PREFACE - by Executive President - Alan Gaunt

Since its foundation in 1936, the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland has produced its Bulletin. In its pages, through the years, there have been articles by many eminent contributors. It would be a great shame if the riches of seventy years were all to be put away in the archives, never again to see the light of day except, perhaps, for some erudite scholarly purpose. Believing that much of the material in the Bulletin must still be relevant to the declared aims of the Society, and 2006 being the seventieth anniversary of it founding, the executive committee decided that it would be a good idea to search through past Bulletins for treasures that have appeared through seven decades, and to publish them, initially, on the inter-net for the widest possible circulation. Various members of the Executive Committee have each been given a decade of issues to search. They have been looking for essays about hymnody, commentaries on texts, articles about individual hymn writers, or hymnologists, or any material which might still have relevance in this seventieth year. We hope that many people will find their interest stimulated and, perhaps, be inspired to think again about the place of serious hymnody in the life and witness of the Church; and that the enthusiasm of the present, informed by the wisdom of the past, will see the aims of the society coming to fresh and exciting fruition.

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INTRODUCTION - David R Wright The purpose of this re-publication of articles from the Bulletin of the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland is:

- to fulfil the 4 aims of The Hymn Society
- to make our collected wisdom available worldwide
- to raise the profile of hymns and of The Hymn Society
- to celebrate the 70th birthday of The Hymn Society.

These bulletins provide a unique record of the story of hymns and hymnbooks - but very few people have had access to these articles until now. By placing key articles from each decade on this website, they can now be read by people throughout the world. The selection of articles for re-publication has been undertaken by eight members of the Hymn Society - one for each decade. Every sub-editor has had an 'embarras de richesses' from which to choose. We have chosen concise articles, on major themes of continuing relevance - but there are many other articles which deserve to be republished. We may add more articles at a later date - please revisit this website from time to time.The project also gives an opportunity to reflect on the distinctiveness and strengths of the Bulletin. The Hymn Society has been very fortunate in its choice of editors: they have shown wisdom and discernment, firm faith and broad sympathies, and the rare gift of not taking themselves too seriously. The current editor - a Methodist - was appointed in 2004; he is only the fifth editor in 70 years. The first editor was from the Church of Scotland [Presbyterian]; two editors were from the Congregational Church [now the United Reformed Church]; one was from the Church of England.Articles in the Bulletin have covered a wide variety of topics, as the selection on this website illustrates. Many articles defy classification - indeed, the unexpected nature of the contents of each issue is one of the joys of receiving the Bulletin four times a year. Among the types of article can be found the following broad categories:

- study of a well-known hymnwriter;
- research into little-known or forgotten hymnwriters;
- study of hymns of a small denomination [e.g., Moravians; Plymouth Brethren];
- "where are hymns going?" - from conservative and liberal perspectives;
- the process of hymn-writing;
- "hymns on my travels" - word-pictures of the variety of contexts and styles in which hymns are sung;
- controversial issues in hymnody;
- hymns as literature;
- revision of hymn words;
- hymns in an international context.

Plus there are reviews, obituaries, and conference reports.
Another list of articles about aspects of hymn-tunes could also be drawn up.
We all hope you find these articles interesting and helpful.

