The Baptist hymn book...

Front matter

Class.

Book JGLs.

X

Preface

In no language, perhaps, is the number and variety of hymns and spiritual songs, adapted to the purposes x of divine worship, so great as in our own. Nearly every protestant denomination has a collection, that accords with their own peculiar tenets. The Baptists have many such, and this redundancy has become so great as to destroy any approach towards uniformity. — Among the number, there are some eight or ten that have a local popularity, but even these have defects that preclude the idea that any one of them can ever become a standard.

In the West, and the South, Miller and Dupuy are much used, simply because they are cheap, are easily procured, and no standard work has yet been published, to supply their place. The defects of these two hymn books, are obvious. In the first place, the arrangement is extremely injudicious; — not a few of the hymns and spiritual songs are highly objectionable in sentiment, and hardly less so in style and versification. The latter objection is peculiarly applicable to Dupuy. Many compilers of hymn books have not hesitated to take unwarrantable liberties with some of the best hymns and spiritual songs in our language — mutilating them, and not unfrequently substituting words, and even whole stanzas of their own, till the choicest productions of genius and piety have lost their distinctive merits. It has been a prominent object with the compiler of this work, to restore these mutilated hymns to their former excellence. This, to a great extent, has been effected, yet not always being able to procure authentic copies of the original, in a few instances, and in a few only, that design may not be fully accomplished.

Kippon and Winch ell are works of great merit, yet not a few of the hymns of the former are too long, much too long, for public worship, and both are greatly deficient in hymns for many important occasions, of frequent recurrence, and strikingly so for social worship.

The object in view in compiling this volume, was to furnish a work that should obviate these defects, and give to our denomination ' k A BAPTIST HYMN BOOR" — one which the denomination at large will adopt. To accomplish this object, no effort of which the compiler is capable, has been spared. It is no hasty work, compiled without labor, and selected without examination. On the contrary, few can realize the time and attention that have been bestowed upon it. The experience of many yeaTs devoted to the ministry, has given mean ac-

?uaintance with this important part of divine worship. >om the many thousand hymns and spiritual songs Which have passed under my examination, those only that possessed superior merit have been selected. A very large share of them were written by men of distinguished piety and talents, and have already received the decided approbation of our denomination. Nearly every hymn or spiritual song that is popular among us, will be found in this collection.

It will be seen that every thing contained in the work is arranged under appropriate heads. It is hardly possible for any occasion, public or private, to arise, on which sacred melody is appropriate, for which there are not, in this book, suitable hymns; nor i« there hardly a subject in the sacred volume to which applicable hymns may not be found.

There is one feature in this work that distinguishes it from all others. To most of the hymns which it contains, there is a text of scripture to which it is applicable. This feature, it is confidently believed, will be regarded by the christian public, as an improvement of very great importance. Nearly one thousand of the most striking texts, with hymns of a high character, appropriate to the mind of the Holy Spirit, cannot fail of doing good. Let it be borne in mind that I have not, like others, merely named the chapter and verse, but have given the text itself, or at least some of its most emphatical words.

Of the original hymns, but few of ray own are inserted, and these are respectfully submitted to the kind indulgence of my friends.

There are, also, some from the pen of brother John Russell, of Bluffdale, Illinois, whose reputation as a scholar and a writer, needs no commendation. They were written by Mr. Russell expressly for this work, and have never before been published. It is due to brother Russell, to say, that he has, in other respects, rendered me essential aid in this work. Original productions of other pens are likewise found in this volume.

Uniformity in the use of hymns for divine worship is of the utmost importance, and should this work effect that purpose, it will afford abundant reason for gratitude to the great Head of the Church. We have ''one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptism," and it is ardently hoped that ere long the same hymns of praise will ascend to God from all our churches, throughout the whole length and breadth of our land.

And now, brethren, this work is committed to your hands, with the fervent prayer that it may be made the humble instrument of good. It was commenced upon my knees, and in every stage of my labors, assistance has been sought from on high. Should that Almighty Being, to whose service, in early youth I consecrated myself, my time — all that I am, and all that I have — should He bless this work of my declining years, to the conversion of a single impenitent, or the consolation of but one humble follower of Christ, I shall feel that 1 have not lived in vain.

W. C B.

Louisville, April 7, 1842,