Elsewhere in this book I make the point that Wales is 'The Land of Song.' It's equally true to say that Scotland is the land of Psalm singing.

I've spent many a happy day in Scotland. I love its ancient traditions, its fascinating history, its beautiful lochs and rivers, and its heather clad mountains and hills.

Most of all I love its wonderful people, so warm-hearted, hospitable and generous. All those stories you hear about Scots' meanness are just not true!

I love their Psalm singing too. Whether it be around the fireside as they conduct family worship, or in the church on the Sabbath, there's a reverence about the way they sing the psalms. They sing them with such simplicity (there's no instrumental accompaniment) and yet they sing them with such sincerity and devotion.

To this day, in Scotland, many of the churches sing only the psalms in public worship. But back in the days when D.L Moody and his friend Ira D. Sankey came to Scotland for an evangelistic campaign, psalm singing was in predominance throughout the churches.

You can imagine, then, with what fear and trepidation Sankey got up to sing his gospel solos. Once, a woman had stormed out of the service protesting that 'The devil was in his kist (chest) o' whistles.' Such was her opinion of Sankey's little pedal organ.

Mr. Sankey's concern was heightened one night when he observed that the great Scottish preacher and hymn-writer Horatius Bonar was in the audience. This is how Sankey recounted the story in his book. "My life and the story of the gospel hymns:"

"Of all men in Scotland he was the one concerning whose decision I was most solicitous. He was, indeed, my ideal hymn writer, the prince among hymnists of his day and generation. And yet he would not sing one of his beautiful hymns in his own congregation ... because he ministered to a church that believed in the use of the Psalms only.

With fear and trembling I announced as a solo the song, 'Free from the Law, oh, happy condition.' Feeling that the singing might prove only an entertainment and not a spiritual blessing, I requested the whole congregation to join me in a word of prayer, asking God to bless the truth about to be sung. In the prayer my anxiety was relieved. Believing and rejoicing in the glorious truth contained in the song, I sang it through to the end.

At the close of Mr. Moody's address, Dr. Bonar turned to me with a smile on his venerable face, and reaching out his hand he said: 'Well, Mr. Sankey, you sang the gospel tonight.' And thus the way was opened for the mission of sacred song in Scotland."

This hymn, written by Philip Bliss, who's mentioned elsewhere in this book, contains the whole message of the gospel. It's a wonderful statement of faith and includes the whole story of sin and death, of grace and salvation purchased once for all by the death of the Saviour.

What better appeal could have been made to those Scots Presbyterians that this thoroughly orthodox statement of the gospel?

Free from the law, O happy condition!
Jesus hath bled, and there is remission;
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Grace hath redeemed us once for all.

Once for all- O sinner receive it!
Once for all - O brother believe it!
Cling to the cross, the burden will fall;
Christ hath redeemed us once for all.