Mr. Pipes and Psalms and Hymns of the Reformation is the second book in a three-part series by Douglas Bond, the first book being Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers, and the third, Mr. Pipes Comes to America. If you have a passion for sacred music and its history, placed right in the middle of the adventures of Annie and Drew Willis and their dear friend Mr. Pipes (David McCallum—organist, historian, and traveler), this series is for you!

This second book takes the Willis children back to England to meet up with Mr. Pipes and then on the road, traveling the historical paths of the hymn writers of the Reformation era of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in Germany and Switzerland. The intriguing story of these adventures with Mr. Pipes is surrounded with sound information about ten men of God, poets and musicians, and how God worked in their lives as they struggled with life and the desire to worship the Lord God Almighty in light of the changes the Reformation was bringing. God was working in different souls, in different countries, in different years to bring about His change in personal lives, and their worship, through hymn singing.

I so enjoyed and loved learning about these men—reading how God worked in their lives to bring about personal commitment to Him and used them to further His work through writing poems and music, which brought about changes in the current worship practices to include hymn singing. I like that the lyrics of the hymns are written out in the book, to be read in poetic form, as well as having the music form of the hymn included. I was touched to my soul to read the Scriptures included with the chapters. I enjoyed the story line of the main characters and was taken in with the “mystery man” and then as surprised as they to find out who it was! I was drawn in with Mr. Bond’s ability to describe the settings of the stories. I felt like I was right there. I was thrilled with the emphasis on “music” and am awed by God’s working through the ages . . . we still sing many of these hymns! I like the connections that bring history to the present. I am challenged with questions . . . questions that I would like to find answers to. Mr. Bond has written in a way that will inspire both young and old readers as they delve into hymnology and its history through an adventurous story!

Juli McCarlson
Tabor Lutheran Church
Webster, SD

Order your copy here: Ambassador Publications Online Store