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The Guardian for 1877.

JANUARY, 1877.

NO. 1.

and increase the number of its

the world. Goethe says: "The destiny of a nation, at any given time, depends The Guardian herewith bears Chris- upon its young men under twenty-five And upon its young tian greetings to its friends and readers. years of age.' May the Lord give them many joys would add. Chiefly for people under women under twenty years of age, we during this most joyful of Christian festivals. With this number it enters this age, when religious opinions and habits are in their formative period, upon its twenty-eighth year. It has "An ounce been in charge of the present editor does the Guardian labor. for ten years. Despite the hard times of preventative is worth a pound of it has fared well at the hands of its cure." The right kind of care, instrucfriends during the year past. Its cir- tion and training under twenty will acculation has been increased. It now complish much more than ten or twenty Our humble magazine is has a larger number of subscribers years later. than in any previous period of its his- engaged in a great work. Ye people tory. We thank all our friends who of God lend us a helping hand to enrich its pages have helped to circulate it. Pastors readers. and Sunday-school Superintendents, with little trouble have raised clubs, and many have prevailed on their neighbors to enrol themselves among its readers. We have reason to believe that the Sunday-school Lessons have been profitable to many readers not connected with Sunday-schools. They have furnished them with a concise and simple explanation of fifty-two important passages of the Holy Scriptures. To persons who have no commentaries on the Word of God-and comparatively few have such-these Scriptural comments of the Guardian form valuable reading, which can be studied with profit hereafter.

Among our readers are many who can write aptly for the young. They feel an interest in our monthly, and wish it well. We cordially invite them to contribute to its pages. Help us in our work, and the Guardian in accomplishing its Mission.

It has an important and fruitful field of usefulness. The young are the hope of the Church, of the nation, of

The Hymns and Music appropriate for our Sunday-Schools.

BY REV. D. VAN HORNE, PHILADELPHIA, PA.

Only a little more than thirty years have now passed since our present system of praise in the Sunday-school had its origin in the publication of hymnbooks especially adapted for its worship. Within this period, one work has followed another in quick succession, until at last the competitors for popular favor have become very numerous, and many schools are almost at a loss in selecting the book they need. It will be profitable for us, therefore, to take a glance backward along the way we have already traversed in this matter of Sunday-school praise, in order that we may the better understand our present situation, and, if possible, define the character of hymns and music that will best subserve the true interests of our Sunday-schools.

was prepared and published by Mr. Horace Waters, of New York city. It was named, "The Sabbath school Bell," and will be remembered by many persons by the cut of a church-bell printed upon the cover. It seems to have originated in different numbers, printed for use in nearly the same manner as the slips of the Sunday School Union, for anniversary occasions and the likethese were at last combined and issued as one work. The words and music were sprightly and gave vivacity to the exercises of the schools where the book was introduced. The result was that the work became popular, and thus served as a test of public feeling on the subject, and at the same time prepared the way for other works of the same character to follow.

According to the best information that attained an extensive popularity that we have been able to gain, it appears that the first attempt at providing a hymn-book for Sunday-school worship in this country, separate from the Church hymn-books, was made by the Sunday School Union. This society had provided slips with printed hymns, for use in its meetings at hospitals and mission stations, as they were needed by its agents from time to time. As the sphere of work of the society was enlarged from year to year, and as all its operations were necessarily undenominational, the managers instructed their Editor, Mr. F. A. Packard, to compile a hymn-book to be published by the society for its own use, and for the trade. Accordingly the book was prepared and published in 1845, under the title, "Union Hymns for use in Sabbathschools." It was simply a collection of standard hymns taken from the various church hymn-books, and was published without music. It secured an extensive and permanent sale, and is published and used by the society, with the same title and nearly the same contents, at the present time.

