New Songs, Old Songs

This blog discusses church musical changes that we still battle today on the newer praise songs and some of our traditional hymns. Some things never change…………..

A book about Cane Ridge (The Cane Ridge Bicentennial Sampler) I found that one of its early ministers, Robert W. Finley, got into trouble in the late 1700's (before he got to Cane Ridge) for introducing and using the hymns of Isaac Watts in worship. Other congregations were dividing over their use instead of singing the Psalms. In that period of revival, many were writing hymns in colloquial language using the New Testament rather than the Psalms. The most prolific writers were Charles Wesley and Isaac Watts. It seems that the Church of England in those days had a law that nothing but metrical Psalms from the King James Version of the Bible could be sung congretationally in their buildings. Many other churches also had this tradition, including the Puritans, who brought it to America. Martin Luther and his followers were the first to challenge this by introducing secular folk tunes. John Calvin, however opposed this and wrote, "Psalms alone should be sung in church, because they are the inspired Word of God and are therefore untainted by human error. "Evangelicals in the church of England (George Whitefield in particular) felt bound to keep the letter of the law, but avoided its spirit by using the new songs in their large open-air revival meetings. ( From Steve Turner's book Amazing Grace.)

We are indebted to Isaac Watts for such hymns as
"When I Survey the Wonderous Cross,"
"I'm Not Ashamed to Own My Lord,"
"Joy to the World,"
"We're Marching to Zion,"
and "Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed."

I am thankful for new worship songs such as “Lamb of God”, “As the Deer” and “I Stand In Awe”. I am thankful for the family at Central that recognizes the need of both contemporary and classic hymns in our worship as we try to connect with our culture of today as well as praise the God of the universe!