TO
ALL WHO LOVE THE HYMNS OF THE CHURCH
AND
DESIRE TO SING THEM
WITH
THE SPIRIT AND THE UNDERSTANDING
THIS BOOK
IS DEDICATED
IN
GRATITUDE AND LOVE

CONTENTS

PAGE

PREFACE ix

EXPLANATORY NOTES xi

INTRODUCTION TO OUR HYMNS AND TUNES xii

NOTES ON THE WORDS AND MUSIC OF THE HYMNS

HYMNS

WORSHIP

Praise and Adoration 1-18

Morning 19-27

Evening 28-40

Close of Worship 41-45

GOD THE FATHER

His Majesty and Power 46-47

Maker of Heaven and Earth 48-53

His Love and Mercy 54-64

JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD

His Advent 65-69

His Birth 70-86

His Epiphany 87-91

His Life and Ministry 92-99

His Triumphal Entry 100-101

His Passion 102-112

His Resurrection 113-116

His Ascension 117-124

His Coming Again 125-130

THE HOLY SPIRIT 131-139

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

The Call of Christ 140-144

Penitence and Confession 145-147

Faith and Vision 148-154

Peace and Joy 155-159

Guidance and Protection 160-169

Love and Gratitude 170-179

Prayer and Communion 180-189

Loyalty and Steadfastness 190-194

Trials and Temptation 195-198

Aspiration and Hope 199-204

Purity and Uprightness 205-211

Consecration and Stewardship 212-220

Service and Brotherhood 221-231

Inner Life 232-239

HYMNS OF COURAGE AND COMFORT 240-259

THE LIFE ETERNAL 260-266

THE KINGDOM OF GOD 267-272

THE CHURCH

General 273-277

The House of God 278-282

The Lord’s Day 283-288

The Holy Scriptures 289-292

The Ministry 293-297

Sacraments and Rites

Consecration of Children 298-300

Baptism of Believers 301-302

The Lord’s Supper 303-311

Marriage 312

Burial of the Dead 313-316

The Communion of Saints 317-319

Church Unity 320-323

CHRISTIAN MISSIONS 324-342

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LIFE

The Nation 343-349

World Friendship and Peace 350-357

THE CHRISTIAN HOME AND FAMILY 358-363

SPECIAL SERVICES

Mother’s Day 364

Farewell Service 365

Our Forefathers 366-369

Hospital Sunday 370

Temperance Sunday 371

Labor Day 372-374

THE SEASONS

Harvest and Thanksgiving 375-378

New Year 379-383

Winter 384

Spring 385

Summer 386

Autumn 387

SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES 388-390

YOUTH 391-402

BOOK TWO

HYMNS FOR CHILDREN

{Praise} 403-405

{Nature} 406-410

{Christmas} 411-414

{Easter} 415

{Loyalty and Consecration} 416-421

{Prayer} 422-435

{Missions} 436

BOOK THREE

GOSPEL SONGS 437-504

BOOK FOUR

THE CHURCH YEAR IN CHORALES

Call to Worship 505-508

Praise 509-520

Advent 522-524

Christmastide 525-527

(New Year) 528

Epiphany 529-530

Lent 531-540

Eastertide 541-545

Whitsuntide 546-548

The Church and Missions 549-552

{Morning} 553-555

{Evening} 556-557

General 558-574

BOOK FIVE

METRICAL PSALMS 575-600

BOOK SIX

RESPONSES, CHANTS, DOXOLOGIES, AND AMENS

{Responses} 601-609

{The Lord’s Prayer} 610

{Offertories} 611-612

{Benedictions} 613-614

{Doxologies} 615-618

{Amens} 619-623

PAGE

PRINCIPAL WORKS CONSULTED 395

INDEXES

(1) Index of Scripture Texts 400

(2) Topical Index of the Metrical Psalms 402

(3) Composers and Sources of Tunes 402

(4) Authors, Translators and Sources 407

(5) Alphabetical Index of Tunes 412

(6) Original First Lines of Translations 417

(7) Index of First Lines 419

PREFACE

The aim of this book is to serve as a companion to the Mennonite Hymnary. It seeks to explain, as far as possible, the origin of the words and music of every hymn in the Hymnary.

