Methodist Free Church Hymns

Excerpt from Methodist Free Church Hymns Not less earnestly has the Committee endeavoured, in the inclusion of new hymns, to provide for the glad and grateful expression of praise. It is still, it will always be 'a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.' In all ages praise has been the universal lan guage of the children of God, and He reveals Himself in response, when they draw nigh to Him with songs of thanksgiving. Thus, at the dedication of the temple, when they lifted up their voices, ' the glory of the Lord filled the House of God and the great multitude which no man can number, ' with 'the voice of many waters, ' sing the new song unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.' The compilers have also striven, by the choice of suitable hymns, and through the classification and arrangement of the whole book, to stimulate the manifestation of practical Christianity, and to supply a medium for the devout utterance of the varied emotions and experiences of the Christian life. Many hymns are comprised. That, to those who are af icted, and to those in suffering and sorrow, will be full of consolation, and will be welcome as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.' About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."

Hymnody is widely recognised as a central tenet of Methodism’s theological, doctrinal, spiritual, and liturgical identity. Theologically and doctrinally, the content of the hymns has traditionally been a primary vehicle for expressing Methodism’s emphasis on salvation for all, social holiness, and personal commitment, while particular hymns and the communal act of participating in hymn singing have been key elements in the spiritual lives of Methodists. An important contribution to the history of Methodism, British Methodist Hymnody argues that the significance of hymnody in British Methodism is best understood as a combination of its official status, spiritual expression, popular appeal, and practical application. Seeking to consider what, when, how, and why Methodists sing, British Methodist Hymnody examines the history, perception, and practice of hymnody from Methodism’s small-scale eighteenth-century origins to its place as a worldwide denomination today.