Should the plan of the bishop of Peterborough be adopted, all hymns which have not received the sanction of the king in council-except indeed those published with the authorised old version, as the Right Rev. prelate contends- must be prohibited without exception: the Archbishop of York's must share the fate of the rest; and even those which are inserted by the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge in our Prayer-books, as a supple'ment to the new version, must be in future withdrawn. What a revolution would thus take place, in opposition to public taste and general feeling, may be inferred by 'comparing the verses of that most popular hymn, inserted in this sup. plement, familiar to almost every man, woman, and child in the kingdom, "Awake, my soul, and with the sun," with the hymn which would, doubtless, be substituted in its place*. To be sung before Morning Prayer, Praise the Lord, O ye Gentiles all, Which hath brought you unto his light: O praise him all people mortall, As it is most worthy and right, For he is full determined On us to pour out his mercy, And the Lord's truth, be ye assur'd, Abideth perpetually. Glory be to God the Father, And to Jesus Christ his true Sonne, A composition equally suited to excite grave and devotional feelings, is set forth in the old version, to be sung before evening prayer. The objections to the present system, which would lead to such consequences, must doubtless be of a very serious character; and it is necessary here to advert to them. A prelate before mentioned, the present bishop of Lincoln, we have heard, prohibited the Morning and Evening Hymn being used in his diocese of Exeter. This was at least consistent. They appear then to be two: one derived from the possible danger which may result from unauthorized selections; the other from the dignity of the Establishment. We shall give the passage at length, which contains the bishop's reasoning on the subject: a slight reference has already been made to it. "But surely, it is said, there is nothing to be apprehended from the use cretion of a clergyman, who has subof a hymn-book, introduced at the disscribed to the Thirty-nine Articles, and is liable to ecclesiastical censures, if he impugns them. Now it must be a gross and glaring violation of the Articles which can be punished with deprivation, or even suspension. There are many degrees of encroachment on the docrives at that degree which is punishtrines of our church, before a man arable by the Ecclesiastical Court. And such gradual encroachments are so much the more to be dreaded, because on the one hand they are less open to detection, and on the other hand more open to evasion, when they are detected. In this manner, a hymn-book, without impugning the doctrines of our church in such a manner as to expose the clergyman who uses it to ecclesiastical 'censures, may tend to undermine those doctrines, and prepare the persons who are accustomed to sing from it, for the reception of doctrines which are entirely adverse to those of the Established Church. If it does not directly impugn our Liturgy and Articles, it may inculcate sentiments, which are at variance with every fair conclusion that can be drawn from our Liturgy and Articles. We must further consider what is due to the dignity of the Established Church, a violation of which is hardly punishable by the ecclesiastical court. By the dignity of the Establish ed Church I mean at present, that respect and reverence which it is necessary to maintain in all things connected with public worship. But there are hymn-books, which contaiu examples of such flippancy and vulgarity, such gross violations of good sense and good taste, that they are really a disgrace to the churches in which they are used." Bishop of Peterborough's Charge, p. 32. Substitute, as before, the word sermon for hymn book, &c. and the reasoning is still more conclusive against original discourses than against the alleged evil of unauthorized Psalmody. "The learned prelate," observes Mr. Gray, "does not here assert the posisumes the possibility, that a hymn-book may produce such and such consequences. It is not easy to determine what measure of importance we ought to attach to apprehensions of an uncertain nature; but it is satisfactory to be assured, that, whenever error can be proved to exist, we have the means of correction. Mr. Vernon says, The objections which have been urged tive existence of an abuse, but only as to the prevalent usage of introducing into the church hymns, and versions of Psalms, that it would engender laxity of practice, and schism in opinion, I consider as of little moment; since any irregularity or impropriety which may characterise such compositions would form a substantive ground either of prohibition by the diocesan, or of criminal procedure in this court.""