1930s - selected by Revd Alan Gaunt: 1. The Society and its aims: Bulletin No 1, October 1937 - view as HTML, view as PDF 2. The War and The Society: Bulletin No 9, October 1939 - view as HTML, view as PDF 3. A New Hymn-Book in Prospect: Bulletin No 3, April 1938 - view as HTML, view as PDF 1940s - selected by Terence Atkins: 4. Hymns and no Hymns by George Sampson: Bulletin No. 29, October 1944, p. 1 - view as HTML, view as PDF 5. The Criticisms of 'Songs of Praise' by G.W.Briggs: Bulletin No. 14, January 1941, p. 1 - view as PDF 6. The New Nazi Hymn Book by Millar Patrick: Bulletin No. 20, July 1942, p. 3 - view as PDF 7. The Hymnal 1940 by Erik Routley: Bulletin No. 34, January 1946, p. 2 - view as PDF 8. The Hymn as a Literary Form by V. M. Caird: Bulletin No. 38, January 1947, p.1 - view as PDF 9. 'English Hymnal' and 'Ancient and Modern' by Erik Routley: Bulletin No. 38, January 1947, p.9 - view as PDF 10. Hymns on the Air by Cyril Taylor: Bulletin No. 41, October 1947, p.1 - view as PDF 11. "Blest Pair of Sirens" by V.M. Caird: Bulletin No. 41, October 1947, p.6 - view as PDF 12. Victorian Hymn-Composers III - Henry John Gauntlett by Erik Routley: Bulletin No. 46, January 1949, p.75 - view as PDF 13. "Julian" by Erik Routley: Bulletin No. 48, July 1949, p.97 - view as PDF 1950s - selected by Revd Graham Deans: 14. The Tercentenary of the Scottish Psalter: Bulletin 53, October 1950, p.77 - view as PDF 15. Joseph Hart, 1712-1768 by Erik Routley:Bulletin 54, January 1951, p.196 - view as PDF 16. Scottish Hymn Books Antecedent to the Church Hymnary: Bulletin 61, October 1952, p. 58 - view as PDF 17. What makes a good hymn? by Erik Routley Routley: Bulletin 63, Spring 1953, p.90 - view as PDF 18. Robert Bridges, Hymn Writer by R. A. Moody: Bulletin 67 Spring 1954, p.157 - view as PDF 19. Hymns and Youth by Eirk Routley: Bulletin 71, Spring 1955, p.222 - view as PDF 20. A Sermon (The New Song) by T. W. Poole, Bulletin 77, Autumn 1956, p.53 - view as PDF 21. A Link with Loys Bourgeois by J. Wilson: Bulletin 79, Summer 1957, p.91 - view as PDF 22. The Moravian Associations of Charles Wesley's Hymns by A. S. Gregory, Spring 1958, p.135 - view as PDF 23. Charles Steggall by A. K, Blackall, Bulletin 87, p. 220 - view as PDF 1960s - selected by Dr Gillian Warson: 24. Correspondence between H. W. Baker and J. B. Dykes: Bulletin 103, Autumn 1965, p. 1 - view as HTML, view as PDF 25. The Rich Man in His Castles by Maurice Frost: Bulletin 93, Autumn 1961, p. 76, also Correspondence: Bulletin 94, Winter 1961, p. 90 - view as PDF 26. 'Jesus shall reign' - A Matter of Punctuation: by Erik Routley, Bulletin 95, Spring 1962, p. 105 - view as PDF 27. Some Useful Dates by Andrew Hayden: Bulletin 99, Winter 1963, p. 186 - view as PDF 28. What Shall They Sing by J. T. Slater: Bulletin 100, Spring 1964, p. 205 - view as PDF 29. Bad Poetry or Good Light Verse? by Norman Nicolson, Bulletin 101, p. 220 - view as PDF 31. A Valuable Bibliography: Bulletin 102. January 1965, p. 256 - view as PDF 32. Hymns in School Worship by Donald Hughes: Bulletin 104, September 1965, p. 36 - vew as PDF 33. '100 Hymns for Today' by Alan Luff: Bulletin 117, Autumn 1969, p. 51 - view as PDF 1970s - selected by Michael Garland: 34. Genesis of a Hymn by Brian Wren: Bulletin 143, 1978, p. 39 - view