I Read Hymnals... And You Should Too

That's right. I read hymnals. I don't read them for class. I don't read them for ministry. I read them for pure joy. I read them as devotionals. In my library at home I have nearly ten hymnals. They hail from far diverse backgrounds. Among the collection you will find an old Methodist Episcopal hymnal, an old Brethren hymnal, the old Nazarene hymnal (used in many Wesleyan churches prior to 1980), an old Presbyterian hymnal, and a number of new hymnals including the most recent hymnal published by Bill Gaither.

You can tell a lot about a church by the hymnal it uses. For example, you might find it interesting that most hymnals published before 1970 have few to no patriotic songs. In fact, the Star Spangled Banner appears in none of them. You might also find it interesting that the hymnals published before 1960 often include no fewer than four or five songs about mothers. Nowadays, hymnals often hold only one song that makes reference to motherhood. (I don't quite understand that shift).

Some church's hymnals are theologically deep, such as the 1905 Methodist Episcopal hymnal or the Presbyterian hymnal. Other hymnals dedicate more page space to to more sentimental testimonial music (gospel), such as the Gaither hymnal. Yet other hymnals are notable for their overall style of music. For example the Nazarene and Brethren hymnal include songs which have much more swing and lilt to them. Yet others remain subdued in their tunes.

Sadly, the hymnal seems to be a dying breed. The newest hottest churches on the block don't use them. I have a feeling that they'll some day regret this. Will we remember songs like I Am A Friend of God or the new choruse style Blessed Be the Name of the Lord 50 years from now? Its not likely unless we record them somewhere in writing. Also, without hymnals, we fail to allow sacred music to permeate our home life. Sure, Chris Tomlin may be playing on the radio, but that will not have the lasting effect that we might hope for unless the young mother is singing his songs to her child. Of course, she can do this from memory, but we often do not carry an entire block of songs in our memory for ready access. Consider yourself. You probably have fewer than 30 songs at ready access that you know by heart. Yet, if you had the words to guide you you would probably know 300 or more.

Of course, the hymnal's use is dying out for other reasons. The greatest among these reasons may very well be that many people simply can't read music anymore. This is caused by what is perhaps the greatest cause for the death of the hymnal: Christian radio. The radio, after all, allows us to hear contemporary Christian music over and over again all week long. There is no need to have the songs written down, because we memorize them for the short time they're on the air. What happens, though, when the station quits playing that song and moves on to another?

In the end, however, I read old hymnals because they speak to my soul. Perhaps this is because the older hymanls especially take pains to be accurate in what they say theologically. Or perhaps it is simply because I admire the faith of those who went before. During my personal prayer time nothing short of scripture can impact me in the same way. I'll leave you with this old hymn from the Methodist Episcopal hymnal written by Charles Wesley.

With glorious clouds encompassed round,
Whom angels dimly see,
Will the Unsearchable be found,
Or God appear to me?

Will He forsake His throne above,
Himself to men impart?
Answer, thou man of grief and love,
And speak it to my heart.

Didst Thou not in our flesh appear,
And live and die below,
That I may now percieve Thee near,
And my Redeemer know?

Come then and to my soul reveal
The heights and depths of grace,
Those wounds which all my sorrows heal,
Which all my sins efface.

Then I shall see in His own light,
Whom angels dimly see;
And gaze transported at the sight,
To all eternity.

Amen