Hymns vs. Praise songs

[dillo]

An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church.
He came home and his wife asked him how it was. "Well," said the farmer, "It
was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses
instead of hymns."
"Praise choruses?" said his wife, "What are those?"
"Oh, they're okay. They're sort of like hymns, only
different," said the farmer.
"Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife.
The farmer said, "Well it's like this - If I were to say to
you: 'Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well that would be a hymn. If, on
the other hand, I were to say to you: 'Martha, Martha, Martha, Oh, Martha,
MARTHA, MARTHA, the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the
white cows, the black and white cows, the COWS, COWS, COWS are in the corn,
are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, the CORN, CORN,
CORN'-well, that would be a praise chorus."

Now, the rebuttal, so to speak:
A young Christian went to his local church usually, but one weekend attended
a small-town church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.
"Well," said the young man, "It was good. They did something different,
however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs."
"Hymns," said his wife, "what are those?"
"Oh, they're okay. They're sort of like regular songs, only different," said
the young man.
"Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife.
The young man said, "Well it's like this: If I were to
say to you, 'Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well that
would be a regular song. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:
"Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry Inclinest thine ear to the words
of my mouth. Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by To the righteous,
inimitable, glorious truth.
"For the way of the animals who can explain There in their heads is no
shadow of sense, Hearkenest they in God's sun or his rain Unless from the
mild, tempting corn they are fenced.
"Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight, Have broke free their
shackles, their warm pens eschewed. Then goaded by minions of darkness and
night They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.
So look to that bright shining day by and by, Where all foul corruptions of
earth are reborn. Where no vicious animal makes my soul cry And I no longer
see those foul cows in the corn.
"Then, if I were to do only verses one, three and four and do a key change
on the last verse, well that would be a hymn."

[Bradley]

Thats absolutely great !!

I consider the gretest thing to ever happen to me is the acceptance of Christ...However as a lover of the Hymns and old time Christian music I really struggle with the new stuff that is being sold as Praise music.

Thanks for the Laugh on that first paragraph especially.

[ShaneJ]

When I was growing up, the scriptural verses weren't 1,3&4 though....they were 1,2&4. I don't know the words to many third verses!

[Jim Broyles]

Pretty funny. I sent it to the music director at my church.

[csstanley]

When I was growing up, the scriptural verses weren't 1,3&4 though....they were 1,2&4. I don't know the words to many third verses!

Worst 2 things in Church are to be sitting on the 1st pew and the third stanza to a hymn. They both get overlooked.

[merv]

I agree with you Bradley my wife gives me fits because of my disdain for the 7 - 11 (seven words repeated 11 times ) songs . My church is currently trying to incorporate them in our services. It is funny to me the people who attend there are 50 and up except the Pastor the reason is younger people won't or can't sing hymns . Hopefully it is only a cycle and the hymns will come back in style.