Baptist Hymnal with Musical Notation (Hardcover)

For years, leaders of various Baptist conventions have expressed their desire for a new hymnal that would meet current needs regarding worship, evangelism, and church growth. The editor's fervent prayer is that this will be such a hymnal.

The procedure used to prepare this work is a most interesting story. Two hymnals currently in use served as sources, namely: "Himnos selectos evangélicos," a widely distributed hymnal in southern South America, and "El Nuevo himnario popular," which is better known in Central America, the United States, and northern South America. The first step was to ascertain what Baptist leaders longed to see in a new hymnal. Surveys were conducted on the two hymnals to determine the most frequently sung hymns in different countries. Then, a meeting of the Consulting Committee for the New Hymnal was held in the United States, sponsored by the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

In the selection of hymns, the goal was to study each one to determine its clarity of thought, doctrinal content, and singability. An attempt was made to improve the grammar of the hymn lyrics, but this was not entirely possible because in some cases the copyright holders did not authorize the changes.

The following features are worth noting:

1. The first line of the hymn has been used as the title, except in cases where it is commonly known by another title.

2. When a hymn has a specific biblical basis, it is indicated at the foot of the hymn.

3. Each hymn has an appropriate biblical text immediately below the title.

4. The author, composer, and/or source of the lyrics and tune, plus the name of the tune, are stipulated at the foot of the hymn. The date given is that of its composition or publication when known.

5. The metrical forms of the tunes are not given on the page where the hymn appears but in the alphabetical index of tunes.

6. Asterisks in the stanzas indicate a biblical reference or a footnote at the bottom of the hymn.

7. Square brackets in the music header indicate the suggested introduction for the accompanist.

8. When a tune is used more than once, in most cases a key change is suggested by a reference at the foot of the hymn indicating the tune number in a higher or lower key.

9. There is simple guitar notation for appropriate hymns. Asterisks in the chords indicate difficult chords.