Hymns were listed under Recitation. Children were to learn and recite one or two Hymns per term depending on the year. Sometimes the PNEU programmes indicated that the children learn two by the same Author/composer. Although the primary purpose in the PNEU was recitation, it does not mean that some of these hymns weren’t sung as well. Their are notes in the PR that families enjoyed sinigng the hymns, but more often, the notes refer to recitation. Some Hymns couldn’t be sung, because they weren’t even written to music, they were just included as text, like a children’s poem about God. When Hymnals were listed under Bible time, it was under a heading (Optional) or For Private Bible Daily Bible Reading.
These Hymn books were a few that were listed in the PNEU programs for recitation that didn’t include Music: (I have just recently found out that these aren’t the exact books that I thought they were. I will make changes here, when I can. Until then, please feel free to use them for recitation. Or recite church hymn words and then sing them too!)
Prayers and Hymns for the Use in Sunday Schools.
Term 1 – Recite Beutifully and try to memorize – Weeks 1-6
MORNING HYMN.
NOW the dreary night is done,
Comes again the glorious sun,
Crimson clouds, and silver white,
Wait upon his breaking light.
Glistening in the garden beds,
Flowers lift up their dewy heads,
And the shrill cock claps his wings,
And the merry lark upsprings.
When the eastern sky is red,
I, too, lift my little head.
When the lark sings loud and gay,
I, too, rise to praise and pray.
SAVIOUR, to Thy cottage home
Once the daylight used to come ;
Thou hast ofttimes seen it break
Brightly o’er that eastern lake.
Child of Mary, Thou dost know,
What of danger, joy, or woe,
Shall to-day my portion be,
Let me meet it all in Thee.
Thou wast meek and undefiled,
Make me holy, too, and mild ;
Thou didst foil the tempter’s power,
Help me in temptation’s hour.
Thou didst love Thy mother here,
Make me gentle, kind and dear ;
Thou wast subject to her word,
Teach me to obey, O LORD.
Fretful feelings, passion, pride,
Never did with Thee abide ;
Make me watch myself to-day,
That they lead me not astray.
With Thee, LORD, I would arise,
To Thee look with opening eyes,
All the day be at Thy side,
SAVIOUR, PATTERN, KING, and GUIDE.
Recite beautifully and try to memorize – Weeks 7-11
HYMN OF THE HOLY TRINITY.
WE are little Christian children ;
We can run, and talk, and play ;
The Great GOD of earth and Heaven
Made, and keeps us every day.
We are little Christian children ;
CHRIST, the SON of GOD Most High,
With His precious blood redeemed us,
Dying that we might not die.
We are little Christian children ;
GOD the HOLY GHOST is here,
Dwelling in our hearts, to make us
Kind, and holy, good, and dear.
We are little Christian children,
Saved by Him Who loved us most,
We believe in GOD Almighty,
FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST.
Term 2
Recite beautifully and try to memorize – Weeks 1-6
EVENING HYMN.
ON the dark hill’s western side
The last purple gleam has died,
Twilight to one solemn hue
Changes all, both green and blue.
In the fold and in the nest,
Birds and lambs are gone to rest ;
Labour’s weary task is o’er,
Closely shut the cottage door.
SAVIOUR, ere in sweet repose
I my weary eyelids close,
While my mother through the gloom
Singeth from the outer room ;
While across the curtain white,
With a dim uncertain light,
On the floor the faint stars shine,
Let my latest thought be Thine.
‘Twas a starry night of old,
When rejoicing Angels told
The poor shepherds of Thy birth,
GOD become a Child on earth.
Soft and quiet is the bed
Where I lay my little head ;
Thou hadst but a manger bare,
Rugged straw for pillow fair.
SAVIOUR, ’twas to win me grace
Thou didst stoop to that poor place,
Loving with a perfect love
Child, and man, and GOD above.
Hear me as alone I lie,
Plead for me with GOD on high ;
All that stained my soul to-day
Wash it in Thy blood away.
If my slumbers broken be,
Waking let me think of Thee :
Darkness cannot make me fear,
If I feel that Thou art near.
Happy now I turn to sleep ;
Thou wilt watch around me keep ;
Him no danger e’er can harm
Who lies cradled on Thine arm.
Recite beautifully and try to memorize – Weeks 7-11
THE FIRST PROMISE.
To renounce the Devil and all his Works.
DO no sinful action,
Speak no angry word,
Ye belong to JESUS,
Children of the LORD.
CHRIST is kind and gentle,
CHRIST is pure and true,
And His little children
Must be holy too.
There ‘s a wicked spirit
Watching round you still,
And he tries to tempt you
To all harm and ill.
But ye must not hear him,
Though ’tis hard for you
To resist the evil,
And the good to do.
For ye promised truly,
In your infant days,
To renounce him wholly,
And forsake his ways.
Ye are new-born Christians,
Ye must learn to fight
With the bad within you,
And to do the right.
CHRIST is your own Master,
He is good and true,
And His little children
Must be holy too.
Term 3
Recite beautifully and try to memorize – Weeks 1-6
THE FIRST PROMISE:
The Pomps and Vanity of this Wicked World.
AT Nazareth in olden time,
A peasant’s cottage stood,
Where Joseph the poor carpenter
Toiled for his daily food.
An humble Virgin lived with him,
Beneath that lowly shed,
And there, her Son, our SAVIOUR CHRIST,
In poverty was bred.
He had no glory here on earth,
No riches and no state ;
His Christian children must not care
For being rich or great.
Fine clothes, fine houses, pretty things,
That please our longing eyes,
Would only make our hearts forget
Our treasure in the skies.
It would be wrong on pomp or dress
To spend our thoughts or hours ;
Another lesson CHRIST hath taught,
Showing the simple flowers.
There ‘s not a yellow buttercup,
Returning with the spring,
But it can boast a golden crown
As bright as any king.
The red rose and the lily fair
That charm our summer’s day,
There ‘s not a lady in the land
As finely dressed as they.
They feel no proud, no foolish thoughts,
Because they are so fair ;
They wish for nothing, quite content
With sunshine and sweet air.
GOD gave to them their colours bright,
To us, faith, hope, and love,
And bade us fear the things of earth,
And seek the things above.
Recite beautifully and try to memorize Weeks 7-12:
THE FIRST PROMISE
And all the Sinful Lusts of the Flesh.
WE were washed in holy water,
We were set CHRIST’S Church within,
Gifted with His HOLY SPIRIT,
And forgiven all our sin.
But though born again, and granted
Grace to pray and strength to fight,
Still remains our sinful nature,
Weakened, not extinguished quite.
Sinful thoughts of pride and passion,
Greedy wishes, selfish care,
In our human hearts lie hidden,
Ready to awaken there.
Still the wrong way will seem pleasant,
Still the right way will seem hard ;
All our life we shall be tempted,
We must ever be on guard.
We are soldiers doing battle,
Day by day, and hour by hour,
Each one with his own temptations
Striving in the SPIRIT’S power ;
Still that SPIRIT stronger groweth
In the hearts that hold It fast ;
He will help us, teach us, crown us,
More than conqu’rors at the last.
Hymn (Poetry about God) Recitations
THIS is the day when Christ arose
So early from the dead
Why should I keep my eyelids closed
And waste my hours in bed
2 This is the day when Jesus broke
The powers of death and hell
And shall I still Wear Satan’s yoke
And love my sins so well
3 To day with pleasure Christians meet
TO pray and hear the word
And I would go with cheerful feet
To learn Thy will 0 Lord
4 I ll leave my sport to read and Pray
And so prepare for heaven
0 may I love this blessed day
The best of all the seven.