Chapter I: Front Matter

HYMNS
_In Human Experience_

by
_WILLIAM J. HART, D.D._

Publishers _HARPER & BROTHERS_
_New York and London_ 1931

_Copyright, 1931, by Harper & Brothers. Printed in the U. S. A. First
Edition_ _D-F_

To
_My Wife and Daughters_

THE GOOD OLD HYMNS

_There's lots of music in 'em, the hymns of long ago;
An' when some gray-haired brother sings the ones I used to know
I sorter want to take a hand--I think o' days gone by--
"On Jordan's stormy banks I stand and cast a wishful eye."_

_There's lots of music in 'em--those dear, sweet hymns of old,
With visions bright of lands of light and shining streets of gold;
And I hear 'em ringing--singing, where memory dreaming stands,
"From Greenland's icy mountains to India's coral strands."_

_We hardly needed singin' books in them old days: we knew
The words, the tunes, of every one, the dear old hymn book through!
We had no blaring trumpets then, no organs built for show;
We only sang to praise the Lord, "from whom all blessings flow."_

_An' so I love the dear old hymns, and when my time shall come--
Before the light has left me and my singing lips are dumb--
If I can only hear 'em then, I'll pass, without a sigh,
"To Canaan's fair and happy land, where my possessions lie!"_

--Frank L. Stanton in _The Atlanta Constitution_

_CONTENTS_

Preface xi
I. A Singing Faith 1
II. Songs in the Night 29
III. Hymns Mothers Loved 52
IV. When Preachers Sing 67
V. Songs of Soldiers 80
VI. Heard within Prison Walls 95
VII. The Music of Submerged Lives 103
VIII. Songs of Salvation 113
IX. "The Old Rugged Cross" 127
X. Hymns of Youth 136
XI. Hymns As Prayers 153
XII. Songs of the Negroes 165
XIII. Christmas and Easter Melodies 173
XIV. Funeral Music 188
XV. Hymns on Patriotic Occasions 204
Index of Hymns 217