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16

RULES FOR CHANTING.

for two of the short notes; the object being to prevent a stress being thrown in some part of the chant upon trifling words, such as of, the, &c.

The single or Gregorian is the natural chant; the double chant is merely two single chants which harmonize and follow. Any sentence of ten or more syllables, which allows a break that will give four syllables to the first clause and six to the last, will do for a single chant. The verses in the Book of Psalms are of this kind, and the Prayer-book translation always marks the break by a colon (:). Any two such verses or sentences following each other will answer for a double chant. There are pieces of chanting music in which each syllable has its own note or notes fixed for it; but these are not composed on the same principles, nor will they do for any other sentences than such as happen to have the proper number of syllables required for the particular piece of music. Metrical poetry, if the lines contain the proper number of syllables, can be chanted; but except for Doxologies, or for pieces unsuited for hymn tunes, it seems unadvisable. Nos. 308, 317, 333, are of this kind.

The passages of Scripture in this volume

27

RULES FOR CHANTING.

17

may all be chanted to single chants, and the greater part of them to double chants. The principle on which they are printed is either to put a single sentence into a single line, or to divide it into two lines at the natural break of the sense. Each line, therefore, may be chanted, according to its length, as if it were a whole or a half verse of one of the Psalms: if as a half verse, then two lines will make up the chant. The following few have been pointed, as specimens of single chants:Nos. 131, 217, 284, 337, 338. As specimens of double chants, Nos. 10, 72, 92, 94, 160, 184, 229, 298. In some the short notes are in italics, in others not, that they may be used as progressive lessons where chanting is taught. In any of those pointed, when the dot occurs in the middle of a word of one syllable, it is not intended that it should be chanted as two syllables; but that two notes, or the whole bar, should be given to that one syllable, with as little break as possible.

B

MORNING AND EVENING.

1.

Morning Hymn.

AWAKE, my soul, and with the sun
Thy daily stage of duty run;
Shake off dull sloth, and early rise,
To pay thy morning sacrifice.

Thy precious time misspent redeem;
Each present day the last esteem ;
Improve thy talents with due care,
For the great day thyself prepare.

Wake and lift up thyself, my heart,
And with the angels bear thy part
Who all night long unwearied sing,
High glory to th' Eternal King.

(L. M.)

All praise to Thee who safe hast kept,
And hast refresh'd us while we slept :
Grant, Lord, when we from death shall
wake,

We may of endless life partake.

Lord, we our vows to Thee renew;
Disperse our sins as morning dew;
Guard our first springs of thought and
will,

And with Thyself our spirits fill.

Direct, control, suggest, this day,
All we design, or do, or say;

That all our pow'rs, with all their might,
In thy sole glory may unite.

2.

Matins Hymn.

LET ev'ry heart in God rejoice;

(L. M.)

To Him sing praise with cheerful voice;
Here in his house He doth us meet;
Kneel ye before his mercy-seat.

Lift up your hearts with one accord,
For none is holy as the Lord;

By Him are thoughts and actions weigh'd,
Yet trust in Him, nor be afraid.

To God our Father let us go,

For He his children's wants doth know; And Christ our Shepherd, alway near, Our souls will feed, our prayers will hear.

3.

An Opening Hymn. O LORD, the Giver of all good!

Before thy face we bow;

And though thy dwelling is on high,
Be present with us now.

(C. M.)

Write on our hearts thy word of truth,
To guide us through this day;
And keep our consciences alive,
Lest our young footsteps stray.
To thee, O Lord! we will look up
For wisdom, strength, and grace;
Send all we hope, or all we need,
Forth from thy dwelling-place.

4.

Evening Hymn.

(L. M.)

GLORY to Thee, my God, this night,
For all the blessings of the light;
Keep me, O keep me, King of kings,
Beneath thine own almighty wings.
Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son,
The ill that I this day have done,
That with the world, myself, and Thee,
I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.
Teach me to live, that I may dread
The grave as little as my bed;
To die, that so this body may
Rise glorious at the awful day.

O may my soul on Thee repose,
And may sweet sleep mine eyelids close,
Sleep that may me more vig'rous make,
To serve my God when I awake.

If in the night I sleepless lie,

My soul with heav'nly thoughts supply;
Let no ill dreams disturb my rest,
No powers of darkness me molest.

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