INTRODUCTION.

THE Sabbath Hymn Book is intended for "the Service of Song in the House of the Lord."-1 Chronicles VI: 31.

I. It is designed to be a Manual of Devotion. It contains an unusually large number of hymns of worship, as distinguished from such hymns as are merely suited for the hours of worship. Meditative and didactic hymns are by no means excluded from the volume, but the direct addresses to the Most High have been sought after preeminently, and have been, as far as possible, collected together, and arranged in groups by themselves. The volume contains, also, a large number of hymns of direct consecration to God; of surrender to Him; of vows to serve Him; hymns committing the Christian to a devout life: thus bringing him up to a high standard of duty.

II. THE SABBATH HYMN BOOK is designed to be a Manual of Devotion to the Redeemer. - An uncommonly large proportion of its hymns are distinctively and emphatically devoted to the life of Jesus, to His Cross, to His Throne, and especially to our union with Him, and to His presence with us in our afflictions, and in the last scenes of our life. The rich fields of German Hymnology have been explored for the sake of culling the tenderest and sweetest, as well as profoundest, expressions of love to the Redeemer, trust in His atonement, joy in His reign. The hymus have been so arranged as to give especial prominence to the Person and the Work of Christ, and to the relations between Him and us.

III.THE SABBATH HYMN BOOK is designed to be a Biblical guide and aid to Devotion. - It contains forty-nine pages of Selections for Chanting. Of the fifty-eight Selections, fifty-five are from the inspired Volume. Those who desire to sing the Psalms of David, expressed as he expressed them, unaitered by the necessities of rhyme, and recommended by the exact language of our venerable version of the Scriptures, will here find forty-seven of the Psalms, in whole or in part, arranged for singing in that form which was doubtless the most ancient in the Christian Church, and which approaches most nearly to the style in which the Psalms were originally sung in the Jewish sanctuary. The Biblical Selections for Chanting constitute one of the most important characteristics of the SABBATH HYMN BOOK.-This Manual begins and ends with the Lord's Prayer, and such a commencement and conclusion were designed to be a kind of symbol of its general character; a Book of Prayers sanctioned by Inspiration. The very idea of a Prayer dictated by Him who is to answer it, is itself poetical, and this Prayer is the great model for all worship. The Editors of the SABBATH HYMN BOOK have sought for the best poetical paraphrases of scriptural passages, and for those hymns which incorporate into themselves the most reverential words of Inspiration.

IV. This volume contains a large number of the tried hymns of the Church. Three of the Selections for Chanting are the most celebrated of the Primitive Hymns. Many of the Greek and Latin Hymns which have stood the test of ages; some of the best old "Hymns of the Reformation " have been inserted in the volume. Several of these, as for example, Luther's celebrated Hymn on the Advent, "All praise to Thee, Eternal Lord," have probably been sung more than any other uninspired songs. Many of the hymns introduced as anonymous, are in fact old hymns which have been used for centuries in other lands. Many of the new hymns, also, like the 1169th, "One Sweetly Solemn Thought," have been most cordially received by the most devout Christians in Europe. A large proportion of the Hymns in this Manual are from Watts, Doddridge, Toplady, Mrs. Steele, Montgomery.

V. THE SABBATH HYMN BOOK contains some of the ripest fruits of modern hymnology. Besides the new translations from the Greek, Latin, German, Welsh, and French Hymnologists, there are some hymns never before published in a Manual of Public Worship, from Bonar, Conder, Duffield. Elliot, Herbert, Malan, McCheyne, Oberlin, Palmer, and from other wellknown poets. Some of the new hymus have been written expressly for this volume.

VI.-Special effort has been made to secure for this Manual some of the richest hymns on the most difficult subjects. It is not easy to select good hymns for the doctrines of Decrees, and Saints' Perseverance; and especial pains have been taken to find the most poetical' and animating stanzas on these momentous themes. It is not easy to obtain good hortatory hymns;

there is great danger that stanzas of exhortation will not be adapted to song. Men must be cautious in singing their appeals to their fellow-men. Therefore a particular effort has been made to obtain the most lyrical calls to duty, and, in particular, to find hymns in which the singer exhorts himself. The introverted exhortations, in which the first person is used rather than the second, are peculiarly congruous with the spirit of poetry and of sacred music.

VII. Variety and appropriateness of subject and style have been sought for, in preparing the SABBATH HYMN BOOK. The book is designed for the young and the old, the ignorant and the learned, the poor and the rich. Of course, if the wants of all classes of worshipers are to be met, there must be a fullness and variety of hymns. There must be hymns appropriate to all the varying phases of Christian experience, to the minute diversities of religious feeling. The style of the hymns must also be appropriate to their subjects. Hymns on the Bold Virtues must be written in bold, stirring language, even although such a style may appear too martial for the taste of some men. Hymns on the Mild Virtues must be written in a simple style, even although the language may seem too childlike for the satisfaction of some minds. If the subjects of the hymns be comprehensive, if the sentiment of the hymns be appropriate to their subjects, and if their style be in keeping with their themes and sentiment, the Hymn Book will have a continued freshness of interest, and will attract men to an habitual devotion. It is not to be expected that any worshiper will be satisfied with every hymn in so large a Manual as this; but all the necessities of all worshipers, each in his own season, may be met in some degree.

VIII.-THE SABBATH HYMN BOOK contains a large variety of hymns appropriate to specia! occasions.—It recognizes the distinction between hymns written upon a special occasion, and hymns appropriate to it; between hymns coolly calculated for a particular Anniversary, and hymns happily adapted to it. Hymns made up for a special occasion are apt to be artificial, meager, cold; but there are many hymns peculiarly fitted for such an occasion, and spontaneously suggested by it, which were not elaborated expressly for it; and these are the hymns which a devout worshiper is inspired to sing, when the occasion presents itself. The SABBATH HYMN BOOK contains a large variety of sacred songs, more consonant with the spirit of a Missionary Festival, than are most of its hymns written expressly on Missions. It contains more than seventy hymns harmonious with the wants of the Sabbath School, while the English language contains very few worthy hymns "made to order" for the Sabbath School. It is a fact needing our careful study, that the best hymn for a special occasion is that which is inspired by the great truth suggested on that occasion, and raising the mind above the occasion itself to the God of all times and seasons.

IX.-Incidentally the SABBATH HYMN BOOK is designed for use in the family and in the closet. Particular attention has been paid to such an arrangement of the hymns as shall make the Manual interesting to the mere reader. Many of the hymns, while not unseemly for certain occasions in the sanctuary, are peculiarly adapted to private, family, and social worship.

X.-The SABBATH HYMN BOOK has aimed to have a decidedly lyrical character; to embrace such hymns as are emphatically "the songs of the heart"-such as demand not merely to be read, but also to be sung. Its aim, in this regard, may, perhaps, be indicated by two of its stanzas. The first is from the "Summer Hymn," 1154:

The second is from the 439th hymn, on the Preciousness of Christ;

"I've found the pearl of greatest price;
My heart doth sing for joy ;

And sing I must, for Christ is mine-
Christ shall my song employ."

That this Manual of Worship, having been elaborated with the purposes above stated, may be blessed of Heaven in advancing the spirituality of "the Service of Song in the House of the Lord," is the earnest prayer of its Editors.

ANDOVER, MASS., SEPT., 1858.

4

EDWARDS A. PARK,

AUSTIN PHELPS,
LOWELL MASON.

HYMNS.

BOOK I.

HYMNS ESPECIALLY APPROPRIATE TO VARIOUS ACTS AND TIMES OF

WORSHIP.

"After this manner, therefore, pray ye." C. M. 5 Thine, then, forever be