Author : Robert Smith
Publisher : CreateSpace
Page : 284 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 2015-10-01
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 151763069X
Modern Messages from Great Hymns by Robert Smith Pdf
THIS beautiful volume, one of the most artistic products of this well-known press, and coming to our hand at the time when there is a noteworthy revival of interest in the hymns of the Church and of its entire ritual, should be read and pondered for three things: First, it is a wonderfully helpful volume for devotional reading; it brings and holds the mind of its reader within the sweep of the spiritual forces that build Christlikeness. Secondly, the book gives interestingly the facts, the incidents that should be known about the twelve greatest hymns of the Church. Thirdly, this series of twelve sermon-lectures is a model for the study of anyone who contemplates using the great hymns or any other spiritual songs, in lifting the spiritual life of the people who worship God in our churches. A little light on the origin, history, and moral awakening caused by the singing of the songs would help to make them more powerful still in lifting on wings of melody the thoughts of our people to things divine. Some of the hymns presented are: "Jesus, Lover of My Soul," "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus," "Some Day the Silver Cord Will Break," "God Moves in a Mysterious Way," "Nearer, My God, to Thee," "Majestic Sweetness Sits Enthroned Upon the Saviour's Brow," "Faith of Our Fathers, Living Still," "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty," "Rock of Ages," "Lead, Kindly Light, Amid the Encircling Gloom," "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name." And on every one a discourse of facts, of incidents, of messages of winsomeness and power follows. Spiritual results attended the delivery of these messages, and now the printed pages seem to breathe. A hallowed influence pervades the book and its readers. Here are samples of its paragraphs: In the message based upon "Jesus, Lover of My Soul," the author tells of a sinful, conscience-stricken man who came to him for help, and then adds, "I might have told him to turn over a new leaf, to forget the past, to stop wrongdoing, to try to do right, to love the beautiful, not to believe that there was anything called 'sin' in the world, to be saved 'by character.' There are many in these modern days who would have thus advised him. But following such advice would not make this man free and give him a pure heart and a clear conscience. So I directed him to flee straight to the arms of Jesus, the Saviour." In discussing Fanny Crosby's hymn, "Some Day the Silver Cord Will Break," we find the following: "When the silver cord is broken, when the earthly house fails, when the frail tent collapses, when the perishable tabernacle crumbles into fragments, when the machine wears out, when the harp is hushed into silence, when the boat has crossed life's river, when the door of the prison cell is thrown open, when the organist pushes in the stops and locks the instrument, then the freed spirit, the real self, the immortal soul takes the wings of the morning and flies in triumph to the bosom of the waiting Christ.... -Methodist Review, Volume 99 [1917]