After this pattern, so far at least as the character of the hymns is concerned, but not with the same arrangement of material, were the books compiled by the Revs. Dr. H. Harbaugh, and Dr. J. H. A. Bomberger, for use in the schools in the Reformed Church. The former was published in the year 1861 under the title, "Hymns and Chants, with offices of devotion for Sunday and other schools." There was no music printed in this work, except with the chants at the close. The book of Dr. Bomberger was published in 1867, under the title, "Prayers and Hymns for Sundayschools." It contained no music. All these books accomplished a good purpose, and if the churches had been satisfied to retain the character of hymns presented in them, much expense and difficulty might have been avoided But, at about this time, a new movement began to make itself heard and felt in this matter of Sunday-school praise, and spread with great popularity through nearly all the Sunday-schools in the land.

This new movement demanded a book with the music set to the words of the hymn. The first work of this kind

Soon after this a larger work was prepared by Mr. Wm. B. Bradbury, named the "Oriola," composed principally of well-known hymns and tunes, with an occasional new piece by the author. It also met with a flattering reception, and soon the new melodies became familiar as household songs. This again encouraged Mr. Bradbury to turn his attention largely to the composition of these sprightly melodies, resulting in the issue of a series of Sunday-school books named the "Golden Chain, Golden Shower, and Golden Censer." These books seemed to be received with almost universal favor. Now and then a reflecting minister would object to the doctrinal statement embodied in such a hymn as "I want to be an angel," or demur at the practice of setting the words of a children's hymn to some secular melody like "Lily Dale," or "Rosalie the Prairie Flower," but usually the criticism was slighted and the singing went on.

The demand for children's hymns, and the light tripping music was constantly on the increase. And to supply it a flood of poetry and music poured in upon music publishers and dealers, that had little to recommend it except a sort of freshness that at first gave it great relish with the children. When the freshness wore off, as it soon did, there was an ever-recurring demand for a new book. The result was that most of the Sunday-schools were either searching for a new book, or for the

new and untried pieces in their book lately purchased; and when new and pleasing pieces were found, they were engaged in learning to sing them, discarding most of them as soon as they knew them well.

is that our service of song tends to mere illustration, rather than to the office of praise.

And praise is largely the expression of gratitude-thanksgiving to God for mercies received. Mr. Henry D. This state of affairs continues to a Thoreau, one of New England's fagreat degree in most of our Sunday-mous authors, says :-"Our hymn-books schools at the present time. Music resound with a melodious cursing of publishers have found by experience the Almighty and enduring Him forthat a new book is needed at the end of every second or third year, and accordingly they are accustomed to issue new books at about these intervals, and I suppose, hardly fail to meet with a good sale. The supply of new hymns and music seems to be unstinted in quantity, so that the supply seems quite equal to the demand.

It is said that the naturalist who observes the glaciers among the Alp mountains, can hardly discover at first in some cases that there is any movement of the great mass of ice and snow, rock and debris of the summits, that lies wedged in the deep gorges and valleys. He then plants two stakes opposite to each other, the one in the glacier and the other on the shore, and returns after a lapse of time to note the rate of movement. Then he discovers that the great mass has moved down the gorge, at a certain average rate, and thus he obtains the data for his calculations. For some such purpose the foregoing sketch may be useful in deciding the tendency of our present system of singing in the Sunday-school, and the rate at which we have been moving in the past.

Having glanced briefly at the condition in which we are placed, we are now prepared to take up the question: What character of hymns and tunes is appropriate for use in our Sundayschools? To this we answer-(1) We need hymns and tunes of praise to the Triune God. This indeed should be the leading design of all our service of Christian song. Sacred music in its very nature is devoted to this end. Other uses may be incidentally subserved, such as confession, petition, or illustration, but the chief object is after all the expression of praise to the three Persons in the Holy Trinity. It is possible that composers have not adhered to this prime object as closely as they should have done, and the result

ever. There is not recorded a simple and irrepressible satisfaction with the gift of life, any memorable praise of God." While Mr. Thoreau is not to be received as trustworthy authority on spiritual themes, and while his statement is altogether too sweeping, he may yet help us to fulfill the prayer of Burns, "To see ourselves as others see us," and thus incite us to raise a higher standard for our Christian praise. It is surprising to notice how few popular hymns we really have, expressing the simple gratitude and elevation of sentiment found in the doxology, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow."

