PREFACE. THIS Collection of Hymns is intended for the use of Congregational Churches, both Baptist and Pædobaptist. I have called it "THE ENGLISH HYMN Book," because I have endeavoured, as far as possible, to insert only those hymns which seem to me to be in harmony with the characteristic type of English piety. The religious life of this country, in its healthiest forms, is distinguished by a certain manly simplicity very alien from the sensuous sentimentalism which has been encouraged by some recent hymn-writers; even the pathetic hymns of the Middle Ages, and the noble songs of German Protestantism, do not express very naturally the religious thought and emotion of ordinary Englishmen. Our religious life would, indeed, be greatly impoverished if we rejected the aids to devotion supplied by saints of other countries and other times; but, for myself, I am anxious to preserve the national type both of faith and feeling; and, therefore, while gratefully availing myself of translations of Greek and Latin and German hymns, when they appeared likely to enrich the worship of English Christians without transforming its character, I have avoided whatever seemed foreign and unfriendly to our traditions and habits. The incessant engagements and distractions incident to the pastorate of a large church, in a large town, leave me none of those protracted periods of uninterrupted quiet which are neceesary to ensure the accuracy of a book like this. When the brain and the eye are weary, or when one public duty is only just over and another just approaching, it is certain that "proofs" will be sent to the printers with many errors undetected. Nor have I always had access, just at the time I wanted it, to the original texts of the hymns which I wished to insert. I should never have undertaken the task of compiling a Hymn Book had any existing collection of Hymns contained what I wanted for use in my own congregation. The task, however, has been a very pleasant pleasantness has been greatly increased by the extrem and kindness which I have received from authors, to have had occasion to apply for permission to use t positions-kindness and courtesy, which have often generous and cordial, on the part of those whose t faith and ecclesiastical position are most remote from My grateful acknowledgements are due to Mrs. DER (1), Rev. Dr. ALLON (2), Rev. Sir HENRY BAKE R. A. BERTRAM, Rev. Dr. BONAR and Messrs. N Rev. Canon BRIGHT (5), Rev. BALDWIN BROWN, CASWALL (6), Rev. J. CHANDLER (7), Mrs. CHARLES G. W. CONDER, Rev. THOMAS DAVIS (9), Rev. H. Dow Rev. E. W. EDDIS, Rev. H. W. EDDIS, Rev. JOHN E J. H. GILL, Esq. (11), Rev. S. BARING-GOULD, J. T. H. (for permission to use the Hymns of the late Dr. NE Rev. NEWMAN HALL (13), Rev. W. WALSHAM HO ISBISTER & Co. (for permission to use the Hymns of WARING) (14), Rev. W. TIDD MATSON (15), Rev. J LARD, Rev. Dr. MONSELL (16), C. E. MUDIE, Esq. (17 (1) Verses for Holy Seasons: Bell and Daldy. (2) Supplemental Hymns: Hodder and Stoughton. (3) Hymns Ancient and Modern: 13 Charing Cross. (4) Hymns of Faith and Hope: First, Second, and T Nisbet and Co. (5) Hymns and Verses: Rivington. (6) Masque of Mary, and other Poems: Burns and L (7) Hymns of the Primitive Church: Parker. (8) Women of the Gospel, &c.: J. Nelson. (9) Devotional Verses for a Month: Hamilton, Ada Hymns Old and New: Longmans. (10) Hymns and Verses: Henry S. King and Co. (12) Medieval Hymns: Hymns of the Eastern Church: (15) The Inner Life: Eliot Stock and Co. (16) Hymns of Love and Praise: Bell and Daldy Songs: Parker. (17) Stray Leaves, by C. E. Mudie: Macmillan. NEWMAN (18), Rev. PHIPPS ONSLOW, Rev. E. H. PLUMPTRE (19), GEORGE RAWSON, Esq., Rev. A. T. RUSSELL, F. SMITH, Esq., Mr. C. H. SPURGEON (20), Rev. GODFREY THRING (21), Mrs. TOKE, Dr. TRENCH (Archbishop of Dublin) (22), Rev. EDWARD WHITE, Rev. S. WOLCOTT, Rev. Dr. WORDSWORTH (Bishop of Lincoln) (23), the Translators of Hymns from the Land of Luther (24), and the Editors of The People's Hymnal (25). To the late Dean ALFORD (26), and the late Sir JOHN BOWRING (27), I am also indebted for permission to use their compositions, permission which was granted in both cases with characteristic kindness. To Dr. BONAR and his publishers, Messrs. NISBET, and to Mr. T. H. GILL, my special thanks are due. No less than 58 Hymns in the Collection are selected from Dr. BONAR'S well-known Hymns of Faith and Hope: and 39 Hymns are selected from Mr. GILL'S Golden Chain of Praise. It is only justice to Mr. GILL, whose remarkable volume is comparatively unknown, to say that I have left unused a large number of his hymns which, though perhaps less suitable for public worship, are not less beautiful than those which I have taken. From Messrs. LONGMAN & Co., and from Messrs. BELL & DALDY, I have received permission to use the translations of Miss WINKWORTH, and the Hymns of Miss ADELAIDE PROCTOR, on the usual terms. I have to ask the kindly forgiveness of any authors whose hymns I have used without their permission. In one or two cases I have written for permission, and have received no answer; in other cases I have not known where to write. R. W. DALE. (18) Verses on Various Occasions: Burns, Oates, and Co. (19) Lazarus, and other Poems: Master and Scholar: Strahan. (20) Our Own Hymn Book: Alabaster and Co. (21) Hymns and Sacred Lyrics: Henry S. King and Co. (22) Poems: Macmillan. (23) The Holy Year: Rivington. (24) Hymns from the Land of Luther: Hamilton and Co. (25) People's Hymnal Masters and Co. (26) The Year of Praise: Strahan. |