Excerpt from The Sabbath Bell: A Collection of Music for Choirs, Musical Associations, Singing-Schools, and the Home Circle

Attention is respectfully called to the singing-school department, which has been prepared with great care and labor. The plan is new, and music and words, almost without exception, original. It is believed that the character of the music, and the progressiveness and variety of the exercises will make the singing-school unusually pleasant and profitable both to Teacher and Pupils. It is thought that Choirs will find in the second department of this book a rich and full supply for their part of the service of the Sabbath day, and the Editor would take this opportunity to express his obligation to the Plymouth Collection, from which, by the kindness of Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, have been taken many beautiful hymns never before set tp music; also to Dr. Lowell Mason, for permission to select from his manuscripts many valuable tunes which have never before been published.

Many have complained that in the best and most popular of the later books a great amount of space is taken in reprint ing the old tunes; at the same time it is admitted that they can not be dispensed with. It is hoped that the way the matter is compromised in The Sabbath Bell will be approved. Chants for the service of the Episcopal Church have been prepared with much care, and we hope may not be set aside because the words are not placed under the music, for we are confident that a very little practice will enable the singer to read as well with the music and words a little sep arated. The third department will be found to contain music for very many of those extraordinary occasions in which singing has a part, as well as for the more quiet enjoyment and devotion of that place dearest of all on earth - home.

Finally, The Sabbath Bell is sent forth with the earnest prayer that it may serve well the cause of human improve ment, both in that which relates to this and that which relates to another life, and to all who use it may it be that when its last tone has floated away on the silent air. The stillness which follows shall only precede the bursting forth of the eter. Nal song of Moses and the Lamb.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.