LATER WORKS AND FRIENDSHIPS 159 



congregational use. Although the publication itself 

 was insignificant in outward form, and attracted but 

 little attention at the time, yet the subject was one 

 in which he always felt great interest. This little 

 compilation, which was styled "The Yorkshire 

 Hymn Book," was brought out, it must be remem- 

 bered, before the many excellent hymnals now 

 obtainable had come into general use, and was 

 primarily designed by the editor for the use of his 

 own parishioners. In this, as in so many other 

 matters connected with his clerical work, he held 

 decided opinions, which he was never slow in his 

 endeavours to carry into effect. His view was, that 

 in the hymnals at that time procurable there were 

 always a considerable number of hymns that were 

 practically useless for ordinary village congrega- 

 tions. In this collection of his own he only in- 

 serted such as were to his thinking more or less of 

 a devotional character, and thus more in conso- 

 nance with the idea of worship. He was, moreover, 

 a great advocate, whether in preaching or in the 

 matter of hymnology, for the use of simple language 

 for country folk. For this reason he omitted from 

 his compilation many hymns, otherwise good, con- 

 taining words likely to be unintelligible to un- 

 lettered people. Occasionally, however, he ventured 

 to alter a word of this kind to a simple one a bold 

 step, perhaps for the sake of being able to retain 

 the use of the hymn. Those hymns, too, that had 

 seemingly been written more for poetic effect than 

 for the main object in view were also excluded. 



