The Otterbein Hymnal For Use in Public and Social Worship — Themes and Context

Editorial Intent and Denominational Identity

The preface, written by Lorenz, frames the hymnal as a tool for expressing the United Brethren's distinctive 'Christian experience.' The General Conference of 1889 ordered a hymnal 'fully adapted to the needs of our church,' and Lorenz's editorial choices reflect that mandate. The advisory committee included both musical and literary members, suggesting a deliberate balance between lyrical quality and congregational singability. Bishop A. Weaver's introduction praises the collection for providing 'for every phase of our characteristic church life,' and notes that older members will welcome 'old songs dear to the hearts of many of us, because our mothers sang them.' This emphasis on generational continuity and emotional resonance indicates that the editors valued familiarity alongside doctrinal soundness.

Diction and Theological Emphasis in Sample Hymns

The sample hymns display a consistent theological vocabulary centered on Christ's atonement, divine love, and personal devotion. Phrases such as 'the precious blood he spilt,' 'my ransom from the dreadful guilt,' and 'the Lamb, for he was slain' recur across multiple hymns, underscoring a sacrificial soteriology. The language is often intimate and affective: 'Jesus! my heart within me burns, / To tell thee all its conscious love' (Ray Palmer, 1869) and 'I breathe my words into thine ear; / I seem to fix mine eyes on thine' convey a personal, almost mystical relationship with Christ. This diction aligns with the preface's emphasis on 'experimental religion'—faith as felt experience rather than mere doctrine.

Structural Variety and Meter

The excerpts reveal a deliberate variety in meter and structure, likely to accommodate different musical settings and congregational abilities. Hymns appear in Long Meter (L.M.), Short Meter (S.M.), and Common Meter (C.P.M.), as seen in 'Federal Street L.M.' and 'Greenwood S.M.' The inclusion of both standard hymn meters and 'gospel song' forms (implied by the preface's mention of 'modern gospel song') suggests a flexible approach to worship. The hymnal also includes multiple tunes for the same meter—for instance, 'Federal Street L.M.' is used for several hymns, indicating that the same melody could serve different texts. This structural variety reflects the editors' aim to meet 'the needs of the many stages of literary and musical culture' within the denomination.

Attribution and Historical Layering

Each hymn in the excerpts includes the author's name and year of composition, often with notes of alteration (e.g., 'Altered by Martin Madan, 1760' or 'Ab. and alt.'). This practice reveals the editors' awareness of textual history and their willingness to adapt older hymns for contemporary use. For example, William Hammond's 1745 hymn 'Awake, and sing the song' is attributed as 'Altered by Martin Madan, 1760,' and Joseph Grigg's 1765 'Jesus! and shall it ever be' is marked 'Ab. and alt.' Such annotations suggest a scholarly approach to hymnody, even as the collection prioritizes practical worship. The range of dates—from John Austin (1668) to Ray Palmer (1869)—spans two centuries, creating a layered historical texture within the hymnal.

Readers approaching The Otterbein Hymnal should attend to the interplay between its stated editorial goals and the actual content of its hymns. The preface provides a clear lens for understanding why certain hymns were chosen and how they were arranged. Noticing the balance between older, stately hymns and newer, more spirited songs, as well as the careful attribution and alteration notes, will enrich one's appreciation of this denominational artifact. The hymnal offers a window into late-19th-century United Brethren worship practices and the theological priorities that shaped them.

That rainy afternoon, the Otterbein Hymnal sat open on my lap, its sturdy gospel songs speaking of a steady, uncomplicated trust. But one hymn’s line about a child being gathered home lingered oddly. I set it aside and found, almost by accident, Submission to Divine Providence in the Death of Children Recommended and inforced, in a sermon preached at Northampton, on the death of a very amiable and hopeful child — Reading Notes, and the rain seemed to listen with me.