1. The Reformation Period

Germany possesses a more voluminous hymnology than any other country. In 1786 Ludwig von Hardenberg prepared a list of 72,732 German hymns, and the present number can not fall far short of 100,000, among them many of the choicest pieces of this kind of literature. One of the first results of the Reformation in Germany was the use of

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hymns in congregational singing, consequently there was in that country a considerable body of hymns before any were written in English. The father of German hymnology was Martin Luther. He possibly received his stimulus from the hymns of Huss, sent him by the Bohemian Brethren, and made a free translation of the martyr's Jesus Christus, nostra salus. In 1523 Luther published eight hymns of his own, and by 1545 had written 125. These were carried by traveling singers from village to village and sung into the hearts of the people. Protestants and Catholics alike testify to the effect of Luther's hymns; Coleridge regards Luther as doing "as much for the Reformation by his hymns as by his translation of the Bible," while the Roman Catholic Conzenius asserted that the "hymns of Luther have destroyed more souls than his writings and sermons." His hymns are marked by a joyful and robust faith. Thoroughly characteristic is Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott ("A mighty fortress is our God"), which was the battle hymn of the Reformation and became the great favorite of the entire German people. But he struck other notes than those of challenge and war, as in his thoughtful Nun freut euch, liebe Christengemein ("Dear Christian people, now rejoice"). Among the colaborers of Luther in this field were Justus Jonas, Paul Eber, and Michael Weiss, the last of whom edited (1531) German translations of hymns of the Bohemian Brethren and added some of his own. [The Anabaptists of the seventeenth century produced a remarkably rich hymnology. The best of their hymns have been collected in Auss Bundt (modern ed., Basel, 1838). Most of these hymns are supposed to have been composed by martyrs shortly before execution. A.H.N.]

a. Since the Reformation.

The leadership thus achieved by the Lutheran Church in the department of hymnody has been continuously maintained by a chain of eminent writers. Among the more noteworthy of the sixteenth century was Philipp Nicolai (d. 1608), who, during the pestilence of 1597, wrote a hymn noted for its majestic sweetness, Wachet auf! ruft uns die Stimme ("Wake! the startling watch-cry pealeth") and Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern ("How lovely shines the morning star"). To the same period belongs Ludwig Helmbold (d. 1598), whose Von Gott will ich nicht lassen has been translated often, as by Miss Winkworth, "From God shall naught divide me." The period of the Thirty Years' War produced some noted hymns, among which may be mentioned the battle-song of Gustavus Adolphus, Verzage nicht, du Häuflein klein ("Fear not, O little flock, the foe"), and the rugged thanksgiving hymn of Martin Rinkart (d.1649), Nun danket alle Gott ("Now thank we all our God"), which has been called the German Te Deum. Among the most fertile writers of the seventeenth century was Johann Heermann (d. 1647), whose experience of severe suffering is embodied in hymns of exceeding richness. With him should be placed Johann Rist (d. 1667), who wrote some 680 hymns, among them O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort ("Eternity, thou word of fear"). The culmination of German hymnody was reached in Paul Gerhardt (d. 1676). Of his 123 hymns more than thirty are classic, among which his O Haupt voll Blut and Wunden (ut sup.) and Befiehl du deine Wege ("Give to the winds thy fears") are representative. For the Reformed Church the first hymn-writer was Joachim Neander (d. 1680), who reflects the influence of Spener. One of the hymns most popular in Germany is his Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren ("Praise to Jehovah, almighty king of creation"). The Pietists were fertile producers of hymns during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Philipp Jakob Spener wrote nine hymns, three of which have been translated into English. August Hermann Francke (d. 1727) and Johann Anastasius Freylinghausen (d. 1739) were the most eminent writers of this school. Benjamin Schmolke (d. 1737), a pastor in Silesia, wrote many hymns of high merit and permanent value, the most popular of which was Mein Jesu, wie du willet, rendered into the favorite English "My Jesus, as thou wilt." For the Moravians of Herrnhut, Count Zinzendorf (d. 1760) wrote a large number of hymns of peculiar and glowing fervor, over 200 of which have come over into the English-Moravian hymn-book, and a large number appear in other English collections. Wesley used his compositions with freedom. A good example of Zinzendorf's composition is his Christi Blut and Gerechtigkeit ("Jesus, thy blood and righteousness"). Contemporary with Zinzendorf was Gerhard Tersteegen (d. 1769), a layman of the Reformed Church, the most popular of whose 111 hymns is Gott ist gegenwärtig, lasset uns anbeten ("Lo, God is here, let us adore"). Georg Friedrich Philipp von Hardenburgh (d. 1891 at the age of twenty-nine), who wrote over the pseudonym of "Novalis," composed, among other hymns, Ich sage jedem dass er lebt ("I say to all men far and near") and Wenn ich ihn nur habe ("If I have only thee"). Several of the hymns of Johann Caspar Lavater (d. 1801) have been rendered into English, especially O Jesus Christ, wachs du in mir ("O Jesus Christ, grow thou in me").

