Looking at the Christian ancestry of our church hymnody, in a narrower way, it may be said that its history goes back to the hymn writing of christianized Greece—1500 years back—1500 years of Christian hymn writing and hymn singing. The church hymnody of the different countries varies, of course, in time and duration. A German, for example, finds about seven hundred years of German hymn writing in his hymn book. We have inherited and appropriated this common legacy. In Syria there arose in the second century several prolific hymn writers. They were Gnostics, who sought to propagate their heretical teachings through sacred song. Bardesanes and his son Harmonius were the leaders of this Gnostic hymnody in the Syriac Church. This heretical hymnody was the negative cause of the great hymn writing of Ephrem Syrus, who was born at Nisibis in Northern Mesopotamia, 307 A. D., and died at Edessa, 373. He is regarded as the foremost representative of the orthodox hymnody of the old Syriac Church. In order to counteract the dangerous influences of Gnosticism, Ephrem Syrus produced a large number of fine hymns, which became very popular throughout the Eastern Church. Thus a new era in Christian hymnody was introduced. See pages 63-68 in “The Hymn as Literature,” by J. B. Reeves. Like the Gnostics of Syria in the second century, so also the Arians of Constantinople in the fourth century sought to propagate their heretical doctrines through sacred song. Again great champions of orthodoxy arose, men like Ephrem Syrus, who produced fine hymns, mainly in defense of the doctrines of the Trinity and Christ’s divine nature. Among early well known Greek hymn writers we note the following: Gregory of Nazianzus (died 389), Anatolius (seventh or eighth century), St. Andrew of Jerusalem (660-732), St. Cosmas, the Melodist (died about 760), St. John of Damascus (died about 780), St. Stephen of St. Sabas (died 794), and St. Joseph the Hymnographer (died about 840). As examples of their hymns we have “O Thou the One supreme o’er all” by Gregory, “The day is past and over” by Anatolius, “The day of resurrection” by St. John of Damascus, and “Art thou weary, art thou languid” by St. Stephen. Rev. Dr. John Mason Neale (1818-1866) of East Grimstead, England, has produced many excellent translations of the old Greek hymns, which are found in nearly all modern hymnals.