Re: How Hymns Influence Us -- Dog in the Manger Forum

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Date Posted: 18:40:03 02/10/06 Fri
Author: Mamusz
Subject: Re: How Hymns Influence Us
In reply to: George Williams 's message, "Re: How Hymns Influence Us" on 21:53:23 12/18/05 Sun

>>Mike Sanders put an article on the Chofjclist which I
>>found very interesting. I also had thought many of
>>these things myself, but hadn't heard it expressed by
>>anyone else?until now.
>>
>>Mike uses quotes from Michael Hicks and John
>>MacArthur. It is quite a long article, but I will
>>post some excerpts from it.
>>
>>"The hymns we sing speak of what we are and of what we
>>believe."
>>
>>"A history of a people will reveal what they speak of
>>out of their hearts in song."
>>
>>"Cheville discusses the importance of song and
>>revival. He also notes that "hymn singing speaks what
>>is in the heart of the people...These song revivals
>>are of the people and by the people."
>>
>>"Music is a very powerful medium for both good and
>>evil. It preaches into our souls and stays in our
>>minds."
>>
>>"The 1956 hymnal had a section called Historical Hymns
>>which Roger Revell describes as "a way for the 1956
>>committee to include hymns about which they felt
>>musically or theologically uncertain. Most of the
>>hymns in that section got there because their music
>>did not meet the committee's standards; they hoped
>>these hymns would be seen as something apart from the
>>main body of hymnody."3 The committee for the new
>>hymnal decided, however, that each hymn would have to
>>be either in or out; if a hymn qualified for the
>>hymnal, it would have to do so without apology or
>>special tags. For this reason, the new hymnal omits
>>all but one of the hymns previously consigned to the
>>Historical Hymns section. The one remaining hymn--and
>>Mr. Revell claims he voted against its inclusion with
>>both hands raised--has as its tune "Aloha Oe" (no.
>>472)."
>>
>>Hymns used to be wonderful didactic tools, filled with
>>Scripture and sound doctrine, a medium for teaching
>>and admonishing one another, as we are commanded to do
>>in Colossians 3:16.
>>
>>"Songs emphasized personal experience and the feelings
>>of the worshiper."
>>
>>"The biblically mandated didactic role of music is all
>>but forgotten."
>>
>>"The modern church, fed on insipid lyrics, has little
>>appetite for Scripture and sound doctrine. We are also
>>in danger of losing a rich heritage of hymnody as some
>>of the best hymns of our faith fall into neglect,
>>being replaced with banal lyrics set to catchy tunes."
>>
>>"We all can readily see that much music that passes
>>itself off as Christian today is simply carnal music
>>aimed to appeal to a worldly disposition found in the
>>hearts and minds of many professing Christians."
>>
>>"...if the Book of Mormon, the Joseph Smith story and
>>so forth are downplayed--and there are very few
>>references to such matters in the hymns--then the gain
>>in universality and acceptance means that a certain
>>price has been paid in terms of historical and
>>doctrinal uniqueness. On the one hand it is admirable,
>>as a gesture toward universality and ecumenism, that a
>>Methodist or a Presbyterian would be comfortable with
>>almost all of the Hymns of the Saints. But on the
>>other hand, it is irresistible to ponder what might
>>have happened if authors and editors had decided as
>>one of their explicit goals to exemplify distinctive
>>RLDS history, doctrine, scriptures, and institutions
>>in their new hymnal."
>>
>>This article shows quite conclusively how important
>>the hymn life of the church really is. Some people
>>that I know, while never reading scripture, regularly
>>sing the hymns that are contained in the hymnal. If
>>the restoration hymns are omitted, how can these
>>people become acquainted with the these beliefs.
>>Right! They can't! It is sometimes hard to realize
>>the steering power that a hymn can have.
>>
>>Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all
>>wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms
>>and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in
>>your hearts to the Lord." Colossians 3:16
>>
>>Joanne
>
>
>>
>
> Dear Joanne,
>
>I think the current CofChrist hymnal adequately
>reflects the theology of the First Presidency.
>
>The liberalists do not believe that Satan actually is
>a being who exists (this disbelief has many
>implications). The old and venerable hymn "A Mighty
>Fortress is Our God" was altered by them in an attempt
>to excise Satan from any role in CofChrist theology.
>
>One verse of the original hymn (in English
>translation) reads near the end:
>
>The Prince of Darkness grim...
>We tremble not for him.
>His rage we can endure,
>For lo! His doom is sure.
>One little word shall fell him.
>
>The next verse following is:
>
>That word above all earthly powers
>No thanks to them abideth.
>The spirit and the gifts are ours
>Through him who with us sideth.
>Dost ask who that may be?
>Christ Jesus it is he,
>Lord Sabaoth his name.
>From age to age the same,
>And he must win the battle.
>
> In their anxiety over having Satan mentioned at all,
>the hymn's entire message is marred. Satan exists, and
>Christ has defeated him.
>
> In their attempt to "limp along on both sides," the
>First Presidency attempts to maintain some identity
>with historic Christianity, while attempting to
>destroy the very message of both historic Christianity
>and of the Restoration.
>
>Regards,
>George

When I first bought "The Hymns of the Saints", I had no idea what it would be like. Being one of the church organists at the time, I carefully looked through my new purchase. Boy, was I surprised. Many of the hymns that I have grown to love were missing, and many of the ones that did remain had new words. These words changed the hymns 100%. That was the beginning of changing our theology through song. A very powerful tool, indeed.

Today, their new hymns represent the present thrust of the leadership of the CofChrist.

Mamusz

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