Article March 18, 1933 Issue

Someone recently calculated that by the end of nineteenth...

Kensington News

Someone recently calculated that by the end of nineteenth century there were four hundred thousand hymns in use. When it comes to the compilation of a new hymn book, therefore, the problem is, not what may be left out, but what must be put in. The new Christian Science Hymnal (published by The Christian Science Publishing Society, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.) is not a large book, but it is remarkably firm and unified in tone. The poems have been gathered from the great English and American hymnodists, and others have been translated from German, Dutch . . . and other languages; for this book, unlike most hymn books, is international, and must serve for churches not only in America, but in England and even on the Continent.

The choice of tunes displays the same catholicity. Most of the tunes which are familiar to us are to be found, together with a number of those wonderful German chorales, harmonized by Bach. . . . But in addition, there are some really splendid new tunes especially composed for the book, . . . an unusual feature which lifts it above the level of a mere compilation.

Some of the best of these tunes are set for use with the seven poems by Mrs. Eddy which are so often in use. Parallel with them, one finds many entirely new poems by members of the Christian Science church. It is but fitting that they should thus seek to increase the amount of literature intended especially for this purpose, and the results are most interesting.

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