PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN "I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding NEW-YORK: PRINTED & SOLD, WHOLESALE & RETAIL. BY HENRY LUDWIG, Sold also by H. & S. RAVNOR, 76, Bowery, New-York; P. S. & R. S. Hymns 521-700, mick, added to edition 1834 [Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four,by F W GEISSENHAINER, Jr. and WM D. STROBEL, in trust for the Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of the State of New-York and adjacent parts, in the Clerk's Office the District Court of the linited States for the Southern District New-York.) NEW-TONE: By a resolution of the thirty-eighth Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of the State of New-York and adjacent parts, held in the city of NewYork, in September, 1833, the Rev. Messrs. P. F. MAYER, D.D., C. R. DEMME, D.D., F. G. MAYER, F. W. GEISSENHAINER, JR., and WM. D. STROBEL were constituted a Committee for the purpose of publishing a NEW EDITION of the Hymn Book and Liturgy, with an additional number of Hymns and Prayers. The present work has been prepared and published in accordance with the said Resolution, and it is hoped, that it will be found adapted to the wants of the Church. New-York, August 1, 1834. PREFACE TO THE FORMER EDITION. THE singing of Hymns is justly considered a delightful and important part of public worship. It was in use even among the ancient heathens. Moses introduced it, by Divine command, into his religious institution; and David raised it to high perfection by his poetical ta lents and musical skill Our blessed Saviour has recommended this pious exercise to his followers by his own practice, and St. Paul exhorts us to "teach and admonish one another in spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord." No act of social religion is either more pleasing in itself, or more happily adapted to cherish the love of God and man, than that which is enforced by these high authorities. The Lutheran Church in Germany is distinguished for its attachment to sacred music, and is possessed of, perhaps, the best and most numerous collections of hymns extant in the Christian world. From this source, our congregations in the United States have derived abundant supplies. The prevalence of the English language, however, makes it necessary for many members of our communion to conduct their public worship, altogether, or in part, in that language, and of course to provide for them a compilation of English hymns. This has indeed been already attempted by several individuals. But as the selections, published by them, evidently admit of great improvement, another was ordered to be prepared by a committee appointed for that purpose by the Lutheran Synod of the State of New-York, convened at Rhinebeck in September, A.D. 1812; and in compliance with this order, the following work is printed. It is not pretended to be as perfect as could be wished, nor are all its parts of equal value. But the materials, of which it is composed, have been chosen with no little care and consideration; a large number of hymn-books of various denominations has been consulted; and it is hoped, that it will receive in a good degree the approbation of those for whom it is intended, and become a means of promoting their edification. The same Committee was charged with the preparation of a new and enlarged Liturgy for our churches. Forms of prayer, with necessary directions and addresses to congregations, are, accordingly, presented in this volume, proper to be employed in Divine service generally, in the administration of the sacraments, and in the celebration of other solemn rites customary amongst us. But the use of these forms is left entirely to the discretion of congregations and ministers, the Synod having no design to make them binding upon any in connection with us, but judging that the leaders of the devotions of their brethren should be at perfect liberty to address the throne of grace in their own words. It will, perhaps, be found most expedient, that such forms and the free or precomposed prayers of ministers should be used alternately. At all events, the Liturgy will, we trust, prove serviceable to young clergymen, to vacant churches, and to persons remote from Christian temples and desiring to unite together in the adoration of the Most High. Along with devotional exercises for congregations, it has been thought proper to publish others for families and individuals, adapted to a va riety of situations, relations, and characters. Some of these, as well as several parts of the Liturgy, have been translated from the German; others have been taken from English authors and collections; and a considerable degree of freedom has been used in selecting and framing them. We commend this part of the work particularly to the attention of our brethren in their domestic and private worship; believing, that it breathes a spirit of pure Christian piety and love; and hoping, that it will assist in instructing the young and uninformed how to pray, in comforting the distressed, in awakening a sense of religion in the careless, and in quickening the faith, hope, and charity of upright believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. To the whole of this Book, as far as it agrees with his truth in scripture, may it please Almighty God to give his blessing, and make it instrumental in glorifying his name. FREDERICK H. QUITMAN, D.D. President of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the State of N. York. AUGUSTUS WACKERHAGEN, Secretary, p. t. |