The Best Church Hymns

"The Best Church Hymns" is a book published in 1898 by Louis Fitzgerald Benson, an American Presbyterian minister. This work is the result of a survey of 107 hymn-books, and it presents a curated collection of thirty-two hymns ranked in order of popularity. Unlike a traditional hymn book, this recording only includes the spoken texts of the hymns, without any musical accompaniment. Additionally, there are a few explanatory notes provided for each hymn, although not all footnotes are included in this recording. Before the hymn texts, the book features two essays that discuss the significance of hymns and the standards by which they are judged. Louis Fitzgerald Benson, the editor of several hymnals, compiled this book with the purpose of showcasing the most beloved and widely sung hymns of the time. Though this recording focuses solely on the texts, "The Best Church Hymns" provides insight into the religious and musical preferences of the late 19th century