In the early Christian assemblies great use was made of the psalms and
canticles in their congregational singing. St. Paul wrote: "Speaking to
yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, singing and
making melody in your hearts to the Lord" (Ephes. v. 18) "...teaching
and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual canticles,
singing in grace in your hearts to God" (Col. iii. 16). The Jesuit,
Father Arevalo, in his _Hymodia Hispanica_, cites many witnesses, such
as Clement of Alexandria, the Apostolic Constitutions, Pliny the
younger, to prove that hymns were used in the first and second
centuries. But a much-debated question is, whether those hymns were
really made part of the Office, as hymns stand there to-day. Some
scholars deny that they were; others assert that they were certainly
part of the Church's Office. All agree that they were certainly in use
formally and substantially in the Office in the third and fourth
centuries in the Eastern and in the Western Church. The Council of
Antioch (269-270) wrote to the Pope that Paul of Samosate had
suppressed some canticles recently composed in honour of Jesus Christ.
St. Dionysius of Alexandria composed some hymns, to win over an erring
bishop. In the fourth century the Council of Laodicea spoke of the
introduction of some hymns, which were not approved; and St. Basil tells
us that hymns were in universal use in the Eastern Church.

In the Western Church, St. Hilary of Potiers (370) composed a hymn book
for his church. Its existence is known from the words of St. Jerome. St.
Augustine states that St. Ambrose (340-397), shut up with his people in
the church in Milan by the persecutors, occupied his flock by their
singing of hymns which he himself had composed, and some of which are in
our Breviaries. The Church of Milan certainly had hymns in its Office
and in its Office books then, for St. Paulinus in his life of St.
Augustine wrote: "Hoc in tempore, primum antiphonae, hymni ac vigilae in