The following classification of hymns by denominations is far from exhaustive. It is intended merely to suggest the wealth of material drawn from many denominations, listing only representative writers together with a representative hymn. The index of authors may be consulted for a complete list of hymns written by each author.

a. Anglican (Church of England) Addison, Joseph, “The spacious firmament on high” (50) Alexander, Mrs. Cecil (Irish), “Jesus calls us, o’er the tumult” (140) Baring-Gould, Sabine, “Onward, Christian soldiers” (225) Bode, John E., “O Jesus, I have promised” (212) Croly, George (Irish), “Spirit of God, descend” (133) Dix, William C., “As with gladness men of old” (530) Ellerton, John, “Savior, again to Thy dear name we raise” (43) Elliott, Charlotte, “Just as I am, without one plea” (458) Grant, Robert (Scotch), “O worship the King” (7) Hankey, Katherine, “I love to tell the story” (493) Havergal, Frances, “Take my life, and let it be” (215) Heber, Reginald, “Holy, holy, holy” (1) How, W. W., “O Jesus, Thou art standing” (144) Lyte, Henry F., “Abide with me” (40) Newton, John, “Glorious things of thee are spoken” (274) Pierpoint, Folliott S., “For the beauty of the earth” (51) Stone, Samuel, “The Church’s one foundation” (273) Toplady, Augustus, “Rock of ages” (148) Wordsworth, Christopher, “O day of rest and gladness” (285) b. Baptist Fawcett, John (Eng.), “Blest be the tie that binds” (41) Gilmore, Henry, “He leadeth me” (478) Hearn, Marianne (Eng.), “Just as I am, thine own to be” (393) Hawks, Annie S., “I need Thee every hour” (187) Lowry, Robert, “Low in the grave He lay” (452) Phelps, Sylvanus, “Savior, Thy dying love” (220) Rankin, Jeremiah, “God be with you till we meet again” (365) Smith, Samuel F., “The morning light is breaking” (324) Stennett, Samuel, “Majestic sweetness sits enthroned” (120) c. Bohemian Brethren (Moravians) Hayn, Luise von, “I am Jesus’ little lamb” (430) Montgomery, James, “Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire” (184) Rights, Douglas LeTell, “Veiled in darkness Judah lay” (68) Weisse, Michael, “Christ, the Lord, is ris’n again” (544) Zinzendorf, Nikolaus Ludwig, Graf von, “Jesu! geh’ voran” (574) Zinzendorf, Christian Renatus, Graf von, “Man of sorrows” (537) d. Catholic (Roman) St. Bernard of Clairvaux, “O sacred Head, now wounded” (539) Bridges, Matthew, “Crown Him with many crowns” (118) Faber, Frederick, “Faith of our fathers” (154) Franz, Ignaz, “Grosser Gott, wir loben dich” (519) Mohr, Joseph, “Silent night” (83) Newman, John Henry, “Lead, kindly Light” (162-3) Scheffler, Johann, “Mir nach, spricht Christus” (565) e. Congregational Bliss, Philip P., “Brightly beams our Father’s mercy” (448) Dwight, Timothy, “I love Thy Kingdom, Lord” (275) Gladden, Washington, “O Master, let me walk with Thee” (223) Luke, Jemima (Eng.), “I think when I read that sweet story” (427) Palmer, Horatio, “Yield not to temptation” (477) Palmer, Ray, “My faith looks up to Thee” (150) Shurtleff, Ernest W., “Lead on, O King Eternal” (399) Sleeper, W. T., “Ye must be born again” (461) Stocking, Jay T., “O Master Workman of the race” (93) Stowe, Harriet Beecher, “Still, still with Thee” (23) Walter, Howard A., “I would be true” (207) Wolcott, Samuel, “Christ for the world we sing” (327) f. English Independent Doddridge, Philip, “How gentle God’s commands” (56) Watts, Isaac, “When I survey the wondrous cross” (105-6) g. Episcopal (American) Brooks, Phillips, “O little town of Bethlehem” (84) Bowie, W. Russel, “Lord, through changing days” (402) Coxe, Arthur C., “O where are kings and empires now” (276) Doane, George W., “Fling out the banner” (331) Hopkins, John, Jr., “We three kings of Orient are” (90) Key, Francis Scott, “Lord, with glowing heart I’d praise” (511) Roberts, Daniel C., “God of our fathers, whose almighty” (347) h. Lutheran (German) Clausnitzer, Tobias, “Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier” (553a) Gerhardt, Paul, “Commit thou all thy griefs” (558) Luther, Martin, “A mighty fortress is our God” (549) Nicolai, Philipp, “Wake, awake for night is flying” (522) Rinkart, M. Martin, “Now thank we all our God” (514) Schmolck, Benjamin, “My Jesus, as Thou wilt” (250) Spitta, Karl Johann Philipp, “O happy home, where Thou” (358) i. Methodist Crosby, Fanny, “Jesus, keep me near the cross” (490) Farrington, Harry Webb, “I know not how that Bethlehem’s” (99) Gebhardt, Ernst (German), “Ich weiss einen Strom” (232) Lathbury, Mary, “Break Thou the bread of life” (288) Marlatt, Earl, “Are ye able, said the Master” (392) Nicholson, James, “Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole” (469) North, Frank Mason, “Where cross the crowded ways of life” (222) Owens, Priscilla, “We have heard the joyful sound” (334) Wesley, Charles, “Jesus, lover of my soul” (158-9) Williams, William (Welsh), “Guide me, O Thou great” (160) j. Presbyterian Babcock, Maltbie, “This is my Father’s world” (48) Benson, Louis, “O sing a song of Bethlehem” (92) Clephane, Elizabeth (Scotch), “Beneath the cross of Jesus” (112) Duffield, George, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus” (193) Hastings, Thomas, “Hail to the brightness” (332) Hopper, Edward, “Jesus, Savior, pilot me” (161) Mackay, Wm. P., “We praise Thee, O God” (437) Matheson, George (Scotch), “O Love that wilt not let me go” (175) Merrill, Wm. P., “Rise up, O men of God” (230) Prentiss, Elizabeth, “More love to Thee, O Christ” (472) Small, James G. (Scotch), “I’ve found a Friend” (445) Van Dyke, Henry, “Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee” (10) k. Quaker Adams, Jessie, “I feel the winds of God today” (391) Barton, Bernard, “Walk in the light” (209) Whittier, John G., “Dear Lord and Father of mankind” (181) l. Unitarian Adams, Sarah F., “Nearer, my God, to Thee” (202) Bennett, S. F., “In the sweet bye and bye” (504) Bowring, John, “In the cross of Christ I glory” (110) Holmes, Oliver W., “Lord of all being, throned afar” (53) Hosmer, Frederick L., “Father, to Thee we look in all our” (249) Johnson, Samuel, “Father, in Thy mysterious presence” (188) Longfellow, Samuel, “I look to Thee in every need” (244) Martineau, James, “Thy way is in the deep, O Lord” (242) Parker, Theodore, “O Thou great Friend to all the sons” (224) Sears, Edmund, “It came upon a midnight clear” (75) Ware, Henry, Jr., “Great God, the followers of Thy Son” (13) m. No Church Affiliation Bates, Katherine Lee, “O beautiful, for spacious skies” (343) Vories, Wm. M., “Let there be light, Lord God of hosts” (353)

