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.