Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-19
BISHOP O'CONNOR'S
WORDS A REPLY TO
BLOW At AMERICA
Protestants Approve Wise Com
nient That He Did Not Re-
gard Objections Seriously.

The summer lethargy in church
isircles this week was somewhat
Stirred by the attack on the hymn
f'America. The criticism was first
made in a Catholic weekly paper
published in this city. 1t was taken
tp and elaborated in an article in a
New York paper of distinction.
i Catholic clergy of high rank were
somewhat reticent regarding the
publication. Protestant clergymen
were amused by 1t. They were averse
TO comment If given over their
names. but they talked freely about
Il when assured that disclosure of
their identity was unnecessary.
Protestant Comment.
why. said one minister of very
prominent church, II think that the
catholic Church Is, as usual, quite
consistent in its attitude toward this
glorious hymn. This church will not
bet anything pass unchallenged that
would in any way injure it's prestige
or that would indirectly influence its
communicants. But why have they
waited so long to condemn this par
hicular composition?
You will have noticed that Bishop
iD'Connor, as quoted, speaks very
Iguardedly and very wisely. Bishop
iMcITaul, in Trenton, also had little
ito say. They know, though appar-
entity the editor of the Catholic
weekly did not, that the objection on
1.-THE score of sectionalism to the
hymn was long ago recognized by
the Protestant Church. So strongly
did this objection appeal to the mind
ef the eminent DIR. Van Dyke, of
princeton, that he added two noble
Verses to the classic poem of DR..
Smith, designed especially to broaden
the purport of the lines.
Verses of DIR. Van Dyke.
"These verses may be found In
summerfeld's American Hymns"
iand the old Boston divine would GER
family approve them if he were
lalive. DIR. Smith did, assuredly, com
pose America" for a Sunday school
gathering, but that cannot detraet
from the merit of a composition
(which won for him tribute half
serious and appreciatiye and wholly
witty from DR.. oliver Wendell
Holmes.
LAS for the hymn being sung to the
music of God Save the King, many
hymns are sung to melodies that
were once used to enliven a drinking
song. The tune of God Save the
King was composed by Henry Carey
in 1743, was, as far as known, first
sung In a tavern in 1745, and has ap-
proved itself to the musical taste of
many countries. 1t is national air
tn Saxony, whose king is Catholic;
Il is used for the same purpose in
Prussia, Hanover. Weimar, Bruns-
Evick and Sweden.
''In Russia 1t was long used for the
national anthem, and in Switzerland
ut Is the chosen air of the federated
cantons to the words, 'Rufst du,
Mein Vaterland." In Germany 1t an
swers for the air of Hell dir i'm
Siegerkranz," and, also, "Brause du
yyeisheit-sang."
Weber introduced the air into a
cantata, "Kampf und Sieg," and into
his Jubel overture. Beethoven wrote
variations for it for the piano.
Its Authorship Authenticated.
"This wide use of the aria in Ger
many has given rise to the asseVera-
ton that 1t originally came from an
lold Saxon hymn; but a great German
musical cyelopedia acknowledges the
authenticity Of the aseription of God
save the King to Henry Carey, as
does Grove, an unimpeachable English
authority"
Another Newark Protestant divine