Abandoned

Driving home from Ohio, something I was thinking about reminded me of a hymn. And my next thought was a sad one.

Why would remembering an old hymn result in a sad thought? Abandoning the hymnal means we no longer sing the old songs. But this isn’t simply reminiscing about “the good old days.” Let me explain.

There are generic hymnbooks out there, then there are the song books that reflect and promote the distinctives of that particular group. Nazarenes, (old time) Methodists, Assemblies of God, their books represent their emphases. The books above are from the Christian & Missionary Alliance and the Salvation Army. I was in Alliance churches using those hymnals and I used the Salvation Army song book. They definitely reflect the distinctives of each.

And that’s what’s sad. When we start singing choruses and praise songs, the old hymns of the deeper life are no longer heard. I miss them.

Don’t misunderstand, this is not a criticism - I like the modern worship songs. I also have in my library a great collection of chorus books. When I was pastoring, I oversaw the transition from a traditional hymn service to a contemporary praise and worship service. So I’m not merely some old fogey lamenting, “I wish we sang the songs of my youth.” No, I’m not complaining, I’m simply making an observation. After all, you can sing about the deeper life and never preach it, and you can teach the deeper life without singing it. (Although, I’m pretty sure your songs will begin to reflect your preaching.) I’m just sharing thoughts I had while driving home along the interstate in the rain.

my collection of hymnbooks

Now, what is this “deeper life” that I mentioned? See the following

What Is The Deeper Life? A.W. Tozer

The Crisis Of The Deeper Life, by Rev. George P. Pardington, Ph.D.