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EXTRACT FROM THE PREFACE OF EPWORTH HYMNAL NO. 1.

N the old parish of Epworth, in Lincolnshire, England, lived the earnest, eccentric, and scholarly father, and the gifted, wise, and consecrated mother, of the illustrious John and Charles Wesley. The story of Samuel Wesley's ministry at Epworth, extending over a period of thirty-nine years-from 1696 to 1735-is alive with interest. The people whom he served were, for the most part, poor, ignorant, coarse, and cruel. Those were days of political strife, when missiles and firebrands were used as arguments. The godly rector, unflinching in his devotion to conviction, paid the price of his fidelity.

In poverty most oppressive, in conflicts most bitter, in labors most abundant, did the old rectory of Epworth hold and train the remarkable family from which were to come forth two of the most widely known and most successful workers in the Church of God-the one a preacher and bishop, the other a writer of sacred hymns. By sermon and song they two went forth to make known to the world the exceeding glory and the saving power of the Lord Jesus; to defend by Scripture the great doctrines of redemption, and by persuasive song to win the hearts of men from sin to righteousness, from self to Christ.

However grand the work and its results, we must not forget that the beginnings and the most valuable preparations were at Epworth, where Samuel Wesley studied and prayed and served, and where Susannah Wesley trained her children, counseled her husband, instructed their parishioners, and walked with God. Before Oxford was Epworth. Before Bristol and City Road Chapel was Epworth.

The poetic fire burned in Samuel Wesley. It reached white heat in the soul of his son Charles, "who was a poet by nature and habit," and of whose productions a distinguished critic says: "There are no hymns in the world of such spontaneous devotion,' none so loftily spiritual, none so unmistakably genuine and intensely earnest, as the best-known and largely used of Wesley's." *

John Wesley was also a writer of hymns, a lover of poetry, and a firm believer in the service of song as a means of grace for saints, and of awakening for sinners. He urged all the people to sing. He gave wise directions concerning the spirit and manner of singing, and his followers in all parts of the world have been famous for the ardor and power with which they have sung the praises of the Lord.

All this carries us back to Epworth, where, in addition to the songs of the rectory at family worship, we hear from the church the songs of the people as the faithful rector taught them to sing. The biographer of "The Mother of the Wesleys" says: "Samuel Wesley regarded psalmody as the most elevated part of public worship.' Notwithstanding his love for anthems and cathedral music,' he was willing to forego his own preferences for the sake of his uneducated flock, and allowed the novel way of parochial singing.'. . . Discarding the lazy and inharmonious drawlings of a choir of ignorant and self-important rustics, he resolutely set himself to teach the congregation and children the divine art of sacred song. His efforts were so successful that he declares they did sing well after it had cost a pretty deal to teach them.""

Thus from the Epworth church and parsonage rang out strains of music that have attracted the attention of the world; filled chapel, cathedral, and tented grove with melody; lifted the cry of penitence and the shout of triumph to the heavens; filled the mouths of children with praise, the hearts of believers with joy, the chamber of death with the pæans of victory.

The Committee appointed in pursuance of the action of the General Conference to prepare this book has done well in calling it the THE EPWORTH HYMNAL. Besides a certain euphony in the title, there come with it reverent and grateful thoughts concerning the character and services of the most excellent father of the Wesleys, and that modern Monica, whose strength and loveliness, whose piety and scholarship, are so manifest in the sons whom generations honor. There come also with the title THE EPWORTH HYMNAL-memories of family prayer and family songs, of neighbors gathered by the devout Susannah on Sunday afternoons for special services of prayer, praise, and admonition, and of the meetings in Epworth church for the training of all the people, old and young, to sing the songs of the sanctuary.

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Sweet home of Epworth, where reverent scholarship presided; where parents governed and children obeyed; where the Holy Scriptures were continually quoted and habitually followed;

The Rev. Frederic M. Bird in Bibliotheca Sacra. 1864.

PREFACE.

where songs rose from grateful hearts to the listening heavens; where the voice of prayer was scarcely ever silent; where neighbors were collected for worship and counsel; where each child was brought into sacred conference with its mother concerning the soul, the law of God, the grace of Christ, and the home in heaven!

May our homes be full of law and liberty, of grace and gladness; and from them may there come into Sunday-school, social meeting, and public service those who are well prepared to study the word of God diligently, pray reverently, sing heartily, listen attentively, and live consistently! J. H. VINCENT.

PREFACE TO THE EPWORTH HYMNAL NO. 2,

HE EPWORTH HYMNAL, introduced to the Church in the stirring

THE words repeated above, was received with a welcome worthy of its

merits. After six years of faithful service, and of abounding popularity, there arose a demand for its revision. It was decided by the Committee, in consultation with the Book Agents, that the original work should be left unchanged, and that EPWORTH HYMNAL No. 2, upon the same plan, should be prepared.

