After attending lectures on Methodism, two things stuck on my mind.
The first is a part of the assignment where we have to explore John Wesley's methods of spreading Scriptural Holiness. Yes, we were taught that one of the ways was through the Hymns John and Charles wrote. The other was the statement posed by the lecturer to me - 'don't forget that as a liturgist, you can tell the pastor that we should sing such and such a hymn'.
So one Sunday, whilst sitting at the pew, I turned to the Content page of our UMH.
Lo behold, there are 735-57 = 679 hymns (+/-).
Since then I have counted and discovered I know how to sing only 95 or 14% of the hymns. I am not sure if this is a good percentage or average. I could probably do a whole thesis on this. We must of course take into account that I have only converted and been going for Service for the last seven years; and frequent 3 seperate methodist church services.
Anyway, with this exercise and to my delight, I found UMH 441, which I have never come across, have not sung nor been taught to sing, all these years. Not satisfied, I seeked out a pianst who has been playing almost every Sunday, in a 110 year old methodist church, for the last 30years and still is. I asked whether she knows or have had ever played this hymn even once. To my horror, the answer is negative to both queries.
So what is the big deal with UMH 441?
Okay! The title of UMH441 is 'What does the Lord require' .... from Micah 6:8.
Considering that for four years, I have carried this verse in my heart, worn a t-shirt which quotes the verse, and don't know that there is hymn written from it, nor know how to sing it, is a great shame and loss. This is compared to that fact that I read about, participated and wear a t-shirt supporting RPK, over a short one year span!
What about the 2000 odd Congregation, which the church boast of at its peak? The verse may have been preached a couple of times in the last 30years, but it has not been reinforced through repeated singing.
Incidentally, UMH 441 is categorized under the Social Holiness section. Do we see a reason why we oft forget, may be don't know or perhaps even choose to ignore - to 'do justly, love mercy and walk humbly..' ???
Woah!!! - with this little atom of knowledge, I suppose I could strut up to three different pastors and ask them to teach us UMH 441. I will pray to be subtle and face-giving when I do it. However, I am still a long way from answering the last part of my assignment ie how is John Wesley's Sanctification and Scriptural Holiness of relevence to today's churches! Any pointers?
