CHURCH HARMONIES: A COLLECTION OF HYMNS AND TUNES FOR THE USE OF CONGREGATIONS. PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE BOSTON: UNIVERSALIST PUBLISHING HOUSE. 1885. PREFACE. FOR many years there has been a growing desire in many congregations of the Universalist Church to participate more directly in the service of singing in he public worship. The present Collection of Hymns and Tunes has been made o meet this desire; and the compilers believe they have succeeded in producing work which will meet the needs of our people. The tunes have been selected with reference to congregational singing only; and as there are hymns so closely associated with old tunes that they suggest one nother, and could hardly be divorced, the compilers have not hesitated to insert tune a number of times, when it seemed best adapted to give expression to the Hymns. It is believed that this will be found a valuable and welcome feature of the work. The hymns are mainly those of the fine new collection known among us as "Portland Collection," when published without a liturgy, and as "Prayers and Hymns," when published with a liturgy. To make each page complete, it as been found necessary to make an addition of nearly two hundred hymns, all I which add value to the book. By arrangement with Oliver Ditson & Co., Hamersly & Co., and other owners of the copyrights of tunes, we have been able to make a fine collection of tunes for congregational singing. And we publish the "Church Harmonies," believing will be welcomed by our people as a help to Christian worship. The few errors appearing in past editions are corrected in this. |