I lay claim to no higher gift than a small insight into the glorious art of petitioning and thanksgiving, as practiced in psalmody."
"It is refreshing both to the spirits and to the body to indulge in psalmody, in befitting seasons," returned the master of song, unhesitatingly complying with her intimation to follow; "and nothing would relieve the mind more than such a consoling communion.
"Is he, then, much practiced in the art of psalmody?" demanded her simple companion.
As the psalms of David exceed all other language, so does the psalmody that has been fitted to them by the divines and sages of the land, surpass all vain poetry.
In addition to his other vocations, he was the singing- master of the neighborhood, and picked up many bright shillings by instructing the young folks in psalmody. It was a matter of no little vanity to him on Sundays, to take his station in front of the church gallery, with a band of chosen singers; where, in his own mind, he completely carried away the palm from the parson.
Among the musical disciples who assembled, one evening in each week, to receive his instructions in psalmody, was Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter and only child of a substantial Dutch farmer.
But what was still more annoying, Brom took all Opportunities of turning him into ridicule in presence of his mistress, and had a scoundrel dog whom he taught to whine in the most ludicrous manner, and introduced as a rival of Ichabod's, to instruct her in psalmody.
Many hundred fresh children's voices rose up there and sang hymns to the Father Beneficent, and little George's soul thrilled with delight at the burst of glorious
psalmody. His mother could not see him for awhile, through the mist that dimmed her eyes.
When she did come, Heathcliff came with her, and she insisted that I should take him into the kitchen, as my fellow-servant had gone to a neighbour's, to be removed from the sound of our 'devil's
psalmody,' as it pleased him to call it.
Le Quoi, as they descended the stairs, on the subject of
psalmody, which he closed by a violent eulogium on the air of the “Bay of Biscay, 0,” as particularly connected with his friend Benjamin’s execution.
All these strange antics were accompanied by still stranger guttural noises from the devotee, who seemed to be praying in a sing-song or else singing some pagan
psalmody or other, during which his face twitched about in the most unnatural manner.
(13) Though the SBC had previously endorsed or published hymnals (e.g., The Baptist
Psalmody and The Baptist Hymn and Praise Book), this was the first time the denomination itself had published a hymnal that was so widely used.