Modern Revival Hymns

A diMinguislnng feature oí our great religieus ívviv.ils of the past huif dozen yeaxa has been tlie important port which niiiging luis played in theni. Not only hns a singer actforapauiod the preacher - as Mr. Hüukey accülAlpanied Mr. Moody, as Mr. Bliss iicfompanied Maj. Whitüe, au Mr. BenÜej aocompanieu Mr. Hammond, as Mr. ïlillman accompuiiiod Mr. havOK, andasMï. Johnson nccompiinied Mr. Needhnm - but great local choirs n each city have aided the evangelista iy nn impressive service of song. ' The cxtent of this hymnal service hns not been more remarkablo tlian its excellence, botïi a3 regards words and melodies. lts leading trait lias been hearty aopefulness, cheerfulnesB and enthusiiism. Tho key-note of old-time revival was terror; that of modern revivals is persuasión. And tliis dilVcreuce nppears more clearly even in tkeir songs than in Hieir Kei-jiio'uB. AfofTnt and Cartwright, Finney aud Knapp, drew awfnl picture of tho fate of the irnpenitent; but the modem evangelist paints rather the hopes of heaven, and the glories of belouging to the noble arrny of Christiau workers on earth. Henee a germine murtial ring is heard in the popular revival melody. There is a thrilliug quality in " Ouly an ArmorBearer," or "Uold the ÍFort," or "Pull for the Shore," which Reenis tobe almost a modern characteristic. It is íimo that some early popular revival melodies had this trait: " When I can read my titleclear," and " OátlatlA," and in general the " Jerusalem" style of ditties, not tospeakof tho grandly sonorons tunes, like "Coronation," being quite as raj'tnrous as anything iu more recent hymnology. But in the oarlior hand-books of reviv.il music tlio proportion of "awakening," that is to siiy, mournfully startling hymns, such us, "Oh. there will be wailing, wailing, vrailing, at the judgment-seat of God !" was much greater than in tho modern. Perhaps in the effort to be bright and encouraging some of the revival tunes have gone to the extreme of liveliness, aud are too much like a jig for decorous and solemn worship. By giving a little extra speed and trippirjgnees to " Hold the Fort " it has been used for dancing. But there is no denying tho power or the popnlarity ot these gospel tunes, of ten called the " Moody and Sankey tunes." Theyhave gone to cvory home; they are sung in cnmp, on shipboard, on the railroad train; the very strectorgans grind them out; and tho other day they even got into tlie witness-box, for a witness in a Pennsylvania lawsuit, au Englishman, begau his testimony, " As I was walkiug dong, singing 'Wliat BhaU the 'arvest be?' " etc.