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Directions for Singing Praise
Posted on October 26th, 2005 in Faith, Music by Fred McKinnon
Hey Ya’ll,
For those who are Methodists, you may recognize this immediately. I’ve taken this from the inside pages of the Methodist Hymnal … and it’s quoted from John Wesley’s “Select Hymns” of 1761. John Wesley thought these were the “best of the best” and had specific instructions on singing praises to God … and although we sing a lot more than these “Select Hymns”, I think that his challenge is fitting for us all.
“Directions for Singing” from John Wesley’s Select Hymns, 1761
1. Learn these tunes before you learn any others; afterwards learn as many as you please.
2. Sing them exactly as they are printed here, without altering or mending them at all; and if you have learned to sing them otherwise, unlearn it as soon as you can.
3. Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing.
4. Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, than when you sung the songs of Satan.
5. Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the hamorny; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound.
6. Sing in time. Whatever time is sung be sure to keep with it. Do not run before or stay behind it; but attend close to the leading voices, and move therewith as exactly as you can; and take care not to sing too slow. This drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from us, and sing all our tunes just as quick as we did at first.
7. Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to do this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve here, and reward you when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.
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One Response to “Directions for Singing Praise”
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That is good stuff Fred and we can learn a lot from reading and practicing it. I love the Wesleys.