The great lyrics of the church, contributed by every age since the days of the apostles, are a precious heritage, and a source of inspiration and power. This work is intended to foster an understanding of and love for our hymns, new and old, and to stimulate the time-honored and blessed practice of congregational singing in the church today.

The Handbook may be found useful as an aid (1) in the private study of hymns or their use in family devotions; (2) in selecting suitable hymns for the many and varied services of public worship; (3) in preparing special music services or hymn sings where such occasions are planned to improve the singing in the church; (4) for study groups in hymnology in churches and schools. The historical development of hymnology may be followed in the brief “Introduction to Our Hymns and Tunes.”

The author has endeavored to make the work as comprehensive as possible without overburdening the reader with too many details. Many hymns have interesting stories connected with their origin and use while others, equally valuable, were just written, without drama or incident, the poet scarcely knowing how or why, except that the Inner Voice spoke. The apocryphal tales which have been circulated concerning some hymns have been studiously avoided. The aim has been to include only such material as seems to bear genuine marks of authenticity. The bibliography of “Principal Works Consulted,” found elsewhere in the book, indicates the main sources.

The original versions of translated hymns are not always readily available and for that reason they are reproduced in the Handbook. Translated hymns are usually selections from a much larger number of stanzas and it is often instructive to be able to study the whole structure of the original work.

Acknowledgements. I wish to acknowledge valuable help received from the following and to express hereby my gratitude to them: to Dr. Robert McCutchan, author of Our Hymnody, who generously responded to my request for information on a dozen or more hymns on which I had no data; to Dr. Henry Wilder Foote, of Harvard University, author of Three Centuries of American Hymnody, for biographical material on several hymn writers, and the use of books from his private library; to Dr. Reginald McAll, Executive Secretary of the Hymn Society of America for helpful material; to Dr. Ruth Messenger, Archivist for the Hymn Society of America, who furnished nearly all the Latin originals, and the Italian original of Savonarola’s hymn, and information concerning these hymns; to Dr. Armin Heussler, author of a forth-coming handbook to the Evangelical hymnal, for material on several of the chorales; to Wm. Runyan of the Hope Publishing Company, and to Dr. John Trowbridge of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, for information concerning several of the gospel songs; to Dr. Cornelius Krahn who made the rich hymnic treasures of the Mennonite Historical Library at Bethel College available to me; to the late Rev. C. E. Krehbiel who loaned me material from his private library for this work but did not live to see its completion; to B. Bargen for help in preparing the manuscript for publication; to Mrs. Beatrice Buller for reading the manuscripts and proofs of the German chorales; to my wife, Charity Steiner Hostetler, who read all the manuscripts and proofs and whose constant interest and assistance were indispensable; and to others, too numerous to mention, who in any way facilitated the completion of the work.

The book, written during spare moments of a busy pastorate, is sent forth with the prayer that, in spite of errors and imperfections, it may inspire all who use it to sing with greater devotion the praises of Him who loved us and redeemed us.

Lester Hostetler

EXPLANATORY NOTES

In the interest of brevity and to avoid repetition, certain recurring words are abbreviated:

Hymnary is used for Mennonite Hymnary.

c. (circa) means approximate date.

Tr. is prefixed to the names of all translators.

Anon. (anonymous) means without any name acknowledged, as that of author or composer.

The word “Number” has been omitted: thus Hymn 22 means Hymn No. 22.

Cf. means compare. (Latin: confer).

