The Golden Shower of Sunday School Melodies

William Bradbury

1862

Anthology of the American Hymn-Tune Repertory

PREFACE.

“What! Another new music book for Sunday Schools? We thought the GOLDEN CHAIN was so popular that no school once adopting it would soon lay it aside or allow another to take its place.” So we, the editor of GOLDEN CHAIN and GOLDEN SHOWER, thought, and still think and believe. But friends, into whose mouths we have put the above exclamation (because some there are, doubtless, who will think it, if they do not say it), please remember that many Sunday Schools sing a great deal. Singing, with them, is an exercise that they find beneficial in many respects: 1. As an attraction; it draws into the school many who would otherwise spend the sacred hours of the Sabbath in the street. 2. It is a most delightful and successful means of communicating Gospel truths. We may often sing the Gospel into hearts that would otherwise be closed to its teachings. Sweet music opens these hearts, and bearing upon its angel wings “Heavenly Breezes” –precious words of “Invitation” – thoughts of “The Cross” and the “The beautiful Land,” which is “The Christian’s dear Home,” it awakens emotions of tenderness, love and contrition. 3. It is an exercise of devotion, of praise and prayer. Many of the hymns are prayers, others songs of praise; others songs of thanks for the blessed Sabbath day, “The best day of all the week,” and for the dear “Sabbath School,” etc., etc. And when our children can be interested in such pieces as “Just as I am,” “Yes, Jesus loves me,” “What shall I do to be saved?” “The Lord is my Shepherd,” and “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden,” we cannot but believe that, if we are faithful, the Holly Spirit will open their hearts to receive and love that blessed Saviour, so that they shall mean what they say when they sing, “I ought to love my Saviour, He loves me well, I know.” And may we not joyfully respond,

“Sing them, dear children, sing them still,

Those sweet and holy songs;

Oh let the psalms of Zion’s hill

Be heard from youthful tongues.”

Many schools have thus adopted music as their right-hand companion and helper in the work of teaching, and having introduced the GOLDEN CHAIN when it was first issued, and sung it through pretty thoroughly are now asking for additional new music and hymns. To such we offer THE GOLDEN SHOWER, of new, sparkling, and if we mistake not, refreshing melodies.

Most of the hymns have been written expressly for this work, by different authors, and neither pains nor expense have been spared in enriching its pages with the purest and best of their productions.

The music, as will be observed, is also mostly new. It has been composed for and to the hymns, and in attractiveness and popularity will, we think, be found fully “up to the standard” already set in former successful works. And may these melodies cheer and strengthen the heart of many a faithful Sunday School teacher, while the dear youth and their purest joys in attuning their voices to the Songs of Zion.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE MOVEMENT. – It will be observed that directions, partly in figures, are given to the different pieces at their beginning, as “24-two to the measure,” etc., the meaning of which is Take a string and attach a light weight to one end of it, holding the other between the thumb and finger, at a distance of twenty-four inches from the weight. Set the string in motion, oscillating like the pendulum of a clock. Two of these vibrations mark the time of a measure of this piece of music. The explanation being in brief thus: “String 24 inches long-two vibrations to the measure.” “20-one to each quarter note,” means that the string should be held twenty inches from the weight, and then one vibration to each quarter note will indicate the exact movement of that piece. By this simple process, and without the necessity of a Metronome, the teacher can “time” the different pieces at home, so that in taking them up in his class he will not be under the necessity of guessing at the proper movement. The little pocket circular tape measure we have found very convenient for this purpose, the case serving for the weight.

WARREN, Music Stereotyper rear 48 Centre St.

Anthology of the American Hymn-Tune Repertory