Hymn vs Chorus
The differences between Hymns and Praise music:
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,
then, if I were to repeat the whole
thing two or three times, well that would be a praise chorus."
As luck would have it, the exact same Sunday a young, new Christian from the
city church attended the 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
Inclines 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."
This site was last updated on
Thursday May 04, 2006
Thank you for taking the time to visit
our website. If you have any questions or suggestions,
please feel
free to contact me at
PJ@smallChurch.com