Filed by MetaLark.
I really hate for people to change the wording on beloved old hymns, but I’ve come upon a case that cries out for a change. It’s in the third verse of “Rock of Ages.” I’m re-notating this song for my church choir to sing (it’s in the public domain, so this is legal), and the Baptist and Methodist hymnals differ on one word, neither of which I like.
Here’s the verse from the Baptist book:
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to thee for dress;
Helpless, look to thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
The Methodist hymnal has “Vile” instead of “Foul.” But both of these adjectives seem overwrought by today’s standards. I thought of substituting “Soiled,” but “Soiled, I to the fountain fly” feels a bit awkward. So, I submitted three wording options to family members, noting that the previous two phrases start with adjectives–”naked” and “helpless.” But each person disagreed with the other, and that’s when I came up with the fourth option. They haven’t yet responded on that one…
Here are the options:
1. Soiled, I to the fountain fly
2. To the fountain, soiled, I fly
3. To the fountain let me fly
4. Soiled, unto the fountain fly
Each person responded with a different opinion, and each expressed criticisms of those not chosen, namely:
Option 1. Awkward, as stated.
Option 2. “Soiled” seems to refer to “fountain” rather than “I.”
Option 3. Doesn’t give a reason for flying to the fountain.
The fourth option keeps the adjective-first iteration, and incidentally keeps the unstated-”I” iteration. Would that work, do you think? Or, should I just keep one of the original adjectives? Or, have you any other suggestion for me?
Personally, I’d keep one of the originals. Soiled brings to mind the usage, “In terror the soldier soiled his britches.”
MetaLark, I have some really old hymnals from my father’s church. He was one of the last three members of a tiny Primitive Baptist church in my hometown. He and a couple sold the church building for $51K many years ago.
The problem with Primitive Baptist churchs is/was their strict interpretation of darn near anything. They would argue about a word in a heartbeat, and it seems the normal endgame would be several members would leave and start a new church.
In your specific project, a change of a word would have driven off some members, no doubt in my mind.
I’ll try to find them, and see what the wording might be.
Well, in my church (Catholic) the choir members wouldn’t even realize a change had been made. These old gospel songs are not traditional with us, though there are a few that have snuck into our hymnals over the past thirty years; “How Great Thou Art,” “Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling,” and “Blessed Assurance” are three that come to mind.
For myself, I grew up harboring a lot of resentment toward Baptists (who were always picking on me–accusing me of worshipping idols and calling my Rosary prayers “vain repetition”–even adults would gang up on me, a little kid). Hence, I developed a contempt for all things Baptist, including their preaching style and their Gospel music. I was thirty-five before I got over my resentment, and only in the past couple of years have I begun to value their music tradition. Lately, I have grown to love “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” and “Rock of Ages” and others, and I’m transcribing them–changing words and notation here and there–to submit to our choir director to use as occasional preludes at Mass.
We will be singing “Rock of Ages” next Sunday. Since I cannot find a good substitute for the words “foul” or “vile” (one of my daughters had expressed an objection to “soiled” similar to Plaasjaapie’s), I guess we’ll be going with “foul.” I also removed the verse that goes, “Not the labors of my hands . . . for sin could . . . atone; thou must save, and thou alone.” It’s not that these words are contrary to Catholic theology, but just that a common misinterpretation of the doctrine–that works are of no importance to spiritual growth–is contrary to our tradition.
I guess that I’m not getting why you want to change the wording of old hymns?
Funny thing, MetaLark. Both my sons-in-law are Catholic. So, when I found out about the first one, I turned to amazon.com for help.
Well, believe it or not, there is a [i]Catholicism for Dummies[/i] book available!
I also assured them they would get no static from me how the grandchildren were raised.
I enjoyed reading about the institution, very much.
Plaas, you wonder why I want to change the wording of old hymns? As I indicated in my initial post, I think the terms “foul” and “vile” are over the top, given today’s understanding of those terms. A hundred years ago, “foul” probably meant about what “dirty” means to us today; but nowadays “foul” has more extreme connotations. Or, so it seems to me.
As for removing the second verse, well, the old Methodist Hymnal also removed it, so I’m in good company.
As it stands, I probably will keep “foul, I to the fountain fly” in spite of my misgivings; I just can’t conjure up a satisfactory substitute.
Jethro, “Catholicism for Dummies,” eh? LOL. That “X for Dummies” publisher sure struck gold with his titling idea.
Yes. I saw the book _AOL for Dummies_, but I didn’t buy it, because I already knew _that_.
Seriously, I think “foul” is your best option. You need something that means “dirty,” since that what requires a bath, and the words we use now have the wrong # of syllables. Anyway, “foul” may be over the top for a bath, but surely not for the need for salvation!
Or how about this:
Grossssss, I to the fountain fly
!
–
About Catholic and Baptist —
All the cradle Catholics I know have a feeling Protestants don’t like them. Having been raised Protestant, I can say a) we didn’t feel that way, but b) I have since found out that some Protestants do. It’s just not common in my part of the country. It would be like disliking Hottentots. I exaggerate slightly.
And about Catholic music: when it’s modern, English hymns, I would like to import some Protestant tunes. The woman at the well; As the deer panteth for the water; A mighty fortress; To God be the glory. And others I am delighted to leave behind: I love to tell the story tops that list, and some choruses that repeat a phrase 6 times.
And I wouldn’t sing the hymn 2 Sundays ago, in which we were supposed to say that we were to go out in the world and not spread our Creed (!).
I’m not following you, Acad; which hymn says *not* to spread the Creed?
I’m with Forrest: why change the ancient words of a hymn to comply with something as nebulous as “today’s standards,” as if there are any.
I would argue that “foul” and “vile” have much different meanings than “soiled,” which as someone earlier noted means little more than “got dirt on it.”
“Foul,” instead, connotes not just a physical dirtiness but a spiritual one as well. Not for nothing was the word often used as an adjective to emphasize the nature of “villain.”
Finally, it’s difficult for me to imagine why “over the top” is a criticism of a hymn comparing the dismal status of humanity when compared to God. The journey takes on added authority if it’s a LONG trip, as from “vile” to grace as opposed from “soiled” to “clean.”
I’m tickled to see that you’re back in form, Larry.
I still like “soiled.” “Got dirt on it” is a good metaphor for what sin does to a person’s soul, it seems to me.
However, you’ll be pleased to know that in the end I went with “foul.”
The song was near perfect for the Cycle A readings of the Third Sunday of Lent. From Ezekiel: “…and I will pour clean water upon you and cleanse you from all your impurities…” -From Exodus: “Go over there in front of the people…I will be standing in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it…” -And from Psalm 103: “Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.”