The Committee in the compilation of this work consisted of the following: Mr. JAMES M'GEE, Chairman; Mr. A. S. NEWMAN, Musical Editor; the Rev. JAMES S. CHADWICK, D.D., and the Rev. JESSE L. HURLBUT, D.D. To the industry, the judgment, and the taste of the musical editor the merits of the book are largely due. He has been assisted in the details of arrangement by Mr. S. V. R. Ford, musical editor of the Methodist Book Concern. The Responsive Services were prepared for this work by the Rev. J. E. Price, D.D., of New York.

Special thanks should be rendered to Drs. H. R. Palmer and George W. Warren, Mrs. Joseph F. Knapp, Messrs. Walter R. Johnston, Robert L. Fletcher, S. F. Ackley, William J. Kirkpatrick, Theodore E. Perkins, Charles H. Gabriel, F. L. Armstrong, and others for their kindness in permitting the use of their musical compositions.

Since the first hymnal of this name appeared the word "Epworth" has received additional import in the establishment of the Epworth League, which has called forth the activities of the young people. For the chapters of this great organization, and for the needs of other young people's societies, a special department of this work has been added. We trust that these songs will be received with favor and sung with enthusiasm by all our young people.

We present this work to the constituency of its predecessor with the hope that in the social services of the church, in the young people's devotional meeting, and in the Sunday-school it may aid us all to sing with the spirit, and with the understanding also.

New York, July 25, 1891.

JESSE L. HURLBUT.

RESPONSIVE SERVICES

FOR THE

SUNDAY-SCHOOL AND SOCIAL MEETINGS.

OPENING SERVICE FOR THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL.

Leader. O come, let us worship and bow down:

School. Let us kneel before the Lord, our maker.

L For the Lord is a great God.

S. And a great King above all gods.

| proof, for correction, for instruction in righteous

ness.

L. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever. S. Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.

All. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of L In his hands are all the corners of the life, and may enter in through the gates into the

earth.

S The strength of the hills is his also.
L. He is the Lord our God.

S. And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

L. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holi

ness.

S. Let the whole earth stand in awe of him. L. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.

S. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

L. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

S. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

L More to be desired are they than gold,

yea, than much fine gold:

S. Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

city.

Singing. A closing hymn.

OPENING SERVICE FOR THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL.

No. 2.

Leader. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed. School. We will go into his tabernacle, we will worship at his footstool.

L. Thy testimonies are very sure:

S. Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, forever.

L. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.

S. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path.

L. I am the way, the truth, and the life. he shall save his people from their sins. S. And thou shalt call his name Jesus; for

L. And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba :

L. Moreover by them is thy servant warned:
S. And in keeping of them there is great re-ually; and daily shall he be praised.

S. Prayer also shall be made for him contin

ward

All. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. Singing. Awake, My Soul. No. 6.

PRAYER.

CLOSING SERVICE.

Leader. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,

School. And is profitable for doctrine, for re

L. His name shall endure forever: his name

shall be continued as long as the sun.

S. And men shall be blessed in him; all nations shall call him blessed.

L. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.

S. And blessed be his glorious name forever. All. And let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.

Singing. What Glory Gilds the Sacred Page. No. 96.

PRAYER.

CLOSING SERVICE,
No. 2.

All. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

OPENING SERVICE FOR THE PRAYER-MEETING.

Leader. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Congregation. His favor is life, and his loving

kindness is better than life.

L. Whom have I in heaven but thee!

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L. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

C. Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.

L. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another.

C. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

L. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name

C. And now I am no more in the world, but

C. And who is there in the earth that I de- those whom thou hast given me, that they may

sire besides thee!

L. How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God!

C. Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wing.

Singing. Nearer the Cross. No. 177.

L. If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another;

C. And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

L. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:
C. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
L. Create in me a clean heart, O God;
C. And renew a right spirit within me.
L. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;

C. And sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Singing. I Bring My Sins to Thee. No. 98.
L. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found,
C. Call ye upon him while he is near.

L. This poor man cried and the Lord heard him, and delivered him out of all his troubles.

C. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

L. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:

C. Wait, I say, on the Lord.

L. My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. PRAYER.

be

one, as we are.

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L. Let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.

C. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens;

OPENING SERVICE FOR THE PRAYER-MEETING. praise him in the heights.

No. 2.

Leader. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

Congregation. In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. L. God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. C. He loved me and gave himself for me.

L. Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:

C. Let them praise the name of the Lord. Singing. Sweet is the Work, O Lord. No. 28. L. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!

C. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wicked

ness.

L. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God

L. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of hath shined.

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