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Read Ebook: Hymns in Human Experience by Hart William J William John Joseph Oscar L Oscar Loos Editor
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PREFACE
Half a million hymns, it is estimated, are written in more than two hundred languages and dialects in which Christianity is preached. Some of these are translations, but many are original expressions of the Christian faith. This extraordinary production is an impressive testimony from Christian experience.
Having for many years made a study of the influence of hymns in human experience, I have during that time gleaned material from newspapers, periodicals and books; and to both the authors and the publishers of these I here express my indebtedness. Little is said in this volume concerning the origin of hymns and tunes, or of their place in literature. These aspects of the subject are well discussed in "The English Hymn" by Louis F. Benson, "The Hymn as Literature" by J. B. Reeves, "The Story of the Hymns and Tunes" by T. Brown and H. Butterworth, "The Evolution of the English Hymn" by F. J. Gillman, "Stories of Great Hymns of the Church" by Silas H. Paine, "English Hymns: Their Authors and History" by S. W. Duffield, and many others.
The chief purpose of this volume is to show how hymns have been actually used, and how people have been helped by them in different circumstances of life. Each chapter has a brief introduction bearing on the special topic, and the various incidents are linked together in a manner which gives continuity to the whole.
Some of this material was used in addresses at church services, and also in Chapel Addresses at the Northern New York Summer School for Ministerial Training. As dean of this school the author desires to associate both the members of the faculty and the student body with this volume. Their expressed appreciation of the incidents which they heard, and their urgent request for the publication of the same, encouraged me to complete this work.
I desire to make special mention of the assistance received from the Rev. Oscar L. Joseph, Litt. D. His wise counsel has been invaluable. Furthermore, he has edited the volume with the utmost care, and its final form is the result of his experience as an author and his painstaking labors. The introductory notes in each chapter were also written by Dr. Joseph and these constitute an important feature of the volume.
Ministers and laity alike, it is believed, will find this book of value. My hope is that it may help towards a renewed emphasis upon the value of Christian experience, and a broader recognition of the rich heritage which Christianity has in its songs.
William J. Hart
Christianity came to the world on the wings of song. From that memorable night when the angels celebrated the divine grace in "Glory to God in the Highest" up to the present day, song has been a powerful agency in spreading the Gospel of Redemption. Consider the influence of hymns in leading people to God, in giving courage to the depressed, hope to the disappointed, comfort to the sorrowing, guidance to the perplexed; in creating and confirming faith; in inspiring for the performance of duty and for steadfastness in fidelity.
The hymn holds a premier place in the literature of poetry, but it is much more than poetry. "It belongs with the things of the spirit, in the sphere of religious experience and communion with God." Some of the best hymns which have touched and transformed the depths of human life may not meet the tests of literary critics. But more important than such academic standards is the conclusive proof that these writings have animated and sustained faith, hope and love. They have done this more effectively than any other means employed to produce these exhilarating and virtuous qualities of Christian character.
It is true that Christianity came out of a religion which has its rich heritage in the Psalter. Indeed, this is the world's greatest hymn book; its sentences of prayer and praise have captured the hearts of generations of pious souls and ministered to their religious and moral needs. It is equally true that Christianity has liberated song far more effectively than any other religion. Of all the liturgical aids to private and public worship hymns are the most popular because of their freedom from any sectarian note and their wholesome ability to rouse emotion and direct life in ways of humane service.
This chapter is a selection of incidents which illustrate how hymns have voiced the deep instincts of the soul under a variety of circumstances. They witness to the power of the Gospel to soothe, calm and sustain in ways hardly otherwise possible. They show how hymns are woven into the fabric of life and that in times of pressure they express the latent and active emotions which give evidence of the real worth and dignity of human personality.
Tastes differ about hymns, but many will agree with these two men concerning:
The Supreme Hymn
Emerson and Oliver Wendell Holmes were once discussing what they considered the best hymn ever written. Holmes said that the hymns published by the various churches were mere bits of cabinet-work--phrases from the Scriptures or from devotional writers such as Thomas ? Kempis being patched together in metrical form. Emerson signified his assent; and then Holmes, rising, continued, "In my opinion the greatest hymn ever written is this:
'Thou hidden love of God, whose height, Whose depth unfathomed, no man knows, I see from far Thy beauteous light, Inly I sigh for Thy repose: My heart is pained, nor can it be At rest, till it finds rest in Thee.'"