The early part of the nineteenth century witnessed a revival of interest in hymnody in Germany, contemporary with the national Luther tricentennial in 1817, if not a product of that celebration. This movement was led by Schleiermacher, Claus Harms, and Ernst Moritz Arndt. One of the purposes of the leaders was the reversal of the tendency, led by Justus Gesenius (in his collection of hymns published 1647), to mutilate and change the hymns of the older writers. Material assistance was given to this movement by the collections of C. C. J. von Bunsen, Ewald, Rudolf Stier, H. A. Daniel, and Albert Knapp. The most fertile contributors to recent hymnology have been Karl Johann Philipp Spitta (d. 1859) and Albert Knapp (d. 1864); but many fine hymns have been added to the literature by Ernst Moritz Arndt (d. 1860), Friedrich Rückert (d. 1867), Meta Heusser (d. 1876), and Karl Gerok.

VII. French Hymns:

Calvin, like Luther, was an advocate of congregational singing, and contributed to the literature of hymnology. A hymn of his composition, Je te salue, mon certain redempteur ("I greet thee, who my sure redeemer art"), was discovered in an old Genevan prayer-book (cf. P.

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Schaff, Christ in Song, New York, 1868, pp. 678 sqq.). While Calvin was at Strasburg he came into possession of twelve of Clement Marot's versions of the psalms, not knowing they were his, and had them set to music, along with original versions of Pss. xxv., xxvi., xci., cxxxviii., the Decalogue in verse, and with the Apostles' Creed and the Song of Simeon. This book, published at Strasburg, 1539, consisting of twenty-one pieces with the tune at the head of each psalm, but without preface and signature, was the first collection of pieces for congregational use for the French Reformed Church. Clement Marot received in 1541 permission to publish his Trente Pseaumes, which appeared the following year dedicated to Charles V., and in 1543 he published Cinquante Psaumes. After Marot's death Beza continued the work of translating the Psalms, but a complete collection of the Psalter appeared only in 1562. Marot's versions, with few changes, continue in use in the French churches. They were set to music by Claude Goudimel. In hymns proper, however, the French church is very poor. Vinet accords to César Malan the honor of restoring to it this means of devotion. In connection with Paul Bost he published Chants de Sion, improved and issued as Chants chrétiens in 1841, which incorporated hymns and psalms from Roman Catholic sources (e.g., Bishop Godeau, d. 1672, who had issued a collection of excellent translations of the Psalms; Corneille, d. 1684; Racine, d. 1699; Madame Guyon, d. 1717). Malan is credited with the composition of more than 1,000 hymns. Many of the hymns of Madame Guyon, marked by grace and devotion, were translated by Cowper, who was in close sympathy with the mystical temper of the author.

D. S. Schaff.

VIII. Scandinavian Hymns