Melodeon: A Collection of Hymns and Tunes, With Original and Selected Music, Adapted to All Occasions of Social Worship / (Classic Reprint)

Jk. CE. A few words to the lovers of Sacred Music will explain why we have attempted the issue of another book of hymns and tunes, when so many are already in the market. And we will say in the outset, that we would not, if we could, depreciate the many excellent works, of this kind, now before the public. But every author has his own idea of what will meet the wants of the people, especially if he has had an opportunity of testing their taste. We think we have had a little experience in this direction in the issue and sale of nearly a hundred thousand copies of Revival Melodies, well distributed in all parts of the country. Some have said to us, give us a good variety of the best old tunes in connection with these melodies, and it will be just the thing for permanent use. This we have attempted, and the public must judge how well we have succeeded. Of course we could not be expected to pub Ush everything for the low price of twenty-J ive cents per copy ;but we have endeavored to make such a selection as will make every page valuable. The new pieces contained in this book, we believe, will be as popular as any we have yet published. Some of the books heretofore published are too large for convenience, and consequently too costly; others are too small to furnish a sufficient variety for permanent use. We have endeavored to keep between these extremes. An experience of over twenty years in conducting religious meetings, has convinced us that a mere hymn-hook is not sufficient for social meetings. We must have the tunes as well as the hymns, then the singing will not be confined to a very few tunes, as is always the case when nothing but hymn-books are used, but we shall have a variety, for it is a fact that in every congregation you will find more or less who can sing almost any plain music at sight. And then again, you can detain the congregation a few minute
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)