This is a blog site about Christian hymns.
Years ago, an edition of the Guinness Book of World Records estimated that close to a million hymns have been written in the last 2,000 years. That’s a lot of music! Obviously hymn singing is an important part of the services of the church, and of the lives of believers. Has been for centuries. Why? What’s it for? And are we getting the most out of it? (Or giving our best to it?)
My Purpose
The Bible says we’re to “Sing praises with understanding” (Psalm 47:7). In four words, that verse presents my basic goal: to share insights that can lead to more meaningful and effective hymn singing.
My purpose for these postings is to discuss the music we use in our churches–particularly our traditional hymns and gospel songs. To look at them in relation to what the Bible says. I write from a conservative evangelical point of view, with full confidence in the trustworthiness of the Word of God. I want the hymns that I sing to reflect that. I hope you do too!
Today – A Hymn Almanac
Today is something different, a unique feature of the Web log. To my knowledge it has never been done before. Each day’s posting will describe something that happened on that particular day relating to the history of our hymns and their creators. There may also be brief observations or an explanation of the contents of the hymns.
Let’s Chat
Lord willing, in the days ahead, we’ll check out the background of the songs of the church and what they mean. Some of these songs will be old favourites for many of us. Some will be new discoveries. We can also discuss how they are used and why–and much more.
I encourage you to make this a dialogue. Then we’ll all benefit. We won’t always agree, but let’s respect one another’s right to have a point of view. As the saying goes, it’s possible to disagree without being disagreeable! With that consideration, comments and questions are welcome!
The church on earth has suffered greatly over the years from attempts, by individuals and groups, who wish to bring about change. Some of these changes include basic theological and scriptural changes. Others have been attempted to change styles of worship, to revised liturgy.
Some of these changes have enriched and strengthened the church. Others have brought nothing but intensive pain, misunderstandings and ultimately divisions. There has been none greater than the current trend to get rid of the old hymns and songs of the church in favour of new choruses and new ways of expressing our worship. Don’t get me wrong I do enjoy singing some of the new choruses but like everything else…only in moderation. I have been in services where chorus singing has taken up half of the service including singing the same song over and over again leaving less time for the reading of scripture, prayer and the sermon. I have also been a part of a worshiping community where the older people in the church, who built and grew the church, were told to either get with the new choruses or find another place to worship. What a shame and disgrace to the body of Christ!
It is a breath of fresh air to see my friend of over 40 years create a website that not only respects the hymns of the faith but has taken the time and energy to research the history and context in which the great old hymns were written by men and women of faith and devotion. Perhaps in doing so the church will gain a new appreciation for the place our old hymns have played in our personal and collective journey toward our personal faith and corporate worship. Perhaps it will also result in a greater balance in our styles of music so that both the young an the old will feel they belong in the worship of Christ on Sunday morning.
By: Don Peake on June 1, 2009
at 4:10 pm
I not only agree. Couldn’t have said it better Don. I too have experienced the disenfranchising of older members of the congregation in favour of a youth movement. But we need both–the enthusiasm and energy of youth, and the wisdom and experience of age. And to ignore the heritage Christians have in their hymns is tragic.
By: rcottrill on June 2, 2009
at 1:18 pm
I was saved almost fifty years ago, and I learned many if the grand old hymns of our faith back when they were more popular than they are today. When I would visit a church while on vacation and they would sing one of the old gospel favorites, I felt like I was among close friends. But the Maranantha movement brought in the contemporary courses that almost dominate the church music today. The guitars, drums, and overhead projectors have almost replaced the hymn book. Many churches have abandoned the pulpit and the preacher just walks back and forth in front of the congregation. I am now in my 70s and I just feel out of place when I go to church today. The church I attend hasn’t sung the Doxology in the five years I have attended. Oh, that the Lord would lead me to a church where I could feel “at home” again!
By: Robert Baker on January 27, 2010
at 2:33 am
My heart goes out to you, brother, and I agree with your assessment. It’s not that everything new is junk, any more than everything old being golden. But 2,000 years of hymnody have left us a glorious heritage that must not be abandoned. The tiny Baptist church my wife and I currently attend uses mostly the old hymns and gospel songs, sung from the hymn book. And there is another church about 40 minutes from us that does the same. I’m not associated with the Independent Baptists, but I know their churches have kept the faith with regard to music too. So churches that use hymns do exist. The trick is to find them!
As to using hymn books, again I agree. In our church, we do use the overhead for an occasional chorus, but most of our singing by far comes from the books. Members of the congregation should not only use hymn books at church, they should have a copy at home so they can read and study the hymns as a part of their devotions. And those who are able to sing a part will appreciate having the notes before them. (Perhaps you’d enjoy reading my article on the benefits of singing in harmony. See http://www.wordwise-bible-studies.com/singing-in-harmony.html ) Words on a wall are so fleeting. Here one moment, gone the next. Now many churches are putting Scripture passages on the wall too, which I believe discourages folks from bringing a Bible.
