleasure derived from anything IS
Increased by some knowledge egard-
Ing It. when the white robed choir
listers sing the hymn We love. there
h keener enjoyment, il we know
something Of why. where and by who
II was written Hymn singing in the
vernacular Of the people Is compar-
atlyely recent innovation. Moth
Ing bu; the Bible songs in the La
) Gin we're sung up TO Martin Luther's
time. II takes eyentful times and
ayentful lives TO bring forth event
ful fruit. and who but Martin Luth-
er with all the influence OF the
German Reformation upon him could
have given to the world that grand
old religions war cry Elm Feste
Burg beginning. "A mighty fortress
l. cur God. bulwark never falling Z"
= hymn that thrills the German
heart even today Throughout all his
tory no hymn has had such In
huence TO change the course OF a
patton, unless, perhaps. The Marseil-
laisc. the song Of the French rev.
oluiion. Luther was yoluminous
hymn writer o. The heavy sort and he
labored 20 bring into the church the
hymns which the people could have
voice IN singing. but IN his dny and
tine the church was dominated by
Rome and be met with great opposl-
ton. lie succeeded. though 10 such
an extent tina, the history OF the Ref.
ormaiipn In the fifteenth century re-
cords some Of the choicest hymns in
the world Not until the seventeenth
century vas there much Of any be-
ginning made Ia Protestant or church
hymnody d any Kind. even then it
81 vas looked upon by many as the
violin Or piano was when brought IN
20 the church Dr. Isaac Watts was
the pioneer and founder OF church
hsmnodY Of today lie and his work
were typical product Of his century.
Bora Of deeply religious parents
this father Calyinistic preachcrj he
exhibited precoeious Development
IN religion aud religious things
Thefes an interesting story about
how he came 10 write MS first hymn
he vas walking home with his father
from church one sunday morning
when about eighteen years OF age
when be complained OF the intoler-
able length and dizziness OF tue hymns
aud said be believed he could write
better one himself His father sug-
gested that he do 80, lie acted upon
that suggestion and wrote the first
hymn bearing mis- name the beginning
Behold the glories Of the Lamb.
found m many OF the old hymn books
Thereafter he practically devoted mis-
lie TO the making OF hymns which
should reyolutioniEe church music
and bring the church and people near
e. together Watts was TOO prolific a
writer lsomething like six hundred
hymns being accredited to HIM Tor
all OF his works 10 be masterpieces
though many OF his hymns ARE sung
An the churches today The maj
esty OF his "GrucitlXion Hymn Is un-
eQualled By any. and perhaps no song
n the English language has been
sung more often than When | can
read my title clear to mansions In
the skies II is not the poem writ
zen with paiustaking effort and care
full thought that lives ii is the one
evolved on the impulse from some
personal experience OF the author or
event In his times that puts in mo-
ton the electrical currents which con-
meet one age and time with the age
and time TO come, aud the hymns that
have lived and will live throughout
all the ages are those whose combi-
ned poetry OF words and music
touches a chord In the heart OF man
kind which throbs In unison with
love and sympathy. One day Angus
tus N. Toplady was walking in Blas-
don Parish. his first curacy, with Bur
rlngton CoOmb when they were ever
token by a terrific thunderstorm. Top
lady took refuge in cleft in the
rocks which were a part OF the range
Of hills and while waiting there in
that upilght OF spirit which the gran
dcur Of great storm gives to few
sensitive souls, he composed aud wrote
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