the subjects were important, and nothing better on them could be found; and partly because, though not well adapted to public worship generally, they might be useful on special occasions, or for families and individuals On some important topics, it may be asked why so few pieces have been inserted. The reply must be, that on such topics. all have been inserted, which could be found, that seem-, ed worthy of a place. Not one hymn, in all respects good, on any useful topic, has been designedly omitted. If it is asked why so large a portion of the pieces are so short, the reply is similar--that all of each piece was inserted that seemed worth inserting; and was not thought worth while to print poor stanzas for the sake of increasing their number. Besides, four and five stanzas are, in ordinary cases, as much as can be sung with ease or profit. Singing, of all the exercises of public worship, should least be protracted so as to become wearisome, as it necessarily must be, when six or eight stanzas are given out. In the arrangement, it was thought best, for various reasons, to preserve the psalms separate, as has been done heretofore, in the books most commonly used. In the index of subjects, the psalms are arranged under the appropriate heads with the hymns. The several parts of each psalm have been arranged according to their metre, and are numbered on continuously throughout, in the most simple manner. In arranging the hymns, those heads were selected which, it was thought, would most easily cover the whole ground, and run into each other the least. They follow each other in what seemed the most natural order. The hymns, under each of the general and subordinate heads, are intended to be so arranged, that, while they are read in course, the mind shall be steadily advancing in the subject. The arrangement is certainly imperfect; yet, probably, few who examine it will see so many imperfections in it as they saw who made it. It is doubtful whether, while hymns possess so little unity, any such arrangement can be adopted, as that many hymns may not, with about equal propriety, bé placed under any one of two or three different heads. In the index of subjects here, they are so placed. The number of tunes from which the selection has been made is limited, and such have been chosen as are not only appropriate in their general spirit and movement, but whose accent and pauses correspond with those of the several stanzas to be sung. Often, the tune prefixed merely indicates the class of tunes to be used. Others would be equally appropriate. Different choirs, or different circumstances, may render it expedient to use different tunes. Judgment should be exercised, and time, place, occasion, &c. should be consulted. To indicate, to some extent, the manner of performance, those marks for musical expression have been used which are commonly employed in music-books, and with which choirs are generally acquainted, rather than any arbitrary signs. very soft. PP р mp m dol pianissimo, soft. middle--neither loud nor soft. This mark is also applicable to those hymns or passages which now have no mark. loud. increasing and then diminishing. in a gentle, sinooth, gliding manner. Aff affetuoso, with deep and tender feeling. staccato, short, distinct, articulate. Len lentando, gradually becoming slower and softer to the end. used at the beginning of a line, to contradict any mark of musical expression which has gone before it. In the middle of a line, or at the end, it signifies a pause, longer or shorter, according to the judgment of the performer. The marks for musical expression have been prefixed, in general, with reference to the tunes named. The same psalm or hymn, sung to a different tune, might often require soine variation of the expression. After all whích can be done, directions for musical expression must be merely hints, by which the general character of the expression to be given is indicated. The various kinds and degrees of the emotions to be expressed, requiring a corresponding variation of the manner of performance, are so numerous, and so complicated in their nature, that only a ready susceptibility of emotion, joined to good taste and judgment, and careful attention to the subject, can secure a correct manner of singing. In the index to the first lines, as well as in that to the subjects, the psalms and hymns are brought together without distinction, and the reference is uniformly to the page. In the latter index, the different subjects are not inserted under words arbitrarily selected, and placed in alphabetical order, but under the principal and subordinate topics of the arrangement in the book, thus bringing all the psalms and hymns on the same or kindred topics near each other in the index, so as to be easily found. This is believed to be the most convenient plan for such an index. With these remarks and explanations, this work, on which the compilers have bestowed much time and labor, and in which they have found much pleasure, is now given to the churches for their use. LOWELL MASON, DAVID GREENE.' Boston, August, 1831. INDEX OF FIRST LINES. ... 