Advice from 1761
Read: p. vii in the United Methodist Hymnal “Directions for Singing”
When I first discovered and read the Directions for Singing in my new hymnal, my eyes kind of popped open. It almost seemed like a joke. The first one got a smirk. The second, an eye-pop. The third got the one-eyebrow lift. The fourth got a giggle. The fifth actually made me think about my singing. The sixth brought a full-toothed smile. The seventh a small nod of agreement. The directions are now my favorite part. How fun to get some advice from 1761. At first glance they seem outdated and stodgy, but in fact I think John Wesley’s instructions encourage us to grow and change and support each other.
The second of the seven rules seems very commanding and strict, but it is my favorite. It makes me smile first of all, but I also have decided it’s actually not restrictive. Instead I think it is telling us to keep up with the times – what is going on right now. Some hymns are very familiar to many of us and some of those familiar ones have had some words changed. We can moan about changed words. We can be obstinate and refuse to sing the new words. Why change a good thing after all, right? Or – we can listen to John Wesley’s words from long ago that tell us to “sing them exactly as they are printed” and “if you have learned to sing them otherwise, unlearn it as soon as you can.” I think he’s telling us to stop clinging to the past just because that’s the way it’s always been.
He is also encouraging us to come together as one congregation. The bulk of the rules remind us that we are one body – even in song. We are told to join in (with gusto no less), and to blend together in a united voice, both in volume and tempo. We are all individuals but we have a great common bond – our love for and faith in God. That should be celebrated with song.
Ignoring my first impression of the directions, I let them bounce around in my head as I sang songs from the hymnal. It actually made me realize that in fact John Wesley is giving us great advice for our lives today. Our past and present can work together. We can honor our past by bringing it into the present. We can honor each other by coming together as one family in Christ, a family that appreciates individuality but sticks together as a cohesive group. I think words that are nearly two and a half centuries old are directing us to embrace the present and each other.
Thought for the day: Sometimes change is a good thing.
Prayer: Dear God, Help us to remember that we are one congregation bound together by our love for You. Blessed be the ties that bind. Amen.
Jacki Rumpp
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