The outstanding merit of these church hymns is that they proclaim and extol God’s great works of love, in words and strains that burst forth from the very soul of the people—immediately they became the property of the people. As silent and yet as most eloquent witnesses of evangelical truth, these hymns made their way even to distant lands and awakened the languishing hearts of the people to new life, to joy and praise. The annals of the Reformation are rich in the most remarkable testimonies concerning these things, how the Lutheran hymns powerfully conquered the love of the people and how the people heartily sang them in the churches and in the homes, in weal and woe. And this great legacy from the Reformation era, the Lutheran Church has preserved, used well, and richly increased. The church hymn is the special glory of the Lutheran Church. No church communion can be compared to the Lutheran Church in this respect. Not without reason has the Lutheran Church been called the singing church. MARTIN LUTHER When we think of the Lutheran hymnody from the historical point of view, we must dwell, if but briefly, on its classical formation in the motherland of the Lutheran Church, Germany. Something permanent and peculiarly typical is present in the hymnody of the Reformation days. With respect to Luther himself, his best hymns are our most precious possession. “Ein’ feste Burg” is known the world over. Christians everywhere are familiar with it. At first Luther did not seem to be aware of his poetical gifts. It was not until in July, 1523, when two Belgian martyrs of the Lutheran Church had been burnt at the stake, that Luther’s first poetical product came into existence—in the folk song style. This song, “Ein neues Lied wir heben an,” spread very rapidly throughout Germany. Soon thereafter came two hymns, one about penance, and one about faith: “Out of the depths I cry to Thee” and “Dear Christians one and all rejoice.” They were supplied with tunes and spread very rapidly throughout the land. 1524 was the hymn-year of the Reformation. 24 of Luther’s 37 hymns appeared in various publications. “Ein’ feste Burg” seems to belong to the year 1527. Luther’s musical assistants were Conrad Rupf and Johann Walther. It is said that while these two musicians sat at the table, busy with the writing of the music, Luther walked about the large room and tried the tunes, singing them, or playing them on his flute. When we stop to consider what was then formed and created, we see clearly that this is a historical situation of epoch-making significance. Luther at the church door in Wittenberg, Luther at Worms, at Wartburg, in his home; so also Luther with his musical friends, creating or remodelling poetry and music for the new Church—a central figure in the history of the Church.