as PDF 35. The Hymn Today: Bulletin 138, 1977, p.197 - view as PDF i. The Challenge of the Words by Brian Wren ii. The Challenge of the Music by John Wilson iii. The Art of the Possible by Alan Luff 36. Veni, veni Emmanuel by C.Pocknee: Bulletin 118, p.65 - view as PDF 37. Hymn writing today by F. Pratt Green: Bulletin 120, p.122 - view as PDF 38. Hymnody in the Eastern churches by C.Pocknee: Bulletin 123, p.16 - view as PDF 39. Two notes from Scotland 1.Amazing grace by M.Dickie: Bulletin 125, p.21 - view as PDF 40. Young People and Hymns by Erik Routley: Bulletin, 127, p.1 - view as PDF 41. The Titanic Hymn by R.Johnson: Bulletin, 129, p.54 - view as PDF 42. Easter Joy by A.Luff: Bulletin, 134, p.131 - view as PDF 43. What's new from America by Erik Routley: Bulletin, 135, p.152 - view as PDF 44. Frances Ridley Havergal by R.Newton, Bulletin, 146, p.101 -view as PDF 1980s - selected by Canon Michael Saward: 45. The secularization of the Victorian Hymn by L.Adey: Bulletin 147, p. 116 - view as PDF 46. The Tune 'Lasst uns erfreuen' as we know it by J.Wilson: Bulletin 150, p. 194 - view as PDF 47. I vow to thee my country by E.James: Bulletin 153, p. 1 - view as PDF 48. Pastoral Revision of Hymns by M. Perry: Bulletin 156. p. 96 - view as PDF 49. The Hymn Tunes of Elgar and Holst by B. Massey: Bulletin 160, p. 185 - view as PDF 50. What Makes a Good Hymn Text by T.Dudley-Smith: Bulletin 163, page 22 - view as PDF 51. The Rock Whence we are Hewn by C.Taylor: Bulletin 166, page 94 -view as PDF 52. Barratt, His Successors and the Quality of Faith by A. Gaunt: Bulletin 173, page 265 - view as PDF 53. English and German Hymnody, Imports and Exports by R. Leaver: Bulletin 177, page 62 - view as PDF 54. Hymns in the Early Church by J.Ferguson: page 114 - Bulletin 180, view as PDF 55. Copyright in Relation to Hymnody by B. Braley: Bulletin 12, page 100 - view as PDF 1990s - selected by Revd Geoffrey Wrayford 56. Ten Golden Rules by John Bell: Bulletin 185, p. 236 - view as PDF 57. Walking by Faith by Alan Luff: Bulletin 187, p. 22 - view as PDF 58. John Wilson 1905-92 by Alan Luff and B. Massey: Bulletin 193, p. 158 - view as PDF 59. The Charming Sound.... by J. R. Watson: Bulletin 197, p. 263 - view as PDF 60. Childhood and the Christian hymn by Ian Sharp: Bulletin 199, p.38 - view as PDF 61. To the Budding Hymnwriter by Brian Wren: Bulletin 202, p.130 - view as PDF 62. Ten Laws of Hymnal Committees by Christopher Idle: Bulletin 208, p.246 - view as PDF 63. The Hymnologist's Bookshelf by B. Massey: Bulletin 211, p.26 - view as HTML, view as PDF 64. The English Hymn (review) by Elizabeth Cosnett: Bulletin 214, p.113 - view as PDF 65. Hymnody and Belonging by Graham Deans: Bulletin 220, p. 230 and Bulletin 221 p. 254 - view as PDF 2000-2005 - selected by David Wright 66. Farewell to the Twentieth Century by J. R. Watson: Bulletin 223, April 2000, p. 50 - view as HTML, view as PDF 67. Mrs Alexander by Valerie Wallace: Bulletin 227, April 2001, p, 159 - view as PDF 68. When Words Call the Tune by Ian Sharp: Bulletin 233, October 2002, p. 287 - view as PDF 69. A Few Thoughts on Hymn Writing by Alison Robertson: Bulletin 235, April 2003, p. 37 - view as PDF 70. Hymns and Literature: Form and Interpretation by J. R. Watson: Bulletin 238, January 2004, p. 126 - view as PDF