Handbook to the Mennonite Hymnary

608. Let the words of my mouth

From Psalm 19:14.

Prayer, “uttered or unexpressed,” is a spiritual sacrifice. The sentence is used in the Jewish liturgy at the close of silent worship. If sung in a quiet mood, the response is suitable for use by soloist, choir, or congregation, before or after pastoral prayer of the worship service.

MUSIC. The music was composed by Adolph Baumbach, 1830-80, teacher of piano and organ and composer of instrumental and choir music. Baumbach was born in Germany about 1830, came to America in 1855, and lived in Boston and Chicago.

609. Father, O hear us

Anonymous.

Suitable for use as a response after prayer, or before a prayer of special petition, as in the case of Elijah in I Kings 18:37: “hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God.”

MUSIC. The tune is attributed to Handel but the work from which it is taken has not been identified.

For comments on George Frederick Handel see Hymn 73.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

610. Our Father, who art in heaven

The Lord’s Prayer, as found in Matthew 6:9-13.

The prayer which Christ taught the disciples is in its comprehensiveness a pattern of prayer and may well be used in the prayers of the church.

MUSIC. The musical setting is from a Gregorian Chant. In singing it, the following general directions for chanting may be found useful:

1. Chants consist of two distinct divisions, one portion is recited, the other portion is sung.

2. The words from the beginning of each line up to the accented word, which is printed in italics, are called the Recitation, and should be sung smoothly, without undue haste, and observing stops (,) as in good reading. The Recitation may be of any length. The note on which it is sung is called the Reciting note.

3. On reaching the accented word and beginning with it, sing in strict time. If there is no syllable after that which is accented, as, for example, in “Thy Kingdom come,” the accented syllable is held for the time value of one whole measure.

OFFERTORIES

611. Bless Thou the gifts our hands have brought

An offertory hymn to be sung by the choir or congregation or both.

For comments on the author, Samuel Longfellow, see Hymn 28.

Concerning the place of the collection in the worship service, Henry Sloan Coffin says in his excellent book on public worship:

Whether the collection be made in the middle of the service or near its conclusion, it should be an act of worship. The gifts of the people should be carried up to the holy table, and received and placed upon it by the minister. While they are brought up, the congregation may stand and sing a dedication, “All things come of Thee, O Lord, and of thine own have we given Thee,” or a similar sentence. This may be varied by using Ken’s familiar doxology, or a verse from an appropriate hymn, such as Bishop How’s “We give Thee but Thine own.” When the Offering is for a cause—missions or a hospital or the Bible Society—a stanza from a hymn which fits the purpose may be selected for use as the dedication and be printed on the order of worship in the calendar. A minister may use a prayer in the act of dedication, but it is difficult to find variety in its expression, and the prayer should usually be comprised in a short sentence. Congregations are helped to realize that in this act they are the offerers if they join the choir in singing the dedication. (The Public Worship of God, Westminster Press, 1946.) Quoted by permission.

CANONBURY. For comments on this tune see Hymn 296.

612. All things come of Thee, O Lord

From 1 Chron. 29:14.

This is one of the mostly widely used offertory responses, usually sung by a congregation during the consecration of the offering.

The setting of the words is significant in its conception of the spirit of sacrifice and worship. David was assembling the material with which Solomon might build the temple. The people and leaders brought their gifts, all voluntarily, with no mention of a tithe or temple tax. Gratitude for what God had done for them stirred their generosity and they counted it a privilege to give back to God what came to them from His hand.

MUSIC. The tune is an arrangement from Beethoven. The work from which it comes has not been identified.

For comments on Ludwig van Beethoven see Hymn 10.

BENEDICTIONS

613. May the grace of Christ our Savior

A metrical version of the apostolic benediction in II Cor. 13:14: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” The hymn has been translated into several languages. For more than 100 years the weekly meeting of the Presbyterian ministers in New York City closed with the singing of these words.

MUSIC. DORRNANCE first appeared in The Choral, 1845, by Isaac B. Woodbury and Benj. F. Baker.

For comments on the composer, Isaac B. Woodbury, see Hymn 261.

614. The Lord bless you and keep you

From the Authorized Version of the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6:24-26, with order of verses 25 and 26 reversed.

MUSIC. The musical setting, the original of which has an elaborate contrapuntal and sevenfold “Amen,” not suitable for congregational use, was written as a farewell to William Smedley, choirmaster at the St. James Protestant Episcopal Church, Chicago. Without Smedley’s knowledge the congregation, all kneeling, sang this with great effect, after the benediction, at the service of farewell.

