CHAPTER SEVEN

CHURCH MUSIC

up praise to God. The Psalter was the hymn book of theJewish faith and became the first hymn book of the

A /X Christian Church.1 Each church tradition has placed its own . , ~‘- l . Lt — .i 5 1‘ level of value and reverence on song worship.

S piritual song has been used over the centuries to offer

THE METHODISTS

he Methodists used fervent songs to express their

beliefs. The theme of Christ dying for all people per- meates many of their hymns. In England, the group drew freely on the works of Isaac Watts (1674-1748), a Congrega- tional pastor in London, who enlarged the common Psalm singing of the time.2 Watts published two hymn collections, one of which was the Psalms of David.3 However, the Wesley brothers were the major contributors to the number of uplifting Methodist hyrnns.]ohn Wesley wrote and trans- lated many hymns, while his brother Charles (1707-88)

rated as Organist wrote six thousand hymns, “heavily imbued with evangeli- at SLJames Meth- cal pietism and emotional fervor.”4

“ii“ for her sister Praise through song held an important place in the wor— 3:: rim ship services of §t.James Church in Central Lot-16. There main organistefor are no records to indicate when an organ was acquired for St. many ycars. Her James, but once installed, the mam organist was MISS Gretha Picture is found in . Yeo. Her sister, Isabel Yeo Monkley, substituted on occasxon. Chapter Four with

1‘" father, Trustee THE PRESBYTERIANS

JOhn Yeo and Mrs.

1:11:23,“th ‘ ohn Calvin, the father of Presbyterianism, wrote hymns United Church and also encouraged others to do so. The famous Genevan ChOir. salter composed mainly by Calvin’s colleague, Louis

”5

Bourgeois, became the basis for “much Protestant hymnody. Singing of the Psalms was the only form of hymns used by

183 CHURCH MUSIC