HYMNAL AMORE DEI COMPILED BY MRS THEODORE C WILLIAMS "The fineness which a hymn or psalm affords REVISED EDITION BOSTON GEORGE H ELLIS 272 CONGRESS STREET NEW YORK 104 EAST 20TH STREET HIS little book was undertaken as a labor of love to meet a want felt in our THIS own church, and it differs from other hymnals in several respects. The collection is much smaller than the usual size, the aim not being to gather complete body of sacred song, but practically to cover the range of devout affecɔns which should be voiced by a worshipping congregation. Hymns which e really songs or poems were preferred to rhymed didactics. Formalism, -hether theological or literary, has been avoided, and even beauty of poetic exression less sought for than the devotional quality. All the hymns chosen are ther direct prayer and praise to God, or fervent meditations upon the story the soul's life. Hymns, however, are not written for speech but for song. While the text is been studiously selected, the compiler gave her first care to the music, and pecially to secure such blending of words with music, that "voice and verse ght really be the two-fold expression of a single mood. Each stanza, each ding phrase, has been lovingly and critically studied in this regard. The book is in two parts. In Part I. the largest place is given to the modern English school, particularly to the compositions of Barnby, Dykes, Calkin, Sullian, etc. The hymns here have much of the tender, reverent, and noble simplicity, which characterizes the music. This section contains also a few Welsh airs, which have a quality peculiarly their own. Part II. draws chiefly from Amerian sources, and contains the most familiar and well-loved hymns now current our churches. As musical fitness has always been the prime consideration, the usual ethod of classifying hymns by their subjects has not been followed. Poems pon the same theme may differ widely in tone of emotion, and therefore require ifferent musical renderings. This requirement is often sacrificed in books here the arrangement is merely topical. The carefully prepared Index of Subcts will be a sufficient guide to the finding of any desired hymn. Hymns which vary in important respects from their common versions are adicated by a t. The preparation of this volume has already endeared it in my own home. is eminently fitted for family use, and I believe that in the larger circle of the Christian congregation, it cannot fail to bring joy, beauty, and fervor into the serce of sacred song. May 1, 1890, New York City. THEODORE C. WILLIAMS. |