American Mainline Hymnody
1800 - 1965

[American MAINLINE hymnody is that hymnody which has been most influenced musically by the tradition of European classical music and has been transmitted and preserved in the standard hymnals of large American Protestant denominations such as Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Lutheran; Baptist, and others. Generally speaking, MAINLINE hymns are not GOSPEL hymns and are not greatly influenced musically by popular musical styles. Another term for MAINLINE hymnody might be "denominational hymnody."]

See What is Mainline Hymnody?

See Timeline of American Mainline Hymnody

1800 - 1900

Baptists

My country, 'tis of thee (Samuel F. Smith, 1831) - UMH 697) *
He leadeth me (Joseph Gilmore, 1862) - UMH 128) *

Congregationalists

My faith looks up to thee (Ray Palmer, 1830) - UMH 452
Christ for the world we sing (Samuel Wolcott, 1869) - UMH 568 *
O master, let me walk with thee (Washington Gladden, 1879) - UMH 430 *
Lead on, O king eternal (Ernest W. Shurtleff, 1887) -UMH 580 *

Episcopalians

'Take up your cross,' the Savior said (Charles W. Everest, 1933) - UMH 415 *
O little town of Bethlehem (Phillips Brooks, 1868) - UMH 230 *
O Zion, haste thy mission high fulfilling (Mary Ann Thomson, 1868) - UMH 573 &
God of the ages, whose almighty hand (Daniel C. Roberts, 1876) - UMH 698

Methodists

Break thou the bread of life (Mary A. Lathbury, 1841) - UMH 599 &
Day is dying in the west ((Mary A. Lathbury, 1877; 1890) - UMH 687 &

Presbyterians

More love to thee, O Christ (Elizabeth P. Prentiss, 1869) - UMH 453 &
Stand up, stand up for Jesus (George Duffield, 1858) - UMH 514 *
Jesus savior, pilot me (Edward Hopper, 1871) - UMH 509 *

Quakers

Dear lord and father of mankind (Jonh G. Whittier, 1872) - UMH 358 $

Unitarians

It came upon the midnight clear (Edmund Sears, 1849) - UMH 218 *
Holy spirit, truth divine (Samuel Longfellow, 1886) - UMH 587 $
Now, on land and sea desending (Samuel Longfellow, 1859) - UMH 685 $
Mine eyes have seen the glory (Julia Ward Howe, 1861) - UMH 717 &

Nondenominational

O beautiful, for spacious skies (Katherine Lee Bates, 1893) - UMH 696 &
Away in a manger (anonymous, 1885) - UMH 217
O sing a song of Bethlehem (Louis F. Benson, 1889) - UMH 179

Conclusions:

- National (patriot) hymns
- Hymns for missions
- Liturgical hymns focus on Christmas
- Hymns which focus on "devotion to Jesus"
- Afterlife is an important theme
- A growing social concern
- Written mainly by clergy (*), women (&), [or poets ($)]

20th Century

This is my father's world (Maltbie D. Babcock, 1901) - UMH 144 *
Where cross the crowded ways of life (Frank M. North, 1903) - UMH 427 *
Joyful, joyful we adore thee (Henry van Dyke, 1907) - UMH 89 *
O holy city, seen of John (Walter R. Bowie, 1910) - UMH 726 *
Rise up, O men of God (William P. Merrill, 1911) - UMH 576 *
Lift every voice and sing (James Weldon Johnson, 1921) - UMH 519
God of grace and God of glory (Harry E. Fosdick, 1930) - UMH 577 *
All praise to thee, for thou, O Kind divine (F. Bland Tucker, 1938) - UMH 166 *
Hope of the world (Georgia Harkness, 1954) - UMH 178 *#&
O God of every nation (William W Reid, Jr., 1954) - UMH 435 #
Earth and all stars (Herbert Brokering, 1964) [not in UMH]
God, who stretched the spangled heavens (Catherine Cameron, 1965) - UMH 150 &

Conclusions:

[- High social concern
- Mostly written by clergy (*) or women (&)
- Influence of the Hymn Society of America (#)]

[Except as indicated iin brackets[], all material is taken from SWU, pp. 191 - 196.]


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