Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-14

worship both public and private. Much
ot the Bible was written as poetry, and
IN the earliest days musical Instruments
were invented. and such Instruments
IMPLY human singing. II Is Il wonder
iuI thing. when we come to think of IL,
mat man has in himself the divine
power OF music. Angels sing, and
are told that our Lord Himself sang
'ot. Matt. XVI. 800. Little children
sing almost instinctivcly. and as they
grow Older their sweet voices give the
dearest music earth can know. Yes.
ana nature. unspoilcd by man. is full Of
music. Birds and brooks winds whis-
pcring through the leaves or singing
strongly through the storm. the waves
upon the shore and the insects in the
summer cvenings--thrsc are all taking
part In an anthem which we love to in
lerprct according to our emotions. And
there Is something beautiful In the Idea
hcid by the ancients concerning the
'nussc of tho spheres" rho planets
making harmony as they move on their
orbits.
II Is no wonder. then. that from
earliest times men began 10 sing and
that hymns became mart or worship.
David Il Psalms. the hymns Of Zacharias,
o. Mary and OF simeon. given as IN st.
l.uke'S gospel chapters l and y soon
became favoritcs with the early Chris-
tians, and from the angels song when
christ was born hymn was soon
created which has been sung for CEN
tIrics ia our churches-tha Gloria in
Excelsis Dec"
OLD SUNDAY SCHOOL
HYMNS ARE FASORITES
And now We have q wealth of hymns.
and NO ind II difficult 10 selec, one
!avorite amongst many. / think
perhaps the hymns WITH which We
we're familiar when We wc-c children
are the favorites. though some Of those
which we older people used TO sing are
almost unknown to-day. ! never now
near sung in any Sunday school that
dear hymn. There Is a Happy Land"
and yet II IS the s!mplcst and sweet
est ever written. Associated with Il
arc the two hymns which theolos!ans
say are "heretical." but which chill
dren used TO sing as never heard
modern children sing. L wan, TO be an
angel" and around tho throne Of
GOD in heaven thousands Of children
btihc. Il 60 not want TO be an angel
want 70 be man" cried great
preacher. and in a sense he was right:
;or manhood Is :. nne thing, ana We
are a; last by Gods grace TO rule ovc.
ANGELS q. Cor. vi, 81; and yet tho
teaching was helpful. IN that 81 made
the future lie beautiful Perhaps VIC
older !olk are critical. but Go not
mink many Of our modern hymns
touch The Imagination as strongly "a
An old man once said: when ] was a
boy the people went 10 two services
and sometimes three. every sunday
ana they sat on hard seats with
s.'"sht backs and SANG with all their
hearts:
~! !:x GOD, the spring Of all ny Joys"
80" the people lean comfortably
o"rk IN softly cushioned pcws AID
listen TO the chci- singing:
MY Aou weary. an thou langu!d?''
II comes home to Inc every nov and
men ihat hyianoIogy Is changing. to
Ad't the times"
HEARTY C0NGItEGh rIoNAL
SINGING HAS DECLINED
WhetAer the old mans complaint is
F4e or not. II IS certainly true that
"'th the introduction or choirs hearty
singing has ceased The beauty OF a
hyEnn IL enhanced when everybody
sings.
1t hc!ps us IN our love for hymns tc
kHA" something OF their history. Many
oooNs nave been written telling US how
some OF our dearest hymns were com
posed, and the experience OF the au
thors often seems 10 enter into the
words and help US. A lille bird Nv
ing from a pursuing hawk and enter
ing the window OF house and resting
on Charles Wealcy's breast was tn.
inspiration OF that blessed hymn.
@'' - Va s1.E SIl!
Let me 10 Thy bosom ny.
And the perp!cxiiy o: his religious
HE led Newman! 20 write Lead, Kindly
Light" And her own conversion
erough, from the heart OF Charlotte
Elicit tina, hymn which has led so
many to Christ. lust as Am" 1t
would be well If some OF our hymn
books had little preface before each
hymn giving its history. For these
great hymns were born out OF human
experience just as David's Psalms came
from his moved heart. Reginald Heber
could never have written
From Greenland's icy mountains
had he not gained an experience of
missionary work which set his life and
SO his pen on fire. Ray Palmer could
only sing Ny Faith Looks Cp to
Three" because he found all else IA
or little value and OF no permanency
compared with Christ and Ills blessed
salvation. And doubtless centuries ago
bernard OF Cluny had vision OF
Heaven In response to his longincs
and prayers, which enabled him TO
write. in ll45. that wonderful hymn
which opens glory before us every tino
we sing 1t. Jerusalem, tho Golden"
When we sing these hymns we must
remember how they were born out OF
personal struggle and love, and perhaps
out OF pain and sorrow, and so make
them real to ourselves as we sing them
to the glory OF God.
PREFER HYMNS ADDRESSED
TO CHRIST AS GOD
Personally, prefer the hymns which
are addressed TO Christ as God. They
become prayers as / sing them. and lift
me up to knowledge of Gods love.
Fabers hymn. My God. How Wonder
ful Thou Art" and Mathcwsons 20
Love That VIII Not Let Me Co." and
Lytc's Jesus. My Cross lave Taken"
afford US prayers which we can pour
forth in the midst OF the congregation
or sing alone or even repeat softly
when singing is impossible, and so find
comfort in communing with Christ. /
believe the singing or the repeating OF
hymn Should form part OF our Quiet
Hour OF personal worship. Many of
our books Of devotion have hymns for
every day. and they fill need.
But better than this reading OF a
hymn is the repeating of il. and this