Through The Hymnbook

Guest (Male): Welcome, welcome to the organ loft to enjoy a special time of music entitled *Through The Hymnbook*. In this edition of *Through The Hymnbook*, Reverend Bert Jones will be playing from an interesting red book entitled *Hymns and Songs of the Spirit*, and he'll be playing from song number one, "The Church's One Foundation is Jesus Christ".

Reverend Bert Jones: Maybe you could imagine that you have gone to church on a beautiful Sunday morning to a great cathedral and the cathedral pipe organ was playing "The Church's One Foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord". *Through The Hymnbook*. Well, the hymnbook I am going through is a beautiful, attractive songbook called *Hymns and Songs of the Spirit*. I dedicate this journey through the hymnbook especially to our friend who has given it to us, Mrs. Janet Fark of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dedicating it to Mrs. Janet Fark and her son Bob Fark. We appreciate this fine hymnal published in 1966 by the Judson Press of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Judson Press is the official press of the American Baptist Denomination.

One thing I notice about hymnals, it seems to me that the songbooks and hymnals of the last 20 years are much more attractive in their binding than hymnbooks used to be. The newer books are most attractive and this is one of them. Red seems to be a favorite color in hymnbooks these days and this is a fine ecclesiastical red with gold letters saying *Hymns and Songs of the Spirit*. And here is a great song of the Spirit. I play it for you now. It has a great message and it is indeed a song of the Spirit, "Spirit of God Descend Upon My Heart", wean it from earth, through all its pulses move, stoop to my weakness, mighty as thou art, and make me love thee as I ought to love.

Hear these beautiful words of the hymn, "teach me to love thee as thine angels love, one holy passion filling all my frame, the baptism of the heaven-descended dove, my heart the altar and thy love the flame". A great song of the Holy Spirit.

Here is a beautiful hymn concerning the Holy Spirit found in this book, *Hymns and Songs of the Spirit*, "Gracious Spirit Dwell with Me, I Myself Would Gracious Be, And With Words That Help and Heal, Would Thy Life in Mine Reveal, And With Actions Bold and Meek, Would for Christ My Savior Speak". "Holy Spirit Dwell with Me, I Myself Would Holy Be, Separate From Sin I Would Choose and Cherish All Things Good, and Whatever I Can Be, Give to Him Who Gave to Me".

Beautiful words and a beautiful melody too. All right, leafing through the hymnbook finding some more songs that I haven't played for a long, long time. And here is the great hymn "Once to Every Man and Nation Comes the Moment to Decide, In the Strife of Truth With Falsehood For the Good or the Evil Side, Some Great Cause, Some New Decision, Offering Each the Bloom or Blight, And the Choice Goes By Forever 'Twixt That Darkness and That Light".

These great words of choice, "Once to Every Man and Nation Comes a Moment to Decide", were written by the famed poet James Russell Lowell. And of course, the music is a beautiful Welsh tune by John Williams and I hope you enjoy this song as much as I do, "Once to Every Man and Nation Comes the Moment to Decide".

Quite a startling reality to realize there is a time of decision in the life of every individual, in the life of every nation, a time of decision which may never come again in that same way. And another great favorite hymn, "Lead on O Kingly Eternal", it's here in the book, the familiar tune and maybe you'd like to sing along as I play it now.

A hymn written to the familiar tune of "Ancient of Days" and words that I have not known before but they're here in the book, *Hymns and Songs of the Spirit*, and they're very good words too, listen to them. "Hope of the World, Thou Christ of Great Compassion, Speak to Our Fearful Hearts by Conflict Rent, Save Us Thy People From Consuming Passion Who by Our Own False Hopes and Aims are Spent. Hope of the World, O Christ o'er Death Victorious, Who by This Sign Didst Conquer Grief and Pain, We Would Be Faithful to Thy Gospel Glorious, Thou Art Our Lord, Thou Dost Forever Reign."

And another favorite, an ancient Irish tune and ancient Irish text, "Be Thou My Vision, O Lord of My Heart, Naught be All Else to Me Save That Thou Art, Thou My Best Thought by Day or by Night, Waking or Sleeping Thy Presence My Light."

And now we'll imagine an Irish reed accompanied by a lovely Irish lyre. "Be Thou My Vision and Thou My True Word, I Ever with Thee and Thou with Me Lord, Thou My Great Father, I Thy True Son, Thou in Me Dwelling and I with Thee are One."

The great hymn by Washington Gladden, "O Master Let Me Walk With Thee, in Lowly Paths of Service Free, Tell Me Thy Secret Help Me Bear, the Strain of Toil, the Fret of Care."

We continue through the hymnbook and I hope you're enjoying these songs, songs that have been a blessing across the years to so many. Here is the favorite song "Just as I Am, Thine Own to Be, Friend of the Young Who Lovest Me, To Consecrate Myself to Thee, O Jesus Christ, I Come".

And I don't think I've mentioned the singing of Singspiration the Canary. He's been singing very, very nicely and he is a real little bird and he sings along when he wants to and he keeps quiet when he wants to too, and well, that's how you know he's real. Here in *Hymns and Songs of the Spirit*, several gospel spirituals are here and here's one I know you enjoy, "Every Time I Feel the Spirit Moving in My Heart I'll Pray", a good song for *Hymns and Songs of the Spirit*.

Guest (Male): You were enjoying a special time of music that we call *Through The Hymnbook*. And in this edition of *Through The Hymnbook*, Bert has been playing from *Songs and Hymns of the Spirit*, and what beautiful songs we've enjoyed so far. We'd just like to remind you that it would be a joy to get a message from you that you are enjoying *Through The Hymnbook*. If you are writing by regular mail, the address is Post Office Box 575, Erie, Pennsylvania, and the zip code 16512. If you would like to email us, you can email organhymns@aol.com.

And you know, it's a joy to know some of the places where you are as you're listening and to know that the music that we are sharing with you is a blessing and an inspiration. Let's go back to *Songs and Hymns of the Spirit*.

It has been a special joy to have you in the organ loft for this very interesting edition of *Through The Hymnbook*. As Bert has gone through this book entitled *Hymns of the Spirit*, and it is our prayer that as Bert has played, even though he is with the Lord, his hymns have been a great blessing and an inspiration to all of us. Don't forget to write and let us know that this music is a blessing to you. You can write *Through The Hymnbook*, Post Office Box 575, Erie, Pennsylvania, and the zip code 16512. You remember to keep singing.