The original texts of German hymns found throughout the Handbook, especially in the section of Chorales, Book IV, are the versions used in one or more of the following works: Gesangbuch mit Noten, (Berne, Ind., 1890); Gesangbuch der Mennoniten, (Canadian, 1942); The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal, (Concordia Pub. House, 1942); Gesangbuch zum gottesdienstlichen und häuslichen Gebrauch in Evangelischen Mennoniten-Gemeinden, (Konferenz der süddeutschen Mennoniten zu Ludwigshafen a. Rh. 1910); and Knapp, Evangelischer Liederschatz. Many variations occur in the texts as found in these versions, the explanation of which would require a much greater knowledge of German hymnody than the author possesses. An effort has been made to bring the spelling into conformity with the modern German practice of omitting the “h” where it was formerly used with the “th”; the use of “ss” instead of “sz”; and printing the initial letter of the pronouns referring to Deity, in lower case rather than with capitals.

AN INTRODUCTION TO OUR HYMNS AND TUNES

With Illustrations From the Hymnary

1. Definition of a Hymn.

2. The Beginnings of Christian Song.

3. Hymns of the Eastern Church: Greek and Syriac.

4. Hymns of the Western Church: Latin.

5. Hymns of the Bohemian Brethren.

6. Hymns of the Reformation: The German Chorales.

7. Hymns of the Reformation: The Metrical Psalms.

8. Psalm Versions.

9. English Hymnody.

10. American Hymns.

11. The Gospel Songs.

12. Women Hymn Writers.

13. Mennonite Hymnody.

14. Antecedents of the Mennonite Hymnary.

15. The Translation of Hymns.

16. Church Unity in the Hymn Book.

17. Hymn Meters.

18. Hymn Tunes.

19. John Wesley’s Rules for Singing.

1. Definition of a Hymn.

St. Augustine, 354-430, gave a definition of a hymn, which has been widely accepted:

A hymn is the praise of God by singing. A hymn is a song embodying the praise of God. If there is merely praise but not praise of God it is not a hymn. If there be praise, and praise of God, but not sung, it is not a hymn. For it to be a hymn, it is needful, therefore, for it to have three things—praise, praise of God, and these sung.

A recent definition, accepted by the Hymn Society of America, is that of the late Carl F. Price:

A Christian hymn is a lyric poem, reverently and devotionally conceived, which is designed to be sung and which expresses the worshiper’s attitude toward God, or God’s purposes, in human life.

L. F. Benson, America’s foremost hymnologist, defines a hymn in these simple words:

The Christian hymn ... is a form of words appropriate to be sung or chanted in public devotions.

A hymn is to be sung by a congregation. Its message must be simple, not subtle. It must read well and sing well. In modern usage, the hymn is not limited to the praise of God but includes other moods of worship such as resignation and consecration.

2. The Beginnings of Christian Song.

Hymn singing has always been associated with Christian worship. Jesus and the Twelve sang a hymn, presumably a portion of the Hallel (Ps. 115-118), after the Supper was ended. Paul and Silas sang hymns, “songs of the night,” during the midnight hours of their imprisonment in Philippi. The great Apostle recognized the value of song when he exhorted the churches thus:

Be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Eph. 5:18, 19.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Col. 3:16.

I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. I Cor. 14:15.

The Jewish converts who at first composed the church had a rich heritage of song in the Book of Psalms. This was their hymnbook, used in the Temple worship and in the home and probably also in the synagogue services. The use of the Psalms, carried over from the Jewish service, forms to this day an important element in Christian worship.

Besides the Psalms, the early church sang the nativity lyrics that adorn the first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke. It also made extensive use of Hallelujah as a part of the people’s praise, adding, in the course of time, the Gloria Patri, the Sanctus, the Te Deum, and other canticles.

The nativity hymns in Luke, five in all, are extensively used in Roman Catholic and Anglican services.

Ave Maria (Hail Mary). 1:28-29, 42-45. The salutation of Gabriel and of Elizabeth.

Magnificat. “My soul doth magnify the Lord....” 1:46-55. Hymn of the Virgin Mary.

