NOTE BY CONVENER OF PRAISE COMMITTEE. "THE HOME AND SCHOOL HYMNAL' has been compiled by a small carefully selected Sub-Committee of the Praise Committee. As I was not a member of that Sub-Committee, I feel free to say that I confidently hope the book will serve its purpose, and give general satisfaction in HOME and SCHOOL. The Sub-Committee were left very much to their discretion, with instructions simply to do their best. They have taken great pains, and it is believed that the result will be to their credit, and, what is much more important in their view, to the spiritual advantage of the religious public. May God's blessing go with the Book! 1 PREFACE THE Sub-Committee appointed by the Praise Committee of the Free Church of Scotland, in November 1888, to prepare a hymnal for the young, present the result of their labours in 'THE HOME AND SCHOOL HYMNAL.' It has been the effort of the Sub-Committee, first of all, to provide a manual of devotion for the Family; especially to enliven and enrich the character of Family Worship. It has been their effort also to provide a manual of devotion for Sunday and Day Schools, Senior Classes, Church and other Services for the Young, Mission Services, and several Special Occasions. The result of any attempt to provide for tastes, occasions, and ages differing so widely must be a compromise. But the Sub-Committee trust that the selection of hymns and tunes in 'THE HOME AND SCHOOL HYMNAL' may prove sufficiently diversified and catholic for the objects which they have in view, and sufficiently refined to please the more critical. As the use of a Church Hymnal is assumed, the hymns and music of 'THE HOME AND SCHOOL HYMNAL' have been drawn from modern sources more freely than would otherwise have been the case; and several eminent composers have written tunes expressly for this hymnal. Pains have been taken to verify the text and authorship of hymns and tunes; and any necessary details regarding either will be found in the fullscore musical editions. Apposite headings, taken sometimes from the Authorized, sometimes from the Revised, Version, have been prefixed to the hymns. The heading is intended to express the gist of each hymn-to serve as a keynote, and should be read over distinctly before the hymn is sung. The Sub-Committee have felt very great satisfaction in the appointment of SIR JOSEPH BARNBY, Principal of the Guildhall School of Music, to be Musical Adviser. Sir Joseph requires no eulogium from them, but they cannot refrain from saying that he has enriched this hymnal with many tunes of his own, has minutely scrutinized the adaptations proposed by the Sub-Committee, and approved of them with few exceptions, has revised the harmonies throughout, and has shown a hearty interest in the work. It is right to remark that the tunes of which Sir Joseph does not approve are nearly all tunes the popularity of which requires their insertion, apart from any question of musical merit. It is the hope and prayer of the Sub-Committee that 'THE HOME AND |