In the meantime there was very little original hymnody produced in America, with the exception of the work of the Wesleys during their brief experiment in Georgia, and the composition of certain hymns and tunes by the German people of Pennsylvania, which have remained, until recently, in manuscript form. Timothy Dwight’s hymn on the church, “I love Thy Kingdom, Lord” (275) is probably the earliest American hymn still in use.

After the middle of the 19th century the number of hymn writers became large and their works came into increasing use, some choice examples finding their way into English hymnbooks. America’s original contribution to Christian hymnody has not been only the Gospel Songs represented by the writings of Fanny Crosby, but the more permanent works of Whittier, George W. Doane, Hosmer, Samuel Longfellow, Washington Gladden, S. F. Smith, and many others. Our musical contributions have been less conspicuous, but the tunes of Mason are coming into their own again and many of them will doubtless survive for a long time, as will also those of Bradbury, Hastings, and others.

The tendency today in American hymnbooks is to unite the best in English and German traditions. The Hymnary illustrates this trend. It makes large use of the English hymns while at the same time preserving a considerable body of the German chorales. In keeping with this trend, the recent hymnbooks of the Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist and other churches of English origin, incorporate some of the German chorale tunes and in some cases the translations of the words. The hymn books of our time have become the channels through which flow the rich contributions to the stream of Christian hymnody from Christian people of all times and places.

American Hymns in the Hymnary

Early American Timothy Dwight, 1752-1817, “I love Thy kingdom, Lord” (275) Thomas Hastings, 1784-1872, “Hail to the brightness” (332) Henry Ware, Jr., 1794-1843, “Happy the home when God” (361) Wm. B. Tappan, 1794-1849, “’Tis midnight; and on Olive’s brow” (103) Francis Scott Key, 1779-1843, “Lord, with glowing heart” (511) George W. Doane, 1799-1859, “Softly now the light of day” (36) 19th Century Leonard Bacon, 1802-81, “O God, beneath Thy guiding hand” (367) John G. Whittier, 1807-92, “Dear Lord and Father” (181) Ray Palmer, 1808-87, “My faith looks up to Thee” (150) S. F. Smith, 1808-95, “The morning light is breaking” (324) Oliver W. Holmes, 1809-94, “Lord of all being, throned afar” (53) E. H. Sears, 1810-76, “It came upon the midnight clear” (75) W. H. Burleigh, 1812-71, “Lead us, O Father, in the paths” (164) Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1811-96, “Still, still with Thee” (23) Sylvanus Phelps, 1816-95, “Savior, Thy dying love” (220) Arthur C. Coxe, 1818-96, “O where are kings and empires” (276) Elizabeth Payson Prentiss, 1818-78, “More love to Thee” (472) Edward Hopper, 1818-88, “Jesus, Savior, pilot me” (161) George Duffield, Jr., 1818-88, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus” (193) Samuel Longfellow, 1819-92, “Holy Spirit, Truth divine” (136) James Russell Lowell, 1819-91, “Once to every man” (346) Anna Warner, 1820-1915, “We would see Jesus” (201) John H. Hopkins, 1820-91, “We three kings of Orient are” (90) Eliza Scudder, 1821-96, “Thou Grace Divine, encircling all” (57) Samuel Johnson, 1822-82, “Father, in Thy mysterious” (188) Jeremiah E. Rankin, 1828-1904, “God be with you” (365) Joseph H. Gilmore, 1834-1918, “He leadeth me” (478) Phillips Brooks, 1835-93, “O little town of Bethlehem” (84) Recent American Hymns Washington Gladden, 1836-1918, “O Master, let me walk” (223) Frederick L. Hosmer, 1840-1929, “Not always on the mount” (98) Mary Lathbury, 1841-1913, “Day is dying in the west” (31) “Break Thou the bread of Life” (288) Frank Mason North, 1850-1936, “Where cross the crowded” (222) M. Woolsey Stryker, 1851-1929, “Almighty Lord, with one” (390) Henry van Dyke, 1852-1933, “Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee” (10) Louis F. Benson, 1855-1930, “O sing a song of Bethlehem” (92) Maltbie D. Babcock, 1858-1901, “This is my Father’s world” (48) Katherine Lee Bates, 1859-1929, “O beautiful for spacious” (343) Milton S. Littlefield, 1864-1934, “O Son of man, thou” (373) Jay T. Stocking, 1870-1936, “O Master Workman” (93) Wm. M. Vories, 1880—, “Let there be light, Lord God” (353) Harry Webb Farrington, 1880-1931, “I know not how that” (99) W. Russel Bowie, 1882—, “Lord, through changing days” (402) Howard Arnold Walter, 1884-1918, “I would be true” (207) Earl Marlatt, 1892—, “‘Are ye able,’ said the Master” (392)

11. Gospel Songs.

During the latter part of the 19th century there came into use, both in the United States and in England, a type of religious song known as the Gospel Song. Less dignified than the chorales or the English hymns, these songs made a popular appeal and were widely used in prayer meetings and revivals.

