THE SINGING PARSON'S RADIO HYMNAL

Ludlow, Vermont: Rev. Fred MacArthur, [circa 1938-early 1940's]. [2], 62, [1] pages, plus frontispiece portrait. Printed music throughout. Original printed wraps. 23 x 16 cm. Good plus. Light foxing and soiling to wraps; frontispiece foxed; foxing to p. 31, mostly affecting gutter; and a few traces of marginal foxing and soiling elsewhere. Apparent FIRST EDITION. Contains over 60 hymns performed by Rev. Fred MacArthur as the "Singing Parson" on WNBX Radio of Springfield, Vermont beginning in the late 1930's. A brief preface (p. [2]) discusses the history of the show, which was sponsored by the Wellwood Furniture Company of Springfield and was begun two years before this book was published. MacArthur (b. 1907), a native of Belmont, Mass., was the pastor of the Ludlow Baptist Church in Ludlow, Vermont. None of the songs contained in the book are his own. The most frequent contributors were Bentley DeForest and Alfred Henry Ackley; Charles H. Gabriel; and C. Austin Miles. The book includes the most famous hymns by A.H. Huntley ("He Lives") and Miles ("In the Garden.") The estimated date of publication is based on the latest date given for any of the individual songs (several are copyrighted 1938). We have also encountered a postcard offered for sale that advertised the broadcast of MacArthur's show and was postmarked 1937. Scarce. Not in OCLC or NUC.