(2) We need hymns and tunes that will not wear out in the learning. It will be conceded that there is but little worship in learning the notes of a new tune. Real devotion comes with that restfulness of spirit which is experienced in singing that with which we are, in an appreciative sense, familiar. If therefore we desire the spirit of worship in the exercises of our Sunday-schools, we will use great caution in introducing new hymns and tunes, that may have nothing to commend them but their novelty. By changing the music and tunes too frequently we may blunt the religious sensibilities of the children, and turn these Christian schools into mere associations for learning the rudiments of music.

(3) We need hymns and tunes not likely to be parodied, nor easily turned to secular and sinful uses. It is a lamentable fact that many of the melodies which are most popular in our Sundayschools one season, are used the next season in political campaign songs, and dragged around upon the streets. When pieces are provided that contain Christian sentiment only as an illustration this consequence is the likely result. Such themes as a "Light in the window, Light-house, Life-boat," or an incident of the war, will very likely return the

melody to the sphere from which it emanated. We would do well to take heed to the warning of the Saviour respecting the casting away of these pearls of Christian song.

(4) We need hymns and tunes in which old and young can heartily join, such as are suited to the services of the Sunday-school and the church. We need standard pieces-something that will give stability and strength to Christian devotion. Our German brethren are examples to us in this respect. Their celebrated Chorals, so simple and majestic, filling the soul with their exalted devotion, and the whole place of worship with their sweetness and volume-these are like what we need. Old and young can profitably and pleasantly unite in the praise expressed in such pieces as "Now thank we all our God," or "A strong tower is the Lord our God" in the old chant of the Lord's Prayer in the key of G; or in our English hymns, 'Jesus, lover of my soul," Rock of Ages cleft for me," and good old "Coronation."

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It would not be wise to affirm that the singing in our Sunday-schools should be strictly limited to these few standard hymns; for the mind of youth demands a seasonable variety in devotion as well as in teaching. Among the great number of Sunday-school hymns and tunes which have secured popular favor within the last thirty years a few have approved themselves to the churches by their correct Christian sentiment, and their real practical and musical merit. These might be retained with advantage and associated with standard hymns and tunes could be used with profit by old and young. And new pieces of real worth may be contributed from time to time, and these will readily find their way into practical use in the churches.

It has been conceded by the ministry of the church at large for some years past, that a change in respect to the singing in the Sunday-school would be desirable. It has been observed that the constant change of singing-books is not only a source of great expense which many churches are unable to provide for, but also that the system produces a feverishness and restlessness in the minds of teachers and scholars. The demand is ever increasing for some

thing new, as children long for toys; and as the spirit spreads through the congregations, the desire for novelty reaches the pulpit, and influences the pastor's ministrations, or else intimates to him that he had better make room for a new and brilliant candidate as his successor. Or when the spirit is more fully developed the ends of novelty can be best secured, by having no regularly settled pastors, but by having a kind of kaleidoscopic worship with supplies.

But while it is generally agreed that a change in the Sunday-school singing would be desirable, the practical question comes up; how can this change be accomplished? A question that challenges the attention and interest of every minister, elder, superintendent, and reflective person in the church; and let it be added, a question like many others, much more easily asked than answered.

A suggestion repeatedly made, is that the publishers should elevate the standard of Sunday-school music, and issue only pieces of genuine Christian devotion and real worth. But the publishers may answer that they cannot find purchasers for the works of higher musical and literary excellence. A delegation of clergymen from the city of Brooklyn waited upon the head of a well-known publishing house in New York asking for a work of higher grade. Partly in answer to that appeal the "Hymnary," a book of artistic merit, was published. But the chairman of the ministerial committee was unable to introduce it into his own school. And, so long as the churches desire just this light ephemeral music in their schools, the publishers will furnish a supply. And the same thing is true in respect to the fiction that finds its way into Sunday-school libraries.

Another suggestion which presents itself as a remedy, is that the Sundayschools should keep their old books in use, and not patronize the new, if publishers and composers will not give them what they need. This indeed would be a most effective plan if it could be carried out. But children sometimes go to more than one Sunday-school, or at least associate with children that attend other schools, and so get to hear the fresh melodies, and become dissatis

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