For comments on Peter C. Lutkin see Hymn 390.

DOXOLOGIES

615. Now to the King of heav’n

This doxology, according to James Moffatt, is made up of lines from a hymn by Doddridge and Watt’s paraphrase of Psalm 148.

MUSIC. ST. JOHN. There seems to be no information concerning the composer or source of this tune. It has been traced to the third volume of The Parish Choir, 1851, where it appears anonymously. It should be sung with vigor.

616. To God the only wise

A paraphrase of the doxology found in Jude vv. 24, 25.

For comments on Isaac Watts see Hymn 11.

MUSIC. OLD 134TH (ST. MICHAEL) is one of the greatest of short meter tunes, derived from the tune composed by L. Bourgeois for Psalm 101 in the Genevan Psalter of 1551. It has been set to a number of other psalms and hymns and appears at Hymn 128 set to “Ye servants of the Lord” by Doddridge.

For comments on Louis Bourgeois see Hymn 34.

617. Now to him who loved us, gave us

From the author’s Sacred Melodies, 1826, where it was followed by a second verse.

Samuel Miller Waring, an Englishman, was brought up in the Society of Friends but left it to unite with the Church of England. He published Sacred Melodies in 1826, in which his hymns appear.

MUSIC. TRIUMPH appeared first in The Church Hymn and Tune Book, 1852, edited by W. J. Blew and H. J. Gauntlett.

For comments on the composer, Henry J. Gauntlett, see Hymn 412.

618. Praise God from whom all blessings flow

The most famous of all doxologies and the most frequently sung of all hymn stanzas.

Bishop Ken wrote three hymns, for morning, evening, and midnight, (See Nos. 25 and 33), ending each with this stanza. The words are simple enough so a child can sing them with understanding, yet they are so profound that the wisest and most prudent cannot exhaust their meaning.

For comments on Thomas Ken see Hymn 25.

MUSIC. OLD HUNDREDTH. The original form of this tune is found at No. 594.

For comments on Louis Bourgeois see Hymn 34.

AMENS

619. Dresden Amen

A cadence, or ending, much used in ecclesiastical music in the Royal Chapel of Dresden (common also throughout Saxony). Wagner immortalized it in his Parsifal and the tune also appears in Mendelssohn’s Reformation Symphony, Stanford’s Service in B flat, and elsewhere.

The composer, Johann Gottlieb Naumann (or Giovanni Amadeo), 1741-1801, well-known musician in his day, was born at Blasewitz, near Dresden, the son of peasant parents. He was a successful opera composer in Saxony, Italy, Sweden, and Prussia. Naumann was also a prolific composer of church music: 13 oratorios, 21 masses with Te Deums, and smaller church pieces. Some of his compositions are still in use. His best known single work known beyond Dresden is his setting of Klopstock’s Vater unser.

620. Threefold Amen

The tune is from an unknown Danish source and has wide use in the Lutheran churches of Denmark.

621. Amen Sequence

An effective piece for women’s voices, of unknown origin.

622. Fourfold Amen

For comments on the composer, John Stainer, see Hymn 111.

623. Sevenfold Amen

First appeared in A Choir-book for the Office of Holy Communion, 1873, edited by Stainer.

For comments on John Stainer see Hymn 111.

NOTE ON THE USE OF “AMEN”

In the Jewish and early Christian Church, the people said “Amen” after prayers were offered. Cf. I Cor. 14:16. In so doing, they gave a deliberate endorsement to what had been said or sung. The “Amen,” meaning “so be it,” should be sung with conviction, not thoughtlessly or half-heartedly, as if what went before is of doubtful importance.

The settings given here are principally for use by the choir after the pastoral prayer or at the close of a service, in churches where such musical elaboration is practiced.

The use of “Amen” after a hymn is optional. If sung well, it serves as a satisfying concluding formula. Its use is entirely appropriate only with those hymns which are prayer, praise, or otherwise addressed to God.

The first instance of its use at the end of a hymn is in a curious hymn book entitled, Seven Sobs of a Sorrowful Soul for Sinne, published in England in 1583. During the last century most editors of hymnals have adopted the custom of adding the “Amen” to all hymns. The Songs of Praise, published in England in 1933, is a notable exception.

PRINCIPAL WORKS CONSULTED

General

Benson, Louis F., Studies of Familiar Hymns. Series I and II. Westminster Press, 1903 and 1923.

An authoritative study. One of the best.

Breed, David R., The History and Use of Hymns and Hymn-Tunes. Revell, 1903.

