The Rev. H. R. L. Sheppard, unconsciously I think, set
his broadcast hearers on Sunday night a hard problem. The .first words he spoke were an announcement that the opening hymn had been 'changed, and in order to mark their unity in sorrow with America the congregation would sing : "Eternal Father, strong to save, Whose arm hath bound the restless wave."
Yet the Sunday papers which three-fourths of the congregation had no doubt read had related in tragic detail how the restless wave had not been bound, and at least a hundred of passengers and crew of the burning liner had not been saved. Almost line by line, e.g.- "From rock and tempest, fire and foe, Protect them wheresoe'er they go," the apparent inappropriateness of each verse of the hymn for such an occasion impresses itself. Yet Canon Sheppard is the last man to select an inappropriate hymn for superficial reasons. I should like to hear him further on - this. He will not, I am sure, be content with pointing out that after all more persons were saved than lost.
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