The words of the typical Gospel Song are usually simple and easily remembered and concern themselves largely with the individual’s salvation. The personal pronouns “I” and “my” predominate. The tunes are rhythmic and catchy and always have a refrain added. Their harmonies are largely built on the simple tonic, dominant, and subdominant chords. The masses of the people readily learned to sing these tunes and experienced a thrill in singing them which the use of the more stately and solid hymns failed to effect.

The great bulk of these songs were produced in America during the latter half of the 19th century and were found extremely useful in large mass meetings. The evangelistic work of Moody and Sankey during the 1870’s, 1880’s, and 1890’s brought the Gospel Songs into special prominence and the Salvation Army has made them known in nearly every country in the world. Collections of Gospel Songs sold by the millions of copies and every denomination was affected, to a greater or lesser extent, by this type of singing.

Since the standard of music and words in the Gospel Songs is considerably below that which prevails in our best hymnals as well as in secular music and literature taught in the public schools, churches should seriously consider the ultimate effect of their too frequent use. It is a fallacy to assert that the people will respond to nothing better. Gospel Songs have a legitimate place, particularly in special services and revivals, but they leave much to be desired in the total work and worship of the church. Neither the music nor the words possess the strength and dignity entirely adequate for the worshipful praise of the Eternal.

The principal names associated with Gospel Songs are the following:

Authors. Fanny J. Crosby, Philip P. Bliss, Robert Lowry, Katherine Hankey, E. A. Hoffman, and many others. Most of the words, though not all, were written by Americans during the latter part of the nineteenth century. Miss Crosby was by far the most prolific of them all and many of her works are found in all modern hymnals of denominations that use this type of music. In Germany, Ernst Gebhardt became the leader of the gospel song movement, composing words and music, publishing numerous song books, and serving as song leader in great revival meetings.

Music. William B. Bradbury, Robert Lowry, W. H. Doane, Philip Philips, James McGranahan, George C. Stebbins, P. P. Bliss, D. W. Towner, Wm. J. Kirkpatrick, and others.

Song Leaders. P. P. Bliss, Ira Sankey, James McGranahan, George C. Stebbins, Charles Alexander, Homer Rodeheaver.

It should be noted that there is no absolute line of demarcation between hymns and some of the Gospel Songs. Some of the numbers in the Gospel Songs section of the Hymnary might well be classified as hymns, e.g., Nos. 441, 444, 447, 458, 463, 468, 470, 471, 472, and 492. Either words or music meet the generally accepted standards of a hymn.

12. Women Hymn Writers.

There have been no outstanding women composers of church tunes but some of our finest lyrics have been contributed by women, as the following list from the Hymnary will show:

German Katharina von Schlegel, b. 1697, “Be still, my soul” (54) Henriette Luise von Hayn, 1724-82, “Weil ich Jesu” (430) English Anne Steele, 1716-78, “Father, whate’er of earthly bliss” (251) Marianne Nunn, 1778-1847, “One is kind above all others” (447) Harriet Auber, 1773-1862, “Our blest Redeemer” (138) Dorothy Ann Thrupp, 1779-1847, “Saviour, like a shepherd” (395) Charlotte Elliott, 1789-1871, “Just as I am, without one plea” (458) Margaret Mackay, 1802-87, “Asleep in Jesus” (314) Sarah Flower Adams, 1805-48, “Nearer my God, to Thee” (202) Jemima Luke, 1813-1906, “I think when I read that sweet” (427) Anne Brontë, 1820-49, “Believe not those who say” (210) Cecil Frances Alexander, 1823-95, “There is a green hill” (104) Adelaide Proctor, 1825-64, “My God, I thank Thee” (177) Elizabeth Clephane, 1830-69, “Beneath the Cross of Jesus” (112) Anna L. Coghill, 1836-1907, “Work, for the night is coming” (221) Frances R. Havergal, 1836-79, “Take my life and let it be” (215) Dorothy Blomfield, 1858-1932, “O perfect love, all human” (312) Jessie Adams, 1863—, “I feel the winds of God today” (391) (Translators) Frances Cox, 1812-97, “Sing praise to God” (512) Jane L. Borthwick, 1813-97, “Be still my soul” (54) Sarah Borthwick Findlater, 1823-1907, “O happy home” (358) Catherine Winkworth, 1829-78. Numerous hymns. Foremost translator of German chorales. American Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1811-96, “Still, still with Thee” (23) Elizabeth Prentiss, 1818-78, “More love to Thee, O Christ” (472) Susan Warner, 1819-85, “Jesus bids us shine” (420) Anna B. Warner, 1820-1915, “Jesus loves me! this I know” (428) Fanny Crosby, 1820-1915, “Rescue the perishing” (497) and many others Eliza Scudder, 1821-96, “Thou Grace Divine, encircling all” (57) Phoebe Cary, 1824-71, “One sweetly solemn thought” (264) Katherine Hankey, 1834-1911, “I love to tell the story” (493) Mary Ann Thomson, 1834-1923, “O Zion, haste” (328) Annie Sherwood Hawks, 1835-1918, “I need Thee every hour” (187) Mary Lathbury, 1841-1913, “Day is dying in the west” (31) “Break Thou the bread of life” (288) Katherine Lee Bates, 1859-1929, “O beautiful for spacious” (343)