In the preface to the 1838 edition of his now-famous hymn collection, William Gadsby began thus:

To be employed with the solemn pleasure in singing the praises of God with the spirit and with the understanding  also, is a blessing peculiar to God’s elect; nor can even they be thus engaged, only as the blessed Spirit influences the mind, and favors them with the unction of his grace.  It is one thing to have the ear charmed, and another to have the heart engaged in this most delightful part of God’s worship in his church below.  “Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound.”

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One might wonder why in the heading of my blog there are a collection of hymnals.  I am a worship leader and collect hymnals of high caliber on which to draw Christ-centered, cross-focused texts which exhort God’s people to worship on the basis of Christ and Him crucified for their sins.  I compose original melodies as well as arrange old ones so that the Church may be edified in singing these timeless truths.  William Gadsby (1773-1844) was a pastor and hymnwriter who compiled the first edition of his hymnal on in 1832.  I have a copy of the final text-only edition in my possession (recent reprint by Old Paths Gospel Press).  #662 gives us the sum and substance of Christian worship.

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