“Abide With Me” Voted Best-Loved Hymn In English “Gallup Poll”

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 93, 10 September 1948, Page 6

“Abide With Me” Voted Best-Loved Hymn In English “Gallup Poll”

Alfred Paine, of Saltash, Cornwall, a chorister for more than 60 years, !gave one of the. votes which make the hymn, “Abide With Me,” twice as popular as any other with the people of Britain. Recently the Daily Express invited readers to name the hymns they would most like to see included in the proposed ne;v edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern. The voting showed that it is the old familiar words and tunes with treasured associations behind them that most people want to keep. Many readers agreed that “A. and M.” could be improved by intelligent pruning. Organist H. J. Rowles, of Clacton-on-Sea, wrote: “Get rid of hymns weak and false in sentiment. Thousands qf falsehoods are sung every Sunday.” Some voters went back to the blitz days, and wanted to perpetuate the hymns that comforted them in the air-raid shelters. Here “Abide With Me” led with “Lead, Kindly Light,” 'and “Nearer By God, To Thee.” • “Lead, Kindly Light,” dead-heated in the whole voting as second favourite with an evening hymn, “The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended.” Versions of the 23rd Psalm—“ The King of Love My Shepherd Is”—and “The Lord’s My Shepherd”—took 11th and 17th places. “V/hen I Survey the Wondrous Cross” is the bestloved Passion hymn (9th place) followed by “There is a Green Hill” (19th). This also qualified as one of three real old favourite children’s hymns chosen; others were “Now the Day is Over” and “There’s a Friend.” The sailors’ hymn “Eternal Father,” was high up (Bth). Of martial hymns, “Fight the Food Fight” got 13th place, while “Onward, Christian Soldiers,” was only 20th in popularity. The voting for other best-loved hymns was: “Oh, God Our Help in Ages Past” (4th); “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,’ 1 and “Praise, My Soul” (tie 6th); “Our Blest Redeemer” (.9tbo; “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds” (12th); “Rock of Ages” (13th)'; “For All the Saints” (18th). Surprise at the bottom of the list was “Oh Come All Ye Faithful.” *>