May purge our souls from sense and sin. May purify our souls from sin. Wait thou his time; so shall this night Wait thou his time; the darkest night It is often objected that we make a hymn feeble by making it neat. The attempt to prune it of its rank growth, results in destroying its masculine vigor. But a song may be energetic, and yet chaste in its diction. Indeed, an immodest or extravagant air is often fatal to the manly robustness of a sacred lyric. The strength of it is impaired, when it contains any word which dissipates the thoughts of the singer by awakening a suspicion of excess or wildness in the poet. There is a degree of soberness which is the hiding of the Christian lyrist's power. The line of Mrs. Steele, “Tremendous judgments from thy hand,” is not so forcible as the altered line, "Dark frowning judg ments from thy hand" (Sabbath Hymn Book, H. 1118). It is very true that some of the alterations made for the beauty of a hymn may interfere with its energy. Some of them may mitigate the force of a single line, by toning down its boisterous spirit, while the power of the entire hymn is heightened, by giving a more considerate meaning to its violent words. Some of the changes in the Presby terian Old School Collection are tamer than they need be; still they augment the general impressiveness of the lyrics which contain them; thus ORIGINAL FORM. Watts, 6th Psalm. In anger, Lord, rebuke me not, Watts, 9th Psalm, also 99th. On impious wretches he shall rain PRESBYTERIAN O. S. HYMN BOOK. In anger, Lord, do not chastise, And make his justice known. On impious wretches he will rain, § 14. Changes in the Text, as Affecting its Vigor. The great evil in the alteration of hymns, consists in its lessening their energy. It is better that they be forceful and rough, than "coldly correct and critically dull." Nothing but a taste well cultivated, can determine when to leave an extravagant phrase in its pristine wildness, and when to chasten it. But we err, if we suppose that all the changes in a hymn are designed to augment its refinement and delicacy. Some of them are intended to invigorate its more languid phrases. When we are singing of God, we form a weaker conception of his omniscience, if we say, with Watts, that he "often" looks down upon our dust, than if we say, as in the Sabbath Hymn Book, H. 1274, God, my Redeemer, lives, And ever from the skies Looks down and watches all my dust, Till he shall bid it rise. Injudicious criticisms are often made on an alteration of lyrical phrases, because it suggests no one prominent reason in its favor. But in fact there may be several different reasons combined in its behalf; as in the following instances, where vigor is one of the attributes gained in the change: ORIGINAL FORM. The joy and labor of their tongue. Christ's]. SABBATH HYMN BOOK. Hymn 824. The joy and triumph of their tongue. Hymn 1056. O mem'ry! leave no other name [than O mem'ry! leave no other name So deeply graven there. Our cautioned souls prepare. Jesus in that important hour. To Jesus, our superior King. Atoned for sins which we had done. And hence our hopes arise. Creatures as numerous as they be. I urge no merits of my own, For I, alus! am all that's vile. Come, humble sinner. His the fight, the arduous toil. Grant that we, too, may go. No cloud those blissful regions know, Forever bright and fair. No chilling winds or poisonous breath, Can reach that healthful shore. Let the whole earth his power confess; Stronger his love than death and hell, Its riches are unspeakable; The first-born sons of light Desire in vain its depths to see; They cannot reach the mystery, And length, and breadth, and height. § 15. Alterations in the Text, as Affecting its Poetical and Lyrical Character. Then seek the Lord betimes, and choose The ways of heavenly truth; The earth affords no lovelier sight This fourth line suggests a wholesome thought, but is not a lyrical ending of a hymn. Yet the excellent Dr. Thomas Gibbons has admitted it as the close of a church lyric. The final verse of a hymn should often condense into itself the whole spirit of the preceding verses; and, like the rudder of a ship, control all that goes before it. "His love hath animating power." This is a didactic peroration of an affecting ode by Doddridge. It is a judicious verse, but is not poetry. The hymn will close with a line more in sympathy with all that precedes it, if it be modified in one of the following methods: "His work my hoary head shall bless, When youthful vigor is no more, And my last hour of life confess His dying love's constraining power." (Connecticut, and Plymouth, Collections); or, (Church Psalmody); or "His saving love, his glorious power." "His dying love, his saving power." (Sabbath Hymn Book, Hymn 832.) Let the sweet hope that thou art mine, My life and death attend; Thy presence through my journey shine, And crown my journey's end. (Sabbath Hymn Book, Hymn 926.) This is the closing line of a hymn by Mrs. Steele. It is like the final tone of an anthem. It appears in all our choicest hymn books. But it is not the line with which her exquisite hymn closed at first. Her concluding words were less crowning: "And bless its happy end.” A lyric is that kind of poetry which prompts us to sing. We are not incited to utter in musical cadence, phrases merely instructive; turns of encomical or philosophical discourse. It is more in harmony with the very nature of a lyric to exclaim: "In the cold prison of the tomb, The great Redeemer lay," than "The dead Redeemer lay" (we need not hear that he was deceased, if he was entombed); to sing: "When in want, or when in wealth," than "Whether then in want or wealth;" to cry out: "Nor could the bowers of Eden give," than " Nor could untainted Eden give." All feeble, stale, hackneyed phrases, like Watts's "Yet I would not be much concerned," " Nor milk nor honey taste so well," may be exchanged for lines better adapted to awaken the spirit of song. The following are specimens of numerous alterations made in one standard Hymn Book, on purely lyrical grounds: Watts, 107th Psalm. Who trade in floating ships. Watts, 112th Psalm. While envious sinners fret in vain. And makes them company for kings. Not Aaron in his costly dress, But we have no such lengths to go, Watts, 144th Psalm. Happy the country where the sheep, Watts, 135th Psalm. And brought their tribes to Canaan's ground. Who tempt the dangerous way. While envious sinners rage in vain. And seats them on the thrones of kings. Not Aaron in his costly dress, We trace no more those devious ways, Happy the land in culture drest, Whose flocks and corn have large increase, Their gods have tongues that cannot talk. Their gods have tongues that speechless prove, etc. |