Page:The Chinese Recorder and Missionary Journal 1906-12 Vol 37 Iss 12.pdf/25

Here again a few more explanations of characters are necessary. ⿰亻鞋 is a word used to express the meaning of "can," "does." It is pronounced "â", or rather a better idea of its sound would be given by the combination of English letters "a-er" spoken in the Foochow seventh tone, which is a tone of an exceedingly curly nature. 毛 is used to express the same meaning as 無 "has not." 煞 means "end, finish." 務 is the most commonly used word meaning "to have." It is used in Foochow colloquial, where 有 is used in Mandarin. 厝 is the commonly used word for house. 葯 deu takes the place of the Mandarin 住. 伊 i is the third personal pronoun. 奴 is frequently used for the first personal pronoun, while 汝 is the second personal pronoun.

In a recent number of the Recorder Rev. J. E. Walker, of Shao-wu, printed the melody of a tune of his, which is one of the most popular hymns of the church in Fukien. This tune is a splendid example of what a Pentatonic tune should be. It is very fine to hear a big congregation singing this tune, even if they do now and then sing it in a way of their own. If I could succeed in making a tune that is so popular as this I should be proud. The hymn to which it is set I give here:—

1. 讚美讚美上帝
   活命福氣其主宰
   我是天父創造
   肉體靈魂伊賜我
   我蒙上帝保護
   自出世日至仱
   上帝日暝照顧
   身心都得平安
   
2. 讚美讚美上帝
   活命福氣其主宰
   天父獨生愛子
   捨去本身欲救我
   耶穌甘願流血
   替我獻祭贖罪
   我罪伊洗他格
   心裏無量安慰
   
3. 讚美讚美上帝
   活命福氣其主宰
   聖神卽保惠師
   天父應許賞賜我
   聖神由天降臨
   光照心裏黑暗
   創造我心重新
   應該大大稱讚
   
4. 讚美讚美上帝
   活命福氣其主宰
   天父救主聖神
   三位一體毛離我
   天下萬國萬民
   男女老幼大細
   該常協力同心
   讚美三一上帝
   

I have given samples of a few well-known hymns used in Foochow, and had I the space at my disposal I could give several other good hymns here.

One of the three hymnals in use suffers from bad editing. After my critical study of many hymnals I am sure that Foochow has not a monopoly of this trouble. Many hymnals have suffered in this way. In this particular book there are, for