t Part." The
profound impression created by this production is evidenced by the fact
that in 1677 he was elevated from an obscure parish to the bishopric of
the diocese of Fyen.

Kingo had dedicated his "Spiritual Songs" to Christian V, and thus had
attracted the attention of the Danish monarch. In his "address" to the
king, Kingo deplored the fact that the Danish people in their worship had
depended so largely upon hymns of foreign origin.

"The soul of the Danes," he added significantly, "is not so bound and
impoverished but that it can soar as high toward heaven as that of other
peoples, even if it be not upborne by strange and foreign wings."

The Second Part of his "Spiritual Songs" appeared in 1681, this
collection being dedicated to the Danish queen. Many of Kingo's hymns
were written to be sung to popular folk melodies. In justification of
this practice the poet wrote:

"If a pleasing melody set to a song of Sodom delights your ear, how much
more, if you are a true child of God, should not that same melody delight
your soul when sung to a song of Zion!"

In his dedicatory address to Queen Charlotte, the poet of Scotch
forebears gave expression to his great love for the Danish language,
praised her for her heroic efforts to master the language before coming
to Denmark as its queen, and ironically flayed certain foreign courtiers
who for "thirty years had eaten the bread of the Fatherland in the
service of the king without making an effort to learn thirty Danish
words."

By this time the Danish people had come to a full realization that a poet
of the first magnitude had risen in their midst. In June, 1679, Kingo was
created a member of the nobility, and in 1682 he received the honorary
degree of doctor of theology. The following year came the royal
appointment to prepare a hymn-book for the Church of Denmark. The king's
decree specifically stated that Kingo should include a number of his own
hymns, but he was directed to make few changes in the old, traditional
hymns, and "under no circumstances to alter the meaning of Luther's
hymns."

The first part of Kingo's new book appeared in 1689. It met with a storm
of disapproval that was not altogether unmerited. Of the 267 hymns in
this book, 136 were by Kingo himself. Members of the Danish court who had
been objects of Kingo's merciless satire now found an opportunity to
secure revenge. Kingo's book, which had been published at his own
expense, was rejected,