-Gray on Psalmody, pp. 64, 65. With regard to the dignity of the Established Church, we fear that it is not particularly consulted by the version of Hopkins and Sternhold. If it be true, according to Dr. Vincent, "that there are few stanzas which do not give offence, or excite ridicule," little stress can be laid upon the question of dignity. And, after all, what is" dignity" without utility? Let us beware how we realize the sarcastic prediction of certain Northern critics" The Church of England will die of dignity." Mr. Kennedy, in illustration of the mischief which may arise from the introduction of unauthorised hymns, has certainly selected some very revolting specimens of bad taste; and Mr. Gray alludes point. edly to others. It would be easy, we believe, to add to the number. But within the last ten or fifteen years public taste has very materially improved and the various selections printed since that period are probably much more pure and correct than most that preceded them. Take, for instance, Vern's, Kempthorne's, Noel's, Cotterill's, B. Woodd's, &c. &c. A nice and fastidious critic may, we admit, discover in these collections several Psalms and hymns which he may think capable of improvement; and such would be the case with regard to any selection by authority: but we think too highly of the character and taste of the clergy in general, to imagine that any possible evil, arising from culpable negligence or design on their part, can be so unfavourable to the church as the rigid and rigorous system which the bishop of Peterborough so strongly enjoins. It is right to state also, that, on general principles, we extremely doubt the propriety of binding clergymen hand and foot, where the usage of the church, and the judgment and practice of so many enlightened and able men have left them free. Why are they to be subjected to these everlasting suspicions? If they err in this respect, Mr. Vernon has shewn in the pas sage last cited, that the remedy is easy and efficacious: but the reasonable presumption is, that, attached as they are to the church by education, by profession, and by principle, much may safely be left in their hands; and it is neither for their personal credit and respectability, nor for the dignity of the church, that they should be tied down by arbitrary regulations, nor even be placed under unnecessary suspicion. Much must necessarily be confided to them, both with respect to their sermons and their intercourse with their people; and if in any case they should so far betray their trust as to inculcate, either from the pulpit or in private conversation or by tracts, principles inconsistent with those which they are pledged to maintain, it is not all the sanative and corrective power of the old version of Psalms, nor of any other version, that can repair the mischief. To carry into full effect the precautions of the bi shop in guarding against possible evils, it should be enjoined by authority that clergymen shall preach no sermons but the Homilies; that they shall give no tracts but such as are sanctioned by the king in council; and that they shall never presume to open their mouths in the way of religious intercourse with their parishioners, but in certain prescribed forms. It would indeed be highly desirable that the ministers of the church should pre-serve uniformity in every particular; and we should therefore be glad to see a selection of Psalms and hymns bearing the stamp of authority but till that selection shall appear, the interests of the church will be best consulted by pursuing the course which long has sanctioned, and which is now so deservedly popular, uşage 9. In forming selections of Psalms and hymus, it is important to bear in mind the object of edification which we ought to have in view, and to abide by the principles which it requires to be observed. In the course of our preceding temarks, we have already adverted to some useful suggestions of Mr. Kennedy; and the editors of the Buckden Collection, while stating the insufficiency of a mere version of the Psalms for a Christian congregation, furnish us with others. It cannot, however, be superfluous to notice the subject in a more particular manner. It is right to state, that for several of these hints we are indebted to Mr. Kennedy. (1.) There can be little question that our public devotional addresses should be directed to the proper Object of sacred worship. Simple as is this rule, we are not sure that it is always observed. In one of the collections, we find the follow ing beautiful composition, taken originally from our own pages. aid; Star of the east, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid. As a poem, this is very highly pleasing: but it has been objected to it, as a devotional composition for the use of a congregation, and we do not deny that there may be some force in the objection, that the persons who sing it, if engag ed in an act of worship at all, seem to be worshipping a star. (2.) Our selections ought not to be too refined or poetical. Mr. Kennedy justly observes, that Merrick's translation frequently abounds in fine words, and is too remote from common apprehensions: the author of it seems to have thought, that he was poetical in proportion as he was paraphrastic, and elegant when he ceased to be plain and simple." If David says, "Lord, lift thoù up the light of thy countenance upon us," Mr. Merrick renders it thus: "Do thou, my God, do thon reply, And let thy presence from on high If the Psalmist declare that his joy is greater than their's whose corn and wine have increased, the thought is thus expanded by Mr. Merrick: What joy my conscious heart o'er- Not such th' exulting labourer knows : Not admiring so warmly as Mr. Kennedy the version of Hopkins and Sternhold, we would place in 'contrast with Merrick, in this instance, the following version by Montgomery (Songs of Zion). While many cry, in Nature's night, We seek no other guide than this. While with new wine his vat o'er- Mr. Baxter, in the preface to his "Poetical Fragments," mentions it as