Where We Got Our Hymns — Interlude
Where We Got Our Hymns
December 12, 1992. Death comes as a thief in the night. Yesterday I opened the envelope from 114 S. Euclid, Park Ridge, Illinois, and read with satisfaction “Where We Got Our Hymns — Interlude.” This title in J. Irving’ s handwriting was at the top of the first of three handwritten pages, the contents of which you have just read. On election day, Irving had injured his leg and was in the midst of six weeks of bedridden convalescence. This chapter was written by hand because, in his condition, Irving could not use his typewriter.
This morning my wife Sandy called me at work to inform me that she had just heard from David Hawkinson that Irving Erickson had died suddenly. A thief came in the night. We had anticipated many more chapters in this series from our tall, Stately, distinguished, music-loving Chaplain, friend, and colleague. Irving had proposed a report on the Hymn Fest for this issue before continuing on with his historical account. I had readily agreed, and in my last letter before receiving this piece I asked if he would call this Chapter 5 or Interlude. No more chapters will come, but we still regard the time that follows as an interlude. — Ed.
How does one describe a weekend of spirited hymn singing, concerts, inspirational worship, and engaging lectures? A serendipity? A mountain top experience? I find it difficult to put into words the impact of the Hemlandssånger’s Centennial Song Fest held at Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, October 22-24. Hemlandssdnger was the first official hymnal of the Augustana Synod published especially for use at youth meetings and evening services. The volume was based on Oscar Ahnfelt’s Andeliga Sånger (spiritual songs) and included songs and hymns by Lina Sandell, Carl Rosenius, Ahnfelt, and others.
The festivities began officially with a smörgåsbord after which the first musical event was held in the seminary chapel. The program included songs by the Svenskarnas Day Girls Choir, the Red Wing Swedish Singers, and Göran Fristorp, a popular Swedish folk singer and balladeer. On Saturday morning there were three lectures: “The Song Tradition in Sweden” by Inger Selander, Swedish hymnologist; “Swedish Song Tradition in America” by Gracia Grindal; and “The use of Song Tradition in Contemporary Evangelism” by John Ylvisaker. By way of illustration, we sang some of the traditional hymns, several of them translations by Grindal. Ylvisaker led us in songs from his hymnal, Borning Cry.
The high point of the celebration was the song fest on Saturday evening at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Göran Fristorp was joined by the Gustavus College Choir, the American Swedish Institute Male Chorus, and the St. Paul Swedish Choir. The hymn sing was outstanding — sending shivers up the spine. It included sixteen songs, half of which were from Hemlandssånger. The rest were of like genre. Included were: “Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers,” “In Heaven Above,” “Day by Day,” “Children of the Heavenly Father,” “I Love to Hear the Story,” “When He Cometh,” and so forth. The sensitive direction of the song leader and the creative talent of the organist added greatly to the spirit of the singing. The service came to a climax with the rousing singing of “How Great Thou Art.” The final event of the festival, a reformation service in the seminary chapel, made use of hymns from the Swedish tradition.
In a statement of purpose, the organizers of the fest insisted that “the tradition contains a richness which deserves attention and celebration. These songs continue to call people to faith and revive the faltering in their faith... .” Besides its inspirational impact, the event served to support our decision to continue as custodians of this song tradition. Several participants, especially Gracia Grindal of the seminary, complimented the Covenant in this regard and urged us to carry on the tradition.