Useful but somewhat out of date, especially in its classification of hymns.

Brown, Theron, and Butterworth, Hezekiah, The Story of the Hymns and Tunes. American Tract Society, 1906.

Based on Butterworth’s Story of the Hymns and Story of the Tunes, with much added material.

Gillman, Frederick John, The Evolution of the English Hymn. Macmillan, 1927.

Well written. Resembles Horder’s Hymn Lover but brings the material more nearly up to date.

Horder, W. Garrett, The Hymn Lover. Curwen, 1889.

An excellent introduction to Christian hymnology.

Julian, John, ed. A Dictionary of Hymnology. Murray, 1908.

A comprehensive and invaluable book of reference.

Maitland, J. A. Fuller, ed., Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Theodore Presser Co.

A famous work in four volumes. 1940 edition by H. C. Colles.

McCutchan, Robert G., Hymns in the Lives of Men. Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1945.

An interesting study of the influence of hymns.

Phillips, Charles S., Hymnody Past and Present. S.P.C.K., 1937.

Scholarly. Deals largely with hymnody of the Church of England.

Robinson, Charles S., Annotations upon Popular Hymns. Hunt, 1893.

Comments on hymns contained in Laudes Domine.

Ryden, Ernest Edwin, The Story of Our Hymns. Augustana Book Concern, 1930.

Popular in style. Part III deals with Scandinavian hymnody. The author is a Lutheran hymnologist.

Schaff, Philip, Literature and Poetry. Scribner, 1890.

Contains an informative chapter on St. Bernard as a hymnist.

English Hymnody

Benson, Louis F., The English Hymn. Doran, 1915.

Best source of information on the development and use of standard English and American hymns. Scholarly. Unfortunately out of print.

Brawley, Benjamin, History of the English Hymn. Abingdon Press, 1932.

Popular in style.

Duffield, Samuel Willoughby, English Hymns. Funk and Wagnalls, 1886.

An old standard work giving the origin of hymns to the middle of the 19th century.

Marks, Harvey B., The Rise and Growth of English Hymnody. Revell, 1937.

An excellent account.

American Hymnody

Foote, Henry Wilder, Three Centuries of American Hymnody. Harvard University Press, 1940.

An authoritative and readable account of American hymnody from the publication of the Bay Psalm Book, 1640, to the present day.

Ninde, Edward S., The Story of the American Hymn. Abingdon Press, 1921.

Popular stories of hymns. Supplements the more scholarly work by Foote.

Stories of Hymns and Hymn Writers

Butterworth, Hezekiah, The Story of the Hymns. American Tract Society.

Deals with nearly one hundred hymns, emphasizing those that resulted from unusual religious experiences.

Cope, Henry F., One Hundred Hymns You Ought to Know. New York, 1906.

Laufer, Calvin W., Hymn Lore. Westminster Press, 1932.

Comments on 50 hymns, mostly of American origin.

Price, Carl F., One Hundred and One Hymn Stories. Abingdon.

—— ——, More Hymn Stories. Abingdon, 1931.

Popular but authoritative.

Smith, H. Augustine, Lyric Religion. Century, 1931.

Excellent account of 150 hymns with suggestions for their use at song services.

Stead, W. T., Hymns That Have Helped. Doubleday, 1897.

Brief notes on 150 popular hymns.

The German Chorales

Bacon and Allen, The Hymns of Martin Luther. London, 1884.

Luther’s hymns set to their original melodies. Includes Luther’s prefaces to successive hymn books published during his life time and under his supervision.

Collitz, Klara Hechtenberg, Selections from Classical German Literature. Oxford University Press, 1914.

Includes biographical notes.

Knapp, Albert, Evangelischer Liederschatz. Stuttgart, 1865.

More than 3,000 of the great hymns of Germany are included in this work, the most comprehensive hymn collection ever published in Germany. But Knapp took undue liberties in revising the hymns of some of the older writers.

Koch, Edward Emil, Geschichte des Kirchenliedes und Kirchengesangs. Stuttgart, 1867.

A standard work.

Schultz, Walter, Reichsänger. P. Ott, Gotha, 1930.

A popular account of hymns used in Germany, including translations from English sources. The author was a pastor in Marburg.

Wilson, A. W., The Chorales. Faith Press, London, 1920.

A 78 page monograph by the then organist of Manchester Cathedral.

Winkworth, Catherine, Christian Singers of Germany. London, 1869.

—— ——, Lyra Germanica. London, 1881.

England’s foremost translator of German chorales gives in these volumes a history of German hymnody and collections of her translations.

