. . . whenever there have been vigorous attempts at modernization of the good old church hymns, when new and modern hymns have been sought, to satisfy some modern aesthetic or aristocratic need, then the true church hymn has suffered very greatly and lost much of its original soundness and genuineness. Indeed, the hymn writer, like any other poet, is influenced more or less by his age; his hymns may show more or less the influence of the peculiar turn of mind, the stage of development and the demands of the age in which he lives; personal ability as a poet and personal life experiences may be distinctly reflected in his hymns. But it should also be true, that if the poet is a sincere student and lover of the Bible and delights in singing its praises, then his hymns ought to possess Biblical tone and content, since there is a very close union between content and form in every human religious product. A church hymn possessing Biblical tone and language ought to be understoo. . . Read More