The Hymnal [of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA]

The General Convention of the year 1913 entrusted to a Commission the
revision of the Hymnal. The General Convention of 1916, accepting a
book then submitted, referred it back to the Commission with
instructions to perfect it and give it to the Church. In its effort to
obey this command, the Commission now presents this book.

Some hymns which were in the former collection have been omitted
because it was discovered by careful inquiry that they were seldom if
ever used. One of the principles of the revision was to make the new
book as compact as excellence and variety would permit. Some old hymns
which are perhaps below the general standard are retained because they
have the affection of a considerable number of people.