a recommendation of them, "That being fitted to women and vulgar wits, which are the far greatest number, they may be useful to such, though contemptible to those of higher elevation and expectation." Leaving Mr. Baxter to defend what in this passage may stand in need of vindication, there is no doubt that the majority of Christian assemblies consists of vulgar wits, and that our devotional services should be level with the understanding of them all. (3.) But then neither ought they to be low and prosaic. For example: . (4.) Still less should there be any thing calculated to excite a ludicrous sensation. We shall give but one specimen, and that unwillingly. Why doste withdraw thy hand aback. Oh pluck it out, and be not slack fication to deal much in metrical We take the following passage from Mr. Kennedy, who very properly condemns it. My name from the palms of his hands In marks of indelible grace. So says the spirit of crude Calvinism: what is the reply of the spirit of crude Arminianism? Ah! Lord, with trembling I confess, fess that its own creed is perfectly In this way, every sect may conguilty to all the cardinal virtues. pure and unexceptionable, and plead should be of a kind in which the (6.) That the Psalms and hymns congregation can generally and permarked: many of them, we think, sonally join, has been already reshould likewise express the sentiought to possess. A penitential ments and dispositions which we Psalm, or a hymu of confession, may be, if judiciously written, as suitable to a Christian assembly as the general confession, in the Litany, of our morning service. Compositions of this sort have a very sensible and touching effect, and tend powerfully to excite the devotional feelings. The entire rejection of this rule would counteract the fair range of parochial Psalmody: its injudicious extension (See Gray, p. 32.) would compel many persons to sing And for the nonce full craftily They shall heap sorrows on their Which runne as they were mad, Alas! it is too bad. what, in their own case, is neither appropriate nor true. (7.) There ought to be a reason able variety in the metres. In several collections, however, there are some to which we cannot at all reconcile ourselves: they are of too light and trifling a character; and it would be better to sacrifice a good tune-if a good tune be adapted to such wordsthan to destroy the devotional feelings by those ballad-like measures. Thus, the following double rhymes of Mr. Montgomery's are unsuited to our taste. God is my strong salvation; What foe have I to fear? In darkness and temptation, My light my help is near. Though hosts encamp around me, Firm to the fight I stand: What terror can confound me With God at my right hand? The gravest music can hardly, we think, compensate for metres of this sort. We do not, however, deny that much of the bad effect of them may depend upon associa. tions, and that the associations of other persons may be different from our own. Mr. Baxter's metres are generally long and common: and, as if to save trouble and tunes, he has, hit upon an expedient, by which, at the option of the singers, these metres may be generally convertible. His words are, "I have in the end shewed why I have done that which no man ever did before me, to fit the same Psalms to various tunes and measures, longer and shorter, specially to gratify them by a variety, that are used to be dull'd with customariness in the same." We subjoin, an example. PSALM Xxiii. The Lord himself my shepherd is (8.) There ought to be a sufficient number of sacred metrical compositions for the various fasts and festivals of the church, for the several seasons of the year, for certain general visitations of Providence, for war and peace, for victory and defeat. But, "With regard to temporal foes, public or private, we ought to be very cantious in making God a party; since our resentments, even when not unjust, may be mingled with undue partiality to our own case, and with more than due anger and disapprobation towards our enemies. "On an occasion of thanksgiving or fasting in time of war, it would appear that many persons think any passage suitable to the former, provided the words victory, success, and battle, occur in it; and that any description of misery and distress is proper for the latter. In general, the sentiment most becoming us on the occasion of triumph, is a humble ascription of all the glory to God, as the giver of victory, and the only ruler of events; and in adversity, whatever we may express in our prayers, the passages most fit to be sung, are such as encourage a patient reliance on Divine Providence, and a regard to those comforts which the course of this world can neither give nor take away," Kennedy on Psalmody, pp. 50, 51. (9.) And, as much benefit may arise to private Christians from the use of Psalms and hymns suited to the various circumstances in which they may be personally placed, it is highly expedient that our collections should contain several of this sort, although by no means adapted to congregational singing. It would be easy to cite many devotional compositions, very instructive and delightful to the private Christian, which would be utterly absurd in the mouth of a congregation. We will give one or two specimens, under the persuasion that there are many individuals who will feel the beauty and force of their application. God of my life, whose grácions power Or turn'd aside the fatal hour, |