Benedictus. “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel....” 1:68-79. Song of Zacharias.

Nunc Dimittis. “Lord, now lettest Thou thy servant depart in peace.” 2:29-32. Song of Simeon.

Gloria in excelsis. “Glory to God in the highest....” 2:14. Song of the Angels. Used as a part of the Roman mass and often found in Protestant hymns, e.g., “Angels we have heard on high” 82.

Beginnings of Christian Song in the Hymnary

Psalms. Book Five. 575-600.

Gloria Patri 606-7.

Ter Sanctus (Trisagion) “Holy, holy, holy” 601-2.

Te Deum. “Holy God we praise Thy name” 519. A metrical translation of an ancient version.

3. Hymns of the Eastern Church: Greek and Syriac.

The ancient Eastern Church developed a rich hymnody, rising steadily in the fourth century until it reached its culmination in the eighth and ninth centuries. Since it employed the Greek and Syriac languages, its hymnic treasures remained almost completely hidden and unknown to the English speaking churches for many centuries. It is only in recent years, through the efforts of scholars like John Mason Neale and Edward Caswall that some of the Eastern hymns have been translated and made available for modern use. Eastern hymns are characterized by an objective, dignified, contemplation of God. Except when confessing sin and unworthiness, they contain nothing of the subjective feelings of the worshipper such as is found in many modern hymns. Though there is very little in the Hymnary from the Eastern Church, our collection is enriched by the inclusion of a small number of hymns from this source.

Greek Hymns in the Hymnary

Clement of Alexandria, 170-220, “Shepherd of tender youth” (398)

Candle Lighting Hymn, “O gladsome light” (34)

Synesius, c. 375-430, “Lord Jesus, think on me” (196)

St. Germanus, 634-734, “A great and mighty wonder” (526)

St. John of Damascus, 8th century, “The day of resurrection” (115)

“Come, ye faithful, raise the strain” (113)

St. Stephen the Sabaite, 725-94, “Art thou weary, heavy-laden” (143)

Candle Lighting Hymn, “Darkening night, the land doth” (32)

4. Hymns of the Western Church: Latin.

Two great names are associated with the music of the Western Church: Ambrose, c. 340-97, known as the “Father of Hymnody in the Western Church;” and Gregory the Great, 540-604, the missionary-minded pope, and reformer of church music.

Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, not only composed hymns and music but stimulated others to do the same. Under his leadership there developed a large body of church music based upon four scales, which came to be known as Ambrosian Chant. Although widely known as a scholar, theologian, and preacher, Ambrose’s most lasting influence was upon the music of the church. None of his hymns are found in our collection.

Gregory the Great, two centuries later, carried forward the work of Ambrose. He added four more scales or modes to the Ambrosian system, thus giving to the repertory of church music more definiteness and variety. The music that developed during the papacy of Gregory came to be known as Gregorian Chant, or plainsong, or plainchant. It is “plain” because unadorned, unharmonized and unmeasured. Its rhythm is the free rhythm of speech, the beats falling irregularly. The Gregorian Chant remained the music of the church for a thousand years and forms the basis of all Roman Catholic music today. Some of these chants were adapted by Luther for congregational singing, and set to words in the vernacular of the people. A few of the tunes, usually in a form scarcely recognizable from the original, are used today in Protestant hymnals, as for instance, the tune “Hamburg.” Some of the music in the Amish church services is traceable to the Gregorian Chant.

The singing in the medieval church was liturgical in character and confined to the clergy and trained choirs. This was its weakness. The laity was not expected to sing, neither were they able to do so. Congregational singing, so important in our worship today, had for centuries been unknown in the Roman Catholic Church. Reform was inevitable and it came in due time.

While only remnants of the music survive, many hymns from the Western Church have been translated from the Latin and a few choice ones have found their way into the Hymnary.

