PUBLISHER'S NOTE
And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped'
2 Chron. 29:30.
William Kelly is better remembered for his scholarship and as a prime gift to the church as a Bible teacher than as a hymn writer or poet. His hymns do not equal the sublime compositions of J N Darby or scale the heights of J G Deck's poetic expression, but this brief anthology of Kelly's hymns and poems will indicate to the reader his devotion to doctrinal detail. He ever wanted all he did, said and wrote to be in harmony with Scripture.
William Kelly's hymns were first used among brethren in 1894 when 10 were published in Hymns Selected and Revised. In the 1928 edition of that Hymnbook, the new editor, W J Hocking (1864-1953) retained only one hymn, 'Savior, though the world despised Thee'. The 1978 edition of Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs adds a second which may be regarded as Kelly's finest: 'God and Father, we adore Thee for the Christ, Thine image bright.
I have resisted the temptation to link the hymns with a favorite tune. I hope that they will primarily be read as poems and that some of the richer expressions of devotion will find a place in your vocabulary of prayer and praise.
As far as we know only two of these hymns are still in print. A few in this book have never before been published. The compiler would be grateful to anyone who could bring to his notice other compositions of WK for possible inclusion in future editions.
E N Cross, Bexleyheath, Kent 2005