Teach each member of the family singly, till those that sing best know the tune well; and then let all use it together. Use an instrument, unless you have sufficient skill and power in the family to do well without one. In most cases the use of an instrument will be found helpful, to encourage the timid, to support the weak, and to keep together the voices of all. Nor need it be thought to detract from the pure spirituality of the worship, by those who remember the words of the inspired Psalmist: "Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord." (Ps. 150. 6.)

He

In conclusion, the Editor has to observe, that as far as was in his power, he has assigned each Hymn to its proper author; a matter extremely difficult in that community of goods, which has prevailed in this department of literature. has exercised no discretion of his own in allotting tunes to the Hymns; but when he met with mention of the tune in any respectable collection, has printed it as he found it, leaving the rest to be filled up, and these to be corrected, by those who have skill in music. And he has also to state his regret, that he could meet with so few hymns expressive of that which is the most appropriate of all subjects for sacred music, not confession, not prayer, but the praise of God. The Psalmist, who in this matter is the most appropriate authority, whilst he declares that he will pray "Evening, and morning, and at noon," (Ps. 55. 17,) has elsewhere thus set forth the duty of praise, "Seven times a day do I praise

thee." (Ps. 119. 164.) It is to be wished that those who are gifted with ability to write hymns, would follow some such proportion in the topics of their verse, a proportion for which some excellent reasons, amongst others rather forced and fanciful, are thus pointedly set forth by the amiable author of our Morning, Evening, and Midnight Hymns:

PRAYER AND PRAISE.

PRAYER in the state of war obtains recruits;
Praise with the state of saints triumphant suits.
Prayer from the fall originally came,

When sinners to God's blessing lost their claim;
Praise with pure reason coëtaneous rose ;
The native thoughts of God to hymn dispose.
Beneficence and glory unconfin'd,

To sacred rapture elevate the mind.
Prayers are to pilgrims proper, and expire
In heaven, where saints have nothing to desire.
Praise shall in saints and angels never cease,
But with fresh zeal eternally increase.
Prayer often waits and meets with just delay;
God many times denies men when they pray.
Praise takes to heaven an instantaneous flight,
In hymns eternally God takes delight.
Prayers tincture of self love too oft retain,
When men peculiars for themselves would gain.
Praise with an irreflex and steady view,

Strives only to give God his glory due.

Prayer moves within the limits of men's needs,
And ne'er their short capacity exceeds.
Praise compass and restriction all disdains,
God prayer confines, but never praise restrains.
Prayer with uncertainties may souls amuse,
In ignorance or what, or when, to choose.
Praise moves with full assurance, not by guess,
Regards not what they want, but what possess.
Prayer often errs: praise is that grace alone,
Which true infallibility may own.

In praise men cannot from their duty stray,
When they just thanks for God's vouchsafements

pay.

Prayer is the language of afflicted hearts,
Which may remove or ease internal smarts.
Praise is the joyful language of the blest,
And antedates below supernal rest.
Prayers to the votary, and the throne divine,
Their portions, like peace offerings, assign.
Praise like the holocaust, the whole devotes,

God's glory, with pure aim entire promotes.
Prayer was the style of the Mosaic law,

Which strove Messias from high heaven to draw.
Praise is the style of evangelic days,

When great God Man meridian beams displays. Prayer, penitents with humble sense begin,

Reviving the sad memory of sin.

Praise, when God's favour on the sinner streams,

Returns to God his own reflected beams.

Prayer its perfection from high praise assumes,

This to the incense gives its odorous fumes.

Prayer is like Babel, (where audacious pride
Moved God the one first language to divide,)
Men, when for blessings they great God beseech,
Differ as much in prayer, as in their speech.
Praise has one unconfin'd and common tongue,
Which by the whole created race is sung;
Saints here on earth, with the celestial choir
In the same hallelujahs still conspire.
Prayer looks on God's perfections in half light,
His power, truth, goodness, chiefly keeps in sight.
Praise strives to all the Godhead to extend,
Incomprehensible to comprehend;

In an immense horizon God surveys,
To Godhead to proportionate its lays;
And still the more of God it can descry,
In loftier numbers hymns the Deity.

(From Poems by Bishop Ken, selected by Combe, London: Hamilton & Co. page 74.)

12mo.

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July, 1835.

A TABLE OF PSALMS

Selected from the Selection from the Old and New Version of the Psalms, published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge; arranged to suit the usual Church Services throughout the year, and fitted with tunes suitable for Congregational singing.

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