BOOK VI
Responses
601. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts
Known as the _Ter Sanctus_ or _Trisagion_. It is an anonymous 2d century reproduction of a Jewish synagogue “Doxology,” based on Isaiah 6:3:
And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of the glory of God.
It is intended to be sung at the beginning of a worship service.
_MUSIC._ SANCTUS. The composer of the tune, Alexander Samuel Cooper, was born in London in 1835. The date of his death is not known. He was an organist and composer of anthems, chants, and hymn tunes, and edited _The Parochial Psalter_ and _The Parochial Chant Book_, both of which have passed through numerous editions.
602. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God of hosts
For comments on the words see No. 601.
_MUSIC._ SANCTUS. No information has been found concerning W. A. C. Cruickshank, composer of the tune.
603. The Lord is In His holy temple _Habakkuk 2:20_
An “Opening Response” or “Invocation Sentence” widely used to introduce services of worship. The words are taken from Habakkuk 2:20.
QUAM DILECTA. For comments on George F. Root, the composer of this tune, see Hymn 418.
604. Hear our prayer, O Lord
A response to be sung by choir or congregation or both after public prayer.
George Whelpton, 1847-1930, composer of the tune, was born at Redbourne, England, but came to America with his parents when he was a child of four years. He studied music under H. R. Palmer and with a private teacher in Boston. He became a well-known choir director in Buffalo and served as editor of various publications. He died suddenly at Oxford, Ohio.
605. Thy word have I hid in my heart
A response suitable for use in connection with the reading of the Scriptures. The words are taken from Psalms 119:11, 12.
No biographical information regarding the composer, E. D. Beale, has been ascertained.
606. Gloria Patri
An ancient canticle which is used in the service to give a trinitarian form to Old Testament unitarianism.
The first part, “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,” was used very early in the apostolic era of the church, as the common doxology. The second part, “As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end,” was added by the Western Church during the second and third centuries when the Arian controversy raised the question as to whether the God of the Old Testament is the same as the God manifested in Christ in the New Testament. The answer, incorporated in the song, was an affirmative. It was always sung after the Psalms to give them a New Testament or Trinitarian ending. This is still the chief use of the Gloria Patri, though it is attached sometimes to some other part of the service. Concerning this point, Dr. Henry Sloan Coffin says: “In view of the origin of the Gloria Patri and its long historical association with the Psalms, it is vandalism to tear it from its proper context, and attach it to something else in the service.” (_The Public Worship of God_, Westminster Press, p. 101).
_MUSIC._ For comments on Henry Greatorex see Hymn 230.
607. Gloria Patri
For comments on the words see No. 606.
_MUSIC._ The tune was composed by Charles Meineke, 1782-1850, a German pianist and organist who came to America in 1810. For a time he was organist at St. Paul’s Church, Baltimore.
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 _Samuel Longfellow_, 1819-92
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 _John Newton_, 1725-1807
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 _Isaac Watts_, 1674-1748 _and Philip Doddridge_, 1702-51
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 _Isaac Watts_, 1674-1748
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 _Samuel Miller Waring_, 1792-1827
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 _Thomas Ken_, 1637-1711
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.