Humns of Praise.

Waiapu Church Gazette, 1 September 1910, Page 45

Humns of Praise.

I have been looking carefullythrough the Mission Hymn Book, and the same thought has come to me as from the scrutiny of most of our hymn books, viz., the fewness of the Hymns of Praise ! In " Hymns Ancient and Modern," you will find the number of such hymns quite out of proportion to the whole number of hymns m the book, and the "Appendix" has added veryfew indeed to the list; though we cannot but feel that, if the sentiments of number 550 had been followed, we would have been given a fuller list of Songs cf Praise : — " Yea, we know that Thou rejoicesfc . O'er each work of Thine ; Thou didst ears and hands and voices For Thy praise design ; Craftsman's art and music's measure For Thy pleasure all combine." And yet, after all, is not the hymn book descriptive of too many of our Christian lives ? Is there not a great lack of thanksgiving, of gratitude, and of praise, amongst us ? Are we not very apt to leave out m S. Paul's exhortation, — "In everything, by prayer and supplication," — the words that follow : " with thanksgiving." How often have we listened to the exhortation m the Communion Service : "Let us give thanks unto our Lord God;" and responded : "It is meet and right so to do?" "It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and m all places, give thanks unto Thee, 0 Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God." "At all times, and m all places, give thanks " — how many of us really carry this out m daily life and practice ? Bub what a glorious uplift to our whole being would be this glad spirit of praise ! " And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely : who having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast m the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God." Surely these two had learned "at all times and m all places, to give thanks!" For, assuredly, the time (midnight) and the place (the inner and most darksome dungeon), to say nothing of bleeding backs, and the constraint of the stocks, seemed hardly the time or place for singing praises! But then we must remember that one of these two wrote the words : "In everything

give thanks ;" and he was just now practising what he preached. Aye, and he also wrote the words, " Rejoice evermore." Joy ; Gratitude ; Praise!— We need far more of these m heart and life, for if we would be a help to others, we must show them that we have found the pearl . of great price, and, finding it, a' great joy has come into our hearts, so that we cannot but lay hold of the great bell-ropes of thanksgiving and peal out a glorious, glad chime of praise. "At midnight they sang praises and the prisoners heard them." I have been reading a book entitled " Fit for Work," by Alfred Schofield, M.D., an eminently sane and happy book, written by an earnest Christian physician of large experience, and containing much wise counsel to Christian workers on the subject of " Health." I quote from his chapter on "The Spiritual Condition " : — "There can be no doubt whatever that starved Christians, doubting Christians, empty Christians, wretched Christians, do the devil's work, wherever they go ; for it is quite clear to look at them, that their Father does not satisfy them ; and one would suppose that they must have a hard Master, for so far from rejoicing and being glad all their days, they do nothing but groan and complain. Such are not only no power for good,' but, all unwittingly, are positive powers for evil. They are spiritually unhealthy." The sight of one really satisfied (not self-satisfied) Christian does more good, and wins more converts to Christianity, than fifty sermons. " A satisfied man rejoices, and is glad all his days. It is a pleasure to know him." "A soul redeemed," says Cowper, " demands a life of praise." H.N.