For many believers there has been a lack of good resources to help them worship the Lord in private devotion or in public gatherings of the Lord’s people. Many hymns and choruses that could be sung by memory and without instruments have been laid aside for more contemporary songs that have much musical accompaniment. The argument is not over styles of music or what is permissible in a worship setting but rather that a very powerful weapon of the Church has been lost. This occurs when we do not have many hymns and choruses that we can sing without instruments with a whole heart towards the Lord. Thus the burden here is to simply supply a resource of many old hymns, choruses and spiritual songs for reading, meditation and singing privately and corporately.1143 We encourage the believers as they gather, to sing the choruses slowly and boldly to the Lord Himself. Throughout the 2000 years of the Christian Church there have been many different modes of music used. We are not arguing for one specific style of music. This hymnal does not exclude the singing of more contemporary songs in meetings, this choice will be up to the discretion of brothers and sisters in each individual meeting. One interesting thought from the past, around 300 AD: “Augustine describes the singing at Alexandria under Athanasius as more like speaking than singing. Musical instruments were not used. The pipe, tabret, and harp were associated so intimately with the sensuous heathen cults, as well as with the wild revelries and shameless performances of the degenerate theatre and circus, that it is easy to understand the prejudice against their use in the Christian worship.”1144 In the time of Jesus singing acapella was normal and used much more than in our contemporary societies. The great benefit of an Assembly singing without instruments is that under persecution there is still an ability to easily worship the Lord in this fashion. May God lead each group by His Spirit. This is simply a small resource that will benefit some. Even to be read aloud and meditated on they are a great help to encourage us along the pilgrim way.1145 From practical experience we have found that singing hymns very slowly and clearly allows the greatest time for meditation on the words so therefore each person can worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth.1146 May we heed the Words in Ephesians: “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”1147 Sing to the Lord. Sing in a way where you direct the Words to God and give Him the glory. We dedicate this hymnal to the Son of God, Jesus Christ. One day soon we will all worship the Lamb of God in heaven. Amen. 1143 Psalm 111:1-2 1144 Ernest Edwin Ryden (1886-1981) 1145 1 Peter 1:17, 1 Peter 2:11 1146 John 4:23 1147 Ephesians 5:19 INDEX TO HYMNAL BY FIRST LINE 1. Fairest Lord Jesus 399 2. O to Be Like Thee! 400 3. Safe in the Arms of Jesus 401 4. Holy Spirit, Faithful Guide 402 5. The Comforter Has Come 403 6. Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior 404 7. O Jesus, Thou Art Standing 405 8. I Gave My Life for Thee 406 9. At the Cross 407 10. Like a River Glorious 408 11. And Can It Be That I Should Gain? 409 12. I Must Tell Jesus 410 13. Revive Thy Work 411 14. To God Be the Glory 412 15. Arise, My Soul, Arise! 413 16. Jesus Paid It All 414 17. There Is a Fountain 415 18. Whiter Than Snow 416 19. Jesus, Lover of My Soul 417 20. Hallelujah, What a Savior! 418 21. Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness 419 22. Christ Returneth 420 23. Is Thy Heart Right With God? 421 24. My Savior’s Love 422 25. Make Me a Channel of Blessing 423 26. No Other Plea 424 27. Come, Ye Disconsolate 425 28. Christ Liveth in Me 426 29. A Shelter in the Time of Storm 427 30. He Leadeth Me 428 31. We’ll Work till Jesus Comes 429 32. Must I Go, and Empty-Handed? 430 33. ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus 431 34. Rock of Ages 432 35. The Sands of Time 433 36. Higher Ground 434 37. Bring Your Vessels, Not a Few 435 38. Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken 436 39. Nearer, My God, to Thee 437 40. More About Jesus 438 41. More Love to Thee 439 42. Leaning on the Everlasting Arms 440 43. God Will Take Care of You 441 44. “Whosoever Will” 442 45. The Old Rugged Cross 443 46. My Faith Looks Up to Thee 444 47. Trust and Obey 445 48. Have Thine Own Way, Lord! 446 49. I Surrender All 447 50. Channels Only 448 51. At Calvary 449 52. Christ Arose! 450 53. Faith of Our Fathers 451 54. Go Ye into All the World 452 55. Jesus Saves 453 56. The Regions Beyond 454