HYMNS ANCIENT AND EARLY VICTORIAN
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.]
Sint,—In your issue of January 24th Mr. Lionel James appeaser (we hope), his anger with a spate of cynicism : perhaps he had a bad sermon as well. But he has written a very true letter. Something better and more inspiring is needed. The majority of our hymns are out of tune with the age, and do not provide appropriate media for praise, prayer and worship. Inciden- tally, a writer in The Scots Magazine of August, 1931, made a similar plea, but mainly on the ground that there are too many ancient, and not enough modern, writers. He pointed out that in the Scottish Church Hymnary, out of 711 hymns there were only 31 by writers alive in 1927, and that among those whose deaths are given, only one was born after 1865. Let us not be so anxious to adhere to the hallowed traditions of the past. Rather let the Church attend to the needs of the Present in the selection of her hymns, and then she will be able the better to prosecute her spiritual mission in this, for her, somewhat difficult age.—I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
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