448 Page ABOVE these heavens' created rounds .......... Watts. 95 According to thy word ............. Wranghan. 114 Again, indulgent Lord, return ..................Dobell's Coll. 435 Again our earthly cares we leave.................Pratt’s Coll. 454 Again the day returns of holy rest ................. Again the Lord of life and light ... .....................Barbauld. 449 Ah, how shall fallen man.... .Epis. Coll. 276 Ah, wretched, vile, ungrateful heart.... ....Steele. 381 Alas! and did my Saviour bleed...... ........Watts. 321 Alas! what hourly dangers rise .... . Steele. 420 All-glorious God, what hymus of praise............... .Epis. Coll. 278 All hail, incarnate God Scott. 477 All hail the great Immanuel's name...................Duncan. 315 All power and grace to God belong................Pratt's Coll. 199 All power is to our Saviour given... 473 All-powerful, seif-existent God................ Methodist Coll. 259 All ye nations, praise the Lord.. Wrangham. 198 All ye, who feel distressed for sin Pratt's Coll. 359 All yo that love the Lord, rejoice..... .....Watts. 245 All ye, who serve the Lord with fear............... Wrangham. 72 All yesterday is gone .......... Pratt's Coll. 365 Almighty Father, God of grace. ...............Pratt's Coll. 370 Almighty Father, gracious Lord. .............. Steele. 533 Almighty Father of mankind ....Logan, 512 Almighty God, eternal Lord........ ......... Pratt's Coll. 456 Almighty Lord, before thy throne Epis. Coll. 531 Almighty Maker, God.. Watts. 563 Almighty Maker of my frame............ .......... Steele, 98 Almighty Ruler of the skies....................... Watts. 47 Almighty Spirit, now behold .... Pratt's Coll. 468 Along the banks wbere Babel's current flows............Barlow. 229 Am I an Israelite indeed ............................Beddome, 403 Am I a soldier of the cross...... .. Watts. 419 Amid displays of wrath and love..................Pratt's Coll. 369 Amid the splendors of thy state ...... Pratt's Coll. 266 Amid thy wrath remember love Watts., 97 Among th' assemblies of the great. Watts. 145 Among the princes, earthly gods........... Watts. 152 And am I born to die? ............Lutheran Coll. 519 And are we now brought near to God..............Pratt's Coll. 442 And are we wretches yet alive ................ Watts. 372 And art thou, gracious Master, gono ? .......... .............. Kelly. 421 And art thou with us, gracious Lord... ............Doddridgc. 391 And can mine eyes without a tear ? ...............Heginbotham. 322 And can my heart aspire so high?. Steele, 390 And did the holy and the just : .Steele, 301 And dost thou say, ' Ask what thou wilt'?.............Newton. 405 And must this body die?.... .......... Watts. 518 And now another week begins. ..Kelly. 446 And now, my soul, another year............Montgomery's Coll. 550 And shall I sit alone?.. Beddome. 401 And shall not Jesus hear? Newton. 488 Page. Watts. 145 .Doddridge. 542 .Doddridge. 523 .Doddridge. 332 .....Pratt's Coll. 289 Gibbons. 310 .......... Curtis' Coll. 560 ... Stennett. 447 Watts. 57 ..Pratt's Coll. 474 Watts. 62 .Doddridge. 280 ..... Watts. 222 Wrangham. 53 ........Watts, 444 Merrick. 500 Hammond. 323 Pratt's Coll. 511 .........Pratt's Coll. 324 .....Kenn, 555 ..Doddridge. 418 .Barlow. 192 Needham, 261 ......... Scott. 449 Watts. 417 Watts. 225 ......More. 378 Watts. 120 Tate and Brady. 119 ......... Watts. 176 .. Watts. 291 Ogilvie. 243 ..Pratt's Coll. 224 ......Pratt's Coll. 476 Doddridge. 548 ................ Watts. 99 .......... Watts. 313 Watts. 68 Watts. 69 ....................Neroton, 407 Page. ..Pratt's Coll. 45 .Doddridge. 438 Watts 317 Watts. 388 ..Pratt's Coll. 298 . Cowper. 504 ...Watts. 181 Doddridge 411 ........ Bratt. St. Coll. 223 Watts. 203 .... Watts 421 ..Dwight. 85 ...Fawcett. 412 Epis. Coll. 496 Pratt's Coll. 348 .....Pratt's Coll. 341 Watts. 90 Watts. 37 Watts. 100 . Heginbotham. 329 .. Watts. 310 ..Pratt's Coll. 348 Watts. 293 ... Boden. 537 .........Watts. 351 ......Watts. 279 .Pratt's Coll. 352 .Collyer. 545 Watts. 502 ...Watts. 335 Watts. 113 ........Pratt's Coll. 326 ..Beddome. 340 ........... Watts. 281 ......... Watts. 357 With energy.... ..Rippon's Coll. 341 |