17. Hymn Meters.

Meter (English, Metre) refers to the rhythmic element in poetry:

a. the number of lines in a stanza. b. the number of syllables in a line. c. the arrangement of accented and unaccented syllables.

The figures attached to the tune names in the Hymnary indicate the number of lines in a stanza and the number of syllables in a line, e. g., 8.7.8.7. means that the hymn has four lines in each stanza, the first line being made up of 8 syllables, the second of 7 syllables, the third of 8 syllables, and the last of 7 syllables. The figures are placed there to facilitate the fitting of tunes to hymns, a responsibility which is left now-a-days largely to hymnbook editors.

A given tune may be used with any variety of hymns provided the latter have the same meter as the tune. Likewise a given hymn may be sung to any tune that fits its meter, e.g., “Come, Thou Almighty King,” set to the tune, “Italian Hymn,” as both have the meter pattern 6.6.4.6.6.6.4. This is also the meter of “My country ’tis of thee” set to “America.” Hence the words and tunes of these hymns may be interchanged. As a matter of fact, “Come Thou Almighty King” was originally used with the tune “America.” The practice of using alternate tunes is less common now than formerly and must be done with care for while the meters may be suited, the words and tune may be incompatible otherwise.

Meter Names

A few meters have specific names. These, with their abbreviations are as follows:

Short Meter (S.M.) 6.6.8.6, e.g.

Blest be the tie that binds (6) Our hearts in Christian love: (6) The fellowship of kindred minds (8) Is like to that above. (6)

Short Meter Double (S.M.D.) is used for a tune in which the quatrain is repeated, e.g. “Terra Beata” (48), set to the words “This is my Father’s world.”

Common Meter (C.M.), also called Ballad Meter, consists of four lines of 8.6.8.6. syllables, e.g.

In Christ there is no East or West (8) In Him no South or North; (6) But one great fellowship of love (8) Throughout the whole wide earth. (6)

Nearly all the metrical psalms appeared in this meter.

Common Meter Double (C.M.D.) is employed when two Common Meter quatrains are used to form one stanza, e.g.,

“It came upon a midnight clear.” (75)

Long Meter (L.M.) consists of a four line stanza in which each line is of eight syllables, e.g.,

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; (8) Praise Him, all creatures here below; (8) Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; (8) Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (8)