God bless you. Thanks for sharing.
By: rcottrill on January 27, 2010
at 11:36 am
Hi Bob,
Beth gave me your blog site and so I have been snooping around. I’d say you are most ambitious to be posting your writing everyday. However, you have quite a backlog of work to pull from for resource.
Bless you as you do this – many will be so delightfully informed from all you share.
With care,
Lynn
By: Lynn Severance on June 2, 2009
at 1:38 am
Thanks Lynn. Snoop away! Yes, doing daily posts is a bit of a trick. Some of the information I have in my head, but I can’t really trust my memory. Need to check details to try to get them right. Getting something for every single day of the year took some doing. (Even have stuff for Feb. 29th, when we have one!) God bless.
By: rcottrill on June 2, 2009
at 1:15 pm
Thanks for commenting at Hiddenart and bringing to my attention your fine blog. I look forward to exploring it. I know I will appreciate it because I enjoy what I learn at Cyberhymnal. Blessings fm GA, Dana
By: Dana on August 6, 2009
at 7:05 am
Glad you keep tabs on the Cyber Hymnal. I’ve contributed bits and pieces to Dick Adams’s wonderful site practically since he began it about 12 years ago. Sadly, hymns have fallen into disuse in some churches, and folks are unaware of the great treasure there. We’re doing our bit to reverse the trend.
By: rcottrill on August 6, 2009
at 9:15 am
Thank you, Robert, for your comment on my blog. It is a very humble spot on the net, particularly with regard to my knowledge of hymns. Your spot here is GREAT, and I will forward to my friends.
Bless you,
Janis Justus
“Our Cross Stitching Home”
By: Janis Justus on August 14, 2009
at 7:43 am
Thanks for your willingness to spread the word. Sadly, in some churches, the hymn book is gathering dust–or it’s been removed altogether. But it’s important not to lose sight of our Christian heritage, and of the spiritual insights and teaching these songs contain. Again, God bless.
By: rcottrill on August 14, 2009
at 8:19 am
Robert,
I am really impressed with what you have done here, and appreciate your response to my blog. (How I wish someone had come up with a more elegant word than blog!) I suspect it is true for most of us that when we don’t know quite what to do, or when we are fully present, the words of a hymn come to mind. Suddenly, we need a “closer walk with thee,” we ask Jesus to “come by here,” because “now is a needed time.” Well, good work! Thanks so much.
By: Larry Pray on August 19, 2009
at 8:28 am
A more elegant word than blog? Yes, I agree. And Web log (weblog?), the antecedent, has only two more letters, but sounds better to me. It connotes both a connection with others and a concrete record of that connection. Ah well, seems it’s the trend of the times to boil everything down to an ugly minimum that only means something to the initiated. (Look at text messaging!) In any event, thanks for the encouraging words, and God bless.
By: rcottrill on August 19, 2009
at 8:37 am
Hi!
I recently lost my mother (my heart is broken) and am in the process of writing a tribute to her. One of her and her mother’s favorite hymns was Charles A. Tindley’s “Some Day/Beams of Heaven.” How do I find out who owns the publishing rights to this song so that I can reproduce it in a book?
Thank you and thanks for the wonderful history you provided about Mr. Tindley.
Kg
By: Karin on August 26, 2009
at 7:42 am
I have good news for you! Since Charles Tindley’s hymn Some Day was published in 1906, it appears now to be in the Public Domain, which means it can be copied without special permission. I’m sorry for your loss, and trust the Lord will bring comfort and encouragement through this time. God bless.
By: rcottrill on August 26, 2009
at 7:56 am
I decided to re-post Keys’ hymn -Before You Lord We Bow- and read your comment-thank you.
C-CS
By: carol on September 6, 2009
at 2:22 pm
You’re welcome! I had to check back and see where I commented on Keys’ hymn. (It was August 1st.) Great song for us Canadians as well as the United States.
By: rcottrill on September 6, 2009
at 2:36 pm
Thank you, Brother Cottrill, for all the effort you have put in to sharing about the Hymns of the Church. I started listing just the songs I knew, but before I really realized it, I added Hymns that I thought were important to English Hymnody even though I do not know them. (Of course, I could learn others with either a recording to listen to or music to pick out the melody.) I have copied/transcribed the words to over 750 Hymns for my personal research. And, I have begun accumulating data about certain of the Song Authors, Musicians, and History behind the Hymns. I was referred to your site by Christopher Tan of “HYMNPOD.org”. My favorite writer/musician would be Ira Stanphill. I also like Ira D Sankey because of the words to the many hymns he published in connection with his and D. L. Moody’s Evangelistic efforts in the late 1800’s.
God bless you for your work!
By: Leon Estes on October 12, 2009
at 12:10 am
Thank you for your delightful note. Years ago, when I started writing my weekly newspaper column, I set the goal of writing about the hymns commonly found in the non-denominational hymnals printed in the last 50 years. The songs they have in common run to about 750, and I’m currently past the 600 mark with the column.
