Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

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 seemed 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 it 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, be 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.

[blocks in formation]

fortissimo,

crescendo,

diminuendo,

swell,

inverted swell,

dol

dolce,

Aff

affetuoso,

[ocr errors]

staccato,

Len

lentando,

[ocr errors]

very soft.
soft.

a little soft.

middle-neither loud nor soft. This mark is also applicable to those hymns or passages which now have no mark.

a little loud.

loud.

very loud.

increasing, louder and louder.
diminishing, softer and softer.
increasing and then diminishing.
diminishing and then increasing.
in a gentle, smooth, gliding manner.
with deep and tender feeling.
short, distinct, articulate.

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 some variation of the expression.

After all which 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.

Boston, August, 1831.

LOWELL MASON,
DAVID GREENE.

INDEX OF FIRST LINES.

Page.

Watts. 95

448

ABOVE these heavens' created rounds
According to thy word
............................ Wrangham. 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............
Alas! what hourly dangers rise.
All-glorious God, what hymus of praise..............

All hail, incarnate God

All hail the great Immanuel's name..
All power and grace to God belong.......

.......................... Watts. 321

...Steele. 420 Epis. Coll. 278

..Scott. 477 Duncan. 315

.....Pratt's Coll. 199

All power is to our Saviour given..............
All-powerful, seif-existent God......

........

All ye nations, praise the Lord..............................................
All ye, who feel distressed for sin
All ye that love the Lord, rejoice.
All ye, who serve the Lord with fear...
All yesterday is gone.....

Almighty Father, God of

grace..

Almighty Father, gracious Lord.

Almighty Father of mankind

Almighty God, eternal Lord...........

......

473 ..Methodist Coll. 259

Wrangham. 198 .Pratt's Coll. 359 ... Watts. 245 Wrangham. 72 .. Pratt's Coll. 365 .Pratt's Coll. 370 .......Steele. 533 .Logan, 512

.....Pratt's Coll. 456

Almighty Lord, before thy throne...................

Almighty Maker, God....

..Epis. Coll. 531

Watts. 563

Almighty Maker of my frame.......................................................Steele. 98

Almighty Ruier of the skies.....................................
Almighty Spirit, now behold

Watts.

47

........ Pratt's Coll. 468 flows............Barlow. 229

.......... Beddome. 403 ..................................... Watts. 419

Along the banks where Babel's current
Am I an Israelite indeed .........
Am I a soldier of the cross.............
Amid displays of wrath and love................
Amid the splendors of thy state
Amid thy wrath remember love .....................................
Among th' assemblies of the great...................
Among the princes, earthly gods........
And am I born to die?

[ocr errors]

...Pratt's Coll. 369 ........ Pratt's Coll. 266 Watts.. 97

..........

........ Watts. 145 ....... Watts. 152 .......Lutheran Coll. 519 ............................. Pratt's Coll. 442. Watts. 372

And are we now brought near to God..
And are we wretches yet alive
And art thou, gracious Master, gone?.....................................................Kelly. 421
And art thou with us, gracious Lord. ................................ Doddridge. 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?..

And dost thou say, 'Ask what thou wilt'?.............Newton. 405
And must this body die?...
........................................... Watts. 518
.....Kelly. 446

And now another week begins..
And now, my soul, another year............Montgomery's Coll. 550
And shall I sit alone?..

And shall not Jesus hear?

........

.....Beddome. 401 ....Newton. 488

[subsumed][merged small][graphic][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]

Page.

..Pratt's Coll. 45
.......................Doddridge. 438

Behold us, Lord, with humble fear....
Behold what condescending love..........
Behold what pity touched the heart........
Behold what wondrous grace............................
Behold where in a mortal form..

........ Watts 317
..Watts. 388

.......Pratt's Coll. 298

Cowper. 504
. Watts. 181

.....................................Pratt's Coll. 134
Doddridge 411

Beneath our feet and o'er our head................Pratt's Coll. 547
Bestow, O Lord, upon our youth......
Bless, O my soul, the living God..
Bless our God, his grace confessing
Bless'd Jesus, while in mortal flesh..
Blest are the humble souls that see............................... . Watts. 408
Blest are the sons of peace
.......................... Bratt. St. Coll. 223
Blest are the souls, who hear and know................................................... Watts. 157
Blest are the undefiled in heart..................................
.. Watts. 203
Blest be the dear uniting love......................... Cennick 414
Blest be the everlasting God..
..Watts 421
Blest be the Lord,-the God of love............... Wrangham. 133
Blest be the Lord, who heard my prayer............ .Dwight. 85

Blest be the tie that binds...
Blest be thou, O God of Israel
Blest Comforter divine...

Blest day when our ascended Lord
Blest is the man, forever blest...

.Fawcett. 412
..........................Epis. Coll. 496
........................................Pratt's Coll. 348
........................................Pratt's Coll. 341

Blest is the man, who shuns the place....

Watts. 90

Watts. 37

Blest is the man, whom thou, O Lord... ...... Tate and Brady. 166
Blest is the man, whose softening heart..............Barbauld. 538
Blest is the man, whose tender care

[ocr errors]

Watts. 100

Watts. 310

Pratt's Coll. 100
...Pratt's Coll. 504

Blest Jesus,-when my soaring thoughts..........Heginbotham. 329
Blest morning, whose first dawning rays.......
Blest, who with generous pity glows.
Blest work-the youthful mind to win...
Bread of heaven, on thee we feed..................Pratt's Coll. 442
Breathe, Holy Spirit, from above.................Pratt's Coll. 348
Bright and joyful is the morn

.. Boden. 537

..Montgomery. 290
Bright King of glory, dreadful God..................... Watts. 293
Bright Source of everlasting love......
Brightness of the Father's glory..........
........................................Pratt's Coll. 324
Broad is the road that leads to death................... Watts. 351
Buried in shadows of the night...
......... Watts. 279

CAN sinners hope for heaven....

Cease, ye mourners, cease to languish...
Children of the heavenly King...

Children, to your Creator, God..

Christ and his cross are all our theme....

Pratt's Coll. 352
Collyer. 545
.......... Cennick. 423
.......... Watts. 502
Watts. 335

........C. Wesley. 307

Christ, the Lord, is risen to-day. Our triumphant..Pratt's Coll. 311
Christ, the Lord, is risen to-day. Sons of men...... Pratt's Coll. 312
Christ, whose glory fills the skies.....
Cleanse me, O Lord-and cheer my soul...
Come, all ye servants of the Lord..........Spirit of the Psalms. 118
Come, all ye saints of God.....

... Watts. 113

........Pratt's Coll. 326
Come, blessed Spirit, source of light..................Beddome. 340
Come, dearest Lord, and bless this day..

...Dobell. 448
Come, divine and peaceful guest...........H. F. Burder's Coll. 346
Come, gracious Lord, descend and dwell
Watts. 406
Come, gracious Spirit, Heavenly Dove..................Brown. 343
Come, happy souls, approach your God........................... .......... Watts. 281
Come hither, all ye weary souls
....................................... Watts. 357
Come, Holy Ghost, come from on high ...................................Reed's Coll. 439
Come, Holy Ghost, inspire our songs...............Pratt's Coil. 324
Come, Holy Spirit, calm each mind.. ....H. F. Burder's Coll. 344
Come, Holy Spirit, come. With energy.............................
Rippon's Coll. 341

« AnteriorContinua »