X Brorson's Swan Song 84
XI Grundtvig's Early Years 93
XII The Lonely Defender of the Bible 103
XIII The Living Word 112
XIV Grundtvig, the Hymnwriter 121
XV Grundtvig's Hymns 128
XVI Grundtvig's Later Years 150
XVII Other Danish Hymnwriters 161

Chapter One
Early Danish Hymnody

Danish hymnody, like that of other Protestant countries, is largely a
child of the Reformation. The Northern peoples were from ancient times
lovers of song. Much of their early history is preserved in poetry, and
no one was more honored among them than the skjald who most skillfully
presented their thoughts and deeds in song. Nor was this love of poetry
lost with the transition from paganism to Christianity. The splendid folk
songs of the Middle Ages prove conclusively that both the love of poetry
and the skill in writing it survived into the new age. One can only
wonder what fine songs the stirring advent of Christianity might have
produced among a people so naturally gifted in poetry if the church had
encouraged rather than discouraged this native gift.

But the Church of Rome evinced little interest in the ancient ways of the
people among whom she took root. Her priests received their training in a
foreign tongue; her services were conducted in Latin; and the native
language and literature were neglected. Except for a few lawbooks, the
seven hundred years of Catholic supremacy in Denmark did not produce a
single book in the Danish language. The ordinances of the church,
furthermore, expressly forbade congregational singing at the church
services, holding that, since it was unlawful for the laity to preach, it
was also impermissible for them to sing in the sanctuary. It is thus
likely that a Danish hymn had never been sung, except on a few special
occasions in a Danish church before the triumph of the Reformation.

It is not likely, however, that this prohibition of hymn singing could be
effectively extended to the homes or occasional private gatherings. Hans
Thomisson, who compiled the most important of the ea