Wordwise Hymns is a bit different. Finding something that happened each day of the year (including February 29th) to discuss was sometimes a challenge. It forced me to delve into some hymns that were unknown to me. I suspect the finall total discussed specifically in the almanac will be 800 or more. It’s an ongoing adventure!
By: rcottrill on October 12, 2009
at 8:01 am
I’m linking myself to your blog Robert, and look forward to sharing insights with you on Christian hymns and other songs we sing too as part of our faith.
Dave
By: David Cain on November 15, 2009
at 2:38 pm
Glad to have you on board.
By: rcottrill on November 15, 2009
at 11:01 pm
In reading about copyrighted things I read that you’re not to trust what is on the internet as things being in public domain – trust what you have in your own hands. I’m using old hymnbooks printed before 1920, but I’m running out of hymnbooks I own. I’m trying to post 1 poem/hymn a day with a Bible verse and image I’ve done. If I see in a hymnbook that the hymn was copyrighted before 1920 – am I safe to use it with my blog?
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WONDERFUL BLOG PAGE!!!!!!!!!
By: Martha Robbins on November 16, 2009
at 4:20 pm
Thanks for your question Martha. In answer, it gets a little more complicated than you suggest–unfortunately. It’s my understanding that usually a copyright runs for 75 years. That would mean that anything written before 1934 is in the public domain. By far the majority of songs written before then have no copyright restriction.
However, there are times when the author/composer’s family (or a publisher) renews the copyright. For example, the gospel song Teach Me to Pray has a 1926 copyright date. But it was renewed in 1956. Great Is Thy Faithfulness has a 1923 copyright date, but it was renewed in 1951 by Hope Publishing Company.
A helpful resource in this regard is the Cyber Hymnal. The creator, Dick Adams is very careful about these things. Almost all the songs he has posted are in the public domain. If they are not, he usually does not include them. (Teach Me to Pray is not there.) In a very few cases, he has obtained permission to post a hymn that is still under copyright. If you check out Great Is Thy Faithfulness, you will see it is one of these.
You might be surprised at just how strict the present rules are. For example, if you wrote a personal letter to a friend and quoted a few lines of Great Is Thy Faithfulness, technically you would be violating the copyright. Taping a service at your church in which the congregation sang it would too. In practice, most people post the words of hymns on their personal blogs without worrying about all of this. They are not seeking to profit financially from the song, but only wish to share a blessing. I expect the rules will change, in time, to reflect the wide open exchange the Internet opens up.
Hope all of that’s a help. God bless.
Robert
By: rcottrill on November 16, 2009
at 6:26 pm
Hello, Robert!
I appreciate your comment on my blog and thought you might be interested in checking out the first of three articles on the life and work of John Newton, published in my local newspaper. I am part of a group or writers who research and compose the weekly Soli Deo Gloria column. Two additional articles on Newton will be running Dec. 31 and January 6, and will be available online a few days after publication. This set of articles is written by a dear friend, a 90-year-old brother in the faith.
http://www.nwtntoday.com/news.php?viewStory=35353
By: Camille on December 28, 2009
at 10:36 pm
Thanks for sharing the article about John Newton. Amazing man! Always interesting to learn more details.
By: rcottrill on December 29, 2009
at 7:29 am
Thank you for visiting my blog. I have just added another hymn. In my older posts I have included one of the composers. I plan to do more of this as time permits.
I love your site. I will come often to visit it.
Blessings to you.
By: Victoria on February 25, 2010
at 2:28 pm
Thanks for the encouragement. Drop by any time.
By: rcottrill on February 25, 2010
at 5:00 pm
This is so nice that you have this site. I was here before and forgot to bookmark it; now I will. I am thankful to be in a church where we still sing the hymns, Sunday by Sunday. We use the Trinity Hymnal, Baptist version; I don’t know if you’re familiar with it. Unfortunately, we have had members who have left because our worship is not contemporary enough, particularly for their teens, and I am sure it is also the reason that many visitors never come back. But so far we have prevailed, and those among us who have stayed, are lovers of the hymns. I agree that all of the new is not necessarily bad or that the old is necessarily good, but we love the rich doctrine and beauty of most of them. Whenever I hear the ones which are so familiar from my youth, I am so blessed.
Thanks for having this site and thank you for coming to visit at my blog. I try to post the words of hymns periodically and sometimes I like to give some background on the author or the cirumstances of the writing.
I sent a link to this blog to my pastor so that he would be able to enjoy it.
By: Maxine on February 26, 2010
at 1:18 pm
Many churches who try to preserve our heritage of hymns face some opposition from the “contemporary” folks. But take a look under the Topics tab on my home page and you’ll see an article giving 30 Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. My hope is that with patience and grace we can turn the tide on this matter.
By: rcottrill on February 26, 2010
at 2:52 pm