The Corner

Re: Pc Hymns

Iain Murray at the Competitive Enterprise Institute has a nice example:

“I remember when the CofE first had a go at modernizing hymns in order to

get rid of the dreadfully archaic thees and thous. They changed (and this

should be of particular interest to Mr Derbyshire): ‘Oh hear us when we

pray to thee/ For those in peril on the sea’ to ‘Oh hear us when we pray to

you/ For those upon the sea so blue.’ You couldn’t make it up.”

(Iain also has a fine vent against the bishopry here)

I once had a girlfriend in London, who had a cousin, who worked at the BBC

and could sing a song to the tune of that hymn. “For those in peril on the

sea” was sung as “For those who work for the BBC.” Can’t remember the rest.

John Derbyshire — Mr. Derbyshire is a former contributing editor of National Review.
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