Latin Hymns in the Hymnary

Prudentius, 348-c. 413, “Bethlehem, of noblest cities” (88)

Gregory the Great, 540-604, “Father, we praise Thee” (24)

Anonymous, 6th or 7th century, “Christ is made the sure” (277)

“Joy dawned again on Easterday” (415)

Theodulph of Orleans, 9th century, “All glory, laud, and honor” (100)

Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091-1153, “Jesus the very thought” (155)

“O sacred Head, now wounded” (539)

Bernard of Cluny, 12th century, “Jerusalem, the golden” (262-3)

Anonymous, 12th century, “O come, O come, Emmanuel” (67)

Savonarola, 1452-98 (Italian), “Jesus, Refuge of the weary” (536)

Anonymous, 17th-18th centuries, “O come, all ye faithful” (80)

“The year is gone beyond recall” (382)

5. Hymns of the Bohemian Brethren.

The followers of John Hus who came to be known as the Bohemian Brethren, and later as the Moravians, were the first Protestant group to introduce congregational singing into their worship. They also published the first Protestant hymnbooks, one in 1501 and another in 1505, containing 89 and 400 hymns, respectively, in their native Bohemian tongue. Their efforts to introduce congregational singing were sternly opposed by the Roman hierarchy. The Council of Constance condemned Hus to be burned at the stake and warned his successor, Jacob of Misi, to cease the singing of hymns in the churches. It decreed:

If laymen are forbidden to preach and interpret the Scriptures, much more are they forbidden to sing publicly in the churches.

As a result of their persecution, the Brethren in 1508 sent out messengers to search for true Christian people into whose communion they might apply for admission—one to Russia, one to Greece, one to Bulgaria, and one to Palestine and Egypt. All returned unsuccessful. No such Christians had been found. They therefore remained in their own country, giving themselves assiduously to the translation and printing of the Bible.

In 1522 the Brethren sent two messengers to Luther to greet him and ask his advice. Luther became interested in them and welcomed their fellowship. He was impressed with the hymnbook the Brethren had published, and later used some of the hymns in his own work.

Two centuries later, the Brethren, known now as the Moravians, settled on Count Zinzendorf’s estates in Saxony, spreading rapidly from thence into other countries in Europe and to the United States. One of England’s foremost hymn writers and hymnologists, James Montgomery, was an adherent to their faith.

Bohemian Brethren and Moravian Hymns in the Hymnary

Michael Weisse, 1480-1534, “Christ, the Lord, is ris’n again” (544)

Tunes: “Mit Freuden Zart” (512), “Ravenshaw” (292)

von Zinzendorf, Nikolaus L., 1700-60, “Jesus, still lead on” (574)

von Zinzendorf, Christian R., 1724-62, “Man of sorrows” (537)

Henriette Luise von Hayn, 1724-82, “I am Jesus’ little lamb” (430)

James Montgomery, 1771-1854, “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed” (65)

“Angels from the realms of glory” (81)

“Go to dark Gethsemane” (107) and many others

6. Hymns of the Reformation: the German Chorales.

The movement toward congregational singing, inaugurated by the Bohemian Brethren, was soon to be merged into the greater Reformation movement. Luther’s influence on the worship and music of the church was revolutionary. For a thousand years the laymen had had no part in church song. Congregational singing was unknown. Ambrosian music had at first been introduced for congregational use but it became more and more liturgical, thrusting the laity into the background. The Gregorian Chant which followed was never intended for use except by the priests and trained choirs. The followers of Hus pioneered in congregational singing; but it was Luther and his followers who brought it into full fruition.

Luther was a born music lover and a musician of adequate training. Moreover he possessed a remarkable gift for writing hymns in clear thought to bring the Word of God home to the hearts of the common people. He and his followers put songs on the lips of the German people and they sang themselves into the Reformation. So effective were these songs that his enemies in the Roman church declared that “Luther’s songs have damned more souls than all his books and speeches.”