"I know, I know!" exclaimed Emerson. "That is the supreme hymn."
Its author was Gerhard Tersteegen, one of the most prolific of German hymn writers. It was translated by John Wesley when he was in Savannah, Georgia, in 1736. It must have made a profound impression upon Holmes who wrote the hymn:
"Lord of all being, throned afar, Thy glory flames from sun and star; Center and soul of every sphere, Yet to each loving heart how near!"
The reference to John Wesley recalls an interesting incident:
When Two Hymn-Writers Met
On a fine summer's day in the first half of the eighteenth century a traveler on horseback, crossing one of the lovely hills of Derbyshire in England, was aroused from his meditations by the voice of singing. Pausing to listen, these words came on the still air from the valley below:
"Could we but climb where Moses stood, And view the landscape o'er, Not Jordan's stream, nor death's cold flood, Should fright us from the shore."
Instantly, in a clear voice, the traveler sent ringing down the hills the glad response in his brother's words:
"The promised land, from Pisgah's top, I now exult to see: My hope is full, O glorious hope! Of immortality."
And then the two greatest little men in all England, John Wesley and Isaac Watts, met and talked together of the deep things of God.
How indebted we are to these two men for the enrichment of English hymnody! Watts sang of the majesty of God while Charles Wesley, the brother of the founder of Methodism, magnified the love of God, but all three were one in purpose. We join with Watts in singing, "Jesus shall reign where'er the sun," and with the same enthusiasm we sing with Charles Wesley, "Jesus, Lover of My Soul."
How profoundly Watts had influenced his contemporaries is seen in
John Wesley's Last Hymn
'I'll praise my Maker while I've breath, And when my voice is lost in death, Praise shall employ my nobler powers.'
He sang two verses and then sank back exhausted. These lines were from Watts' well-known hymn. Some hours passed as Wesley continued to sink, and with ebbing strength his last words of triumphant faith were: "The best of all is, God is with us."
Such a consciousness of the divine presence has sustained many others. Here is one instance entitled:
Singing Their Farewell
Having spent forty years in educational work in England, a Scotch schoolmaster and his wife moved back to their native land to spend their days of retirement. Since they were active in one of the local churches, the membership came together for a farewell service. When they came to sing the closing hymn, choice was made of an arrangement of Psalm 34. Doubtless the aged couple going into the sunset period of life afterwards recalled the words which they and their friends in Christian service sang that evening:
"Through all the changing scenes of life, In trouble and in joy, The praises of my God shall still My heart and tongue employ.
. . . . . . . . .
Fear Him, ye saints, and you will then Have nothing else to fear; Make you His service your delight, He'll make your wants His care."
Cheerful and encouraging words were these in which to voice a farewell.
The happy outlook of a faith which breaks out in song impressed me when I was a patient
In the Hospital
Christmas was near, and I was a patient in a hospital away from home. The attending physician informed me that Dr. William D. Marsh, the founder of "The League of the Kindly Tongue," an organization which has a large membership in the United States as well as in some other countries, was in the same hospital on the floor below. The day he was discharged, he came to visit me. During the conversation he stated that he had recently been relearning and trying to live a hymn which he found very precious. It was one of Toplady's:
"If, on a quiet sea, Toward heaven we calmly sail, With grateful hearts, O God, to Thee, We'll own the favoring gale."
Special reference was made to the last verse:
"Teach us, in every state, To make Thy will our own; And when the joys of sense depart, To live by faith alone."
Such was the hymn beloved by the man who endeavored to enlist men and women to bring their daily conversation into harmony with the Golden Rule.
This experience brought to my mind the gracious sufficiency of Him whom every believer confesses as
"Sun of My Soul"
Years of constructive service were given by Dr. Charles N. Sims to the important task of building up Syracuse University. It was during the time of the early struggles of the development of that institution that he served heroically as the Chancellor. Later there followed some years of pulpit activity. Then came the time of retirement from educational and pastoral leadership, and he returned to his native state of Indiana to spend the eventide of life.
When it was evident that the time of his home-going was near, a member of the family went to the piano and played the hymn he greatly loved. Softly also it was sung:
"Sun of my soul, thou Saviour dear, It is not night if Thou be near."
The second stanza was reached:
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