The Christian Science Hymnal is a collection of hymns used in ChristianSciencechurch services including Sunday services and Wednesday evening testimony meetings, as well as in occasional informal hymn sings. It includes both traditional Christian hymns, some with minor adaptations, and hymns unique to the Christian Science hymnal. The hymnal includes seven poems by the denomination's founder Mary Baker Eddy set to various tunes: "Christ, My Refuge", "Christmas Morn", "Communion Hymn", "Feed My Sheep", "Love", "Mother's Evening Prayer", and "Satisfied".
History
The first formal hymnal was copyrighted in 1892. It contained 210 hymns, and generally presented two hymns on a single page, in their poetic form, in conjunction with two or three tunes to which either could be sung. Hymns 179-193 are presented individually, interlined with their respective tunes. The layout of the book is described in the Preface: In 1910 the hymnal was revised, and presented the hymns interlined with their tunes, as is common practicein America today. Commonly brown-covered, the 1910 edition was used until the revision of 1932, expanded and with some modifications, the standard through the present day, typically in first blue, then brown cover, with an octagonalemboss of the Original Mother Church tower and Extension dome.
1932 edition
The hymns in the 1932 edition are primarily alphabetical by first line, some with alternate tune settings, and include information on the author, tune composer, meter, and use by permission. There are 429 hymns/tunes: 297 hymns are presented with different tune settings. Alternate tunes setting the same hymn are presented in numerical succession in the main body of the book. The final 29 entries are in the Supplement section which was present in the original printing of the 1932 book: Settings of Mrs. Eddy's poems, "Love", and "Satisfied", first appeared with the 1932 edition. More numerous alternate settings of the seven hymns by Mrs. Eddy are provided, as they are chosen often for use in worship services. Index listings include tunes alphabetically, tunes metrically, composers and sources, tempo indications, authors and sources, and first lines. The 1932 edition of the Christian Science Hymnal is used in Christian Science churches worldwide. It has been translated into numerous languages; the tunes and hymn numbers are maintained, joined to the vernacular versions of the texts. Visitors would be able to sing in their own language, joining with the congregation singing in the other language. Found in the Supplement section are the hymns, "I Need Thee Every Hour", "I'm a Pilgrim and I'm a Stranger", and "Eternity", which were originally included in the Hymnal in accordance with wish."
During the early 1980s, exploratory work was undertaken into a third edition, with many new tunes and texts planned for inclusion, but the project was shelved in 1988. In late 2008, a new supplement containing 33 additional hymns/tunes was published. In 2017, The Church published Christian Science Hymnal: Hymns 430–603. This hymnal complements the 1932 edition, and includes contemporary and traditional hymns, and hymns from around the world. The 2017 edition consists of 174 hymns, including 30 from the 2008 Supplement and 17 new settings of poems by Mary Baker Eddy.