Wolff, Dr. Eugen, Das Deutsche Kirchenlied des 16. und 17. Jahrh. Stuttgart.

Detailed and scholarly account.

The Gospel Songs

Gabriel, Chas. H., The Singers and Their Songs. The Rodeheaver Co., 1915.

Hall, J. H., Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers. Revell, 1914.

Rodeheaver, Homer A., Hymnal Handbook for Standard Hymns and Gospel Songs. The Rodeheaver Co., 1931.

Sankey, Ira D., My Life and the Story of the Gospel Hymns. Harper and Brothers, 1907.

Showalter, A. J., The Best Gospel Songs and Their Composers. A. J. Showalter Co., 1904.

Stebbins, George C., Reminiscences and Gospel Hymn Stories. George H. Doran Co., 1924.

Handbooks to Hymnals

Covert, W. C., and Laufer, C. W., Handbook to the Hymnal. Presbyterian Board of Christian Education, 1935.

A Handbook to the current Presbyterian hymnal of 1931.

Dearmer, Percy, Songs of Praise Discussed. Oxford University Press, 1933.

Based on Moffatt’s Handbook to the Church Hymnary. A companion to the popular English collection, Songs of Praise.

Hymns Ancient and Modern, Historical Edition. Clowes, 1909.

Hymns and music of the famous English hymnal, with an account of all the hymns and tunes.

Macmillan, Alexander, Hymns of the Church. United Church Publishing House, Toronto, 1935.

A companion to the Hymnary of the United Church of Canada, constructed in the sequence of history.

McCutchan, Robert Guy, Our Hymnody. Methodist Book Concern, 1937.

A manual to the Methodist hymnal. Scholarly and comprehensive.

Moffatt, James, and Patrick, Millar, Handbook to the Church Hymnary with Supplement. Oxford University Press, 1925.

A companion to the Scottish Church Hymnary. One of the best Handbooks published.

Polack, W. G., Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal. Concordia Publishing Co., 1942.

Practical Hymnology

Ashton, Joseph N., Music in Worship. The Pilgrim Press, 1943.

A manual for ministers, organists, and choir directors.

Clokey, Joseph W., In Every Corner Sing. Morehouse Gorham Co., 1945.

A small, practical book, written for amateurs and laymen, on music for the small church.

Harper, Earl, Church Music and Worship. Abingdon Press.

Lorenz, E. S., The Singing Church. Cokesbury, 1938.

Much practical material. The author makes about as good a case as can be made for the use of Gospel songs.

Pratt, Waldo S., Musical Ministries of the Church. Revell, 1901.

Wolfe, Paul Austin; Dickinson, Helen A., and Clarence, The Choir Loft and the Pulpit. H. W. Gray, 1943.

Includes Services of Worship and lists of choir and organ music used in the Brick Presbyterian Church, New York.

Hymn Tunes and Composers

Dickinson, Edward, Music in the History of the Western Church. Scribners, 1902.

A broad survey. Excellent chapters on Luther and Bach.

Douglas, Winfred, Church Music in Theory and Practice. Scribners, 1937.

Emphasis on liturgical music, written from the point of view of an American Anglo-Catholic.

Lightwood, James T., Hymn Tunes and Their Story. Epworth Press, London, 1923.

A good account of tunes up to the latter part of the 19th century.

Metcalf, Frank J., Stories of Hymn Tunes. Abingdon Press, 1928.

A popular treatment.

Scholes, Percy A., The Oxford Companion to Music. 7th Ed. Revised. Oxford University Press, 1947.

A one volume encyclopedia of music, for both the amateur and professional musician.

Mennonite Hymnody

Bender, H. S., Two Centuries of American Mennonite Literature. Mennonite Historical Society, Goshen, Ind., 1929.

Lists books, hymnbooks, pamphlets, papers and magazines by all branches of Mennonites since the beginning of the 18th century.

Hohmann, Walter H., Outlines in Hymnology with Emphasis on Mennonite Hymnology. Mennonite Publication Office, 1941.

The Outline, for the most part, follows Breed’s History and Use of Hymns and Hymn-Tunes. Part II consists of a chronological list of Mennonite hymn books.

Mennonitisches Lexikon. Frankfurt-am-Main und Weierhof.

A comprehensive work begun in 1913 by Hege and Neff, still unfinished.

Smith, C. H., The Story of the Mennonites. Mennonite Book Concern, Berne, Ind., 1941.

By request of the author before his death in 1948, the work is being revised and brought up to date by Dr. C. Krahn.

Index of Scripture Texts