Page:The Methodist Hymn-Book Illustrated.djvu/26

14 on many a page the phrases so long and happily familiar in Methodist worship.

The task of revising the old hymns so as to remove expressions which might distract attention or offend a modern taste was not the least anxious part of the Committee's work. It has been done with the minimum of change, yet it has added materially to the value and effectiveness of the book.

The Tune-book Committee took the utmost possible care in the adaptation of tunes to the hymns. It was an untold advantage to have so distinguished a musical editor as Sir Frederick Bridge, and he entered with enthusiasm into the great task of moulding Methodist music for a generation. He secured the co-operation of nearly all the leaders in the musical profession of the day— Sir C. H. H. Parry, Sir A. C. Mackenzie, Sir George C. Martin, Sir Charles V. Stanford, Sir Walter Parratt, Dr. Keeton of Peterborough, Dr. Peace of Liverpool, Dr. Bridge of Chester, Mr. W. G. Alcock, among many others. 'There is no man, no matter how great his distinction in the musical world, who has not counted it an honour to be asked to write tunes for the Wesley hymns'. The Appendix of old tunes such as 'Diadem', 'Calvary', 'Sovereignty', 'Lydia', and 'Praise', is a very happy feature of the book, and these will often be used for special services.

The Rev. A. E. Sharpley thinks the outstanding glory of the book will be the fine treatment of those old Charles Wesley hymns which, associated with specially composed tunes by writers of the highest order, will renew their youth, and with a new lease of life will ring out again their fervid message, needed as much in this twentieth century as in the eighteenth, so that the characteristic doctrines of Methodism, emphasized by these old hymns, and fragrant with their breath of &quot; revival,&quot; will once more become popular in our churches, and resound again throughout the land'. The old tunes which the Wesleys sang, reset in some cases by the skilful hand of Sir F. Bridge, will become increasingly popular.