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In the course of a meeting, there is the need for ten different kinds of hymns: first, for opening; second, for introducing the subject; third, for strengthening; fourth, for uplifting the spirit; fifth, for turning; sixth, for correction; seventh, for maintaining the spirit; eighth, for filling up the time; ninth, for conclusion; and tenth, for lingering or sending off. Also, if we do not know the categories of hymns, the nature of the hymns, it will be difficult for us to consider other matters. In order to select hymns in a meeting, we must first know the nature of the hymns; some hymns are on gospel preaching, some are on spiritual warfare, others are on praising, and yet others are on building. We must know the different hymn categories before we can properly select them. The progression of the Lord’s table meeting and the prayer meeting can be divided into ten steps or sections. A meeting does not always require this many sections, but in general it may consist of not more than these ten sections.
At the beginning of a meeting we should select an opening hymn with much consideration. After the opening hymn we need an introductory hymn to lead us to the subject of the meeting. If the spirit of the meeting is not strong enough after the introduction, we need to call a strengthening hymn. However, if the spirit is still not strong enough, we should select a hymn that uplifts the spirit. Sometimes the introductory hymn may lead to the wrong subject. For example, if we should be praising, but someone selects a hymn concerning confessing our sins, there is the need for an immediate turn, or a correction. For example, in a Lord’s table meeting someone may choose a hymn for the worship of the Father while we are still remembering the Lord, or in a prayer meeting someone may choose a hymn of praise. In both of these instances there is the need for turning. During a meeting that is prolonged, there may be the need for a hymn to maintain the spirit, to prevent the spirit from being weakened. In order to fill up the time, there also may be the need for a time-filling hymn. Finally, there is a concluding hymn. However, there are times after a meeting has ended when everyone wants to linger on. When this happens, we can choose a hymn to send everyone off. I hope we can remember all these principles in selecting hymns.
Now let us consider the hymns for the fellowship meeting. Suppose the saints are like plain water that is neither sweet nor sour nor spicy and thus are indifferent toward the Lord when they come together for the fellowship meeting. Which hymn should we select for opening the meeting? Someone may suggest Hymns, #395, “O Jesus Christ, grow Thou in me, / And all things else recede.” This hymn is not appropriate. It is not a general hymn but rather has a specific purpose; such a hymn can be used in leading to a particular subject. Another person may suggest Hymns, #960, “My King will soon come back again.” This hymn is acceptable but still not adequate. Because it is a longer hymn, it is suitable as an opening hymn, to give the saints time for their hearts to be settled and for their spirits to be uplifted. This hymn is a better choice than Hymns, #395 because it reminds us of our condition at the Lord’s coming back.
Hymns, #423, “Thou hidden love of God,” is also good because it does not have a specific theme. Hymn #352 in the Chinese hymnal, “Though we waver as the seasons, / He will every change endure,” is a good hymn and is probably the best choice for a fellowship meeting, but we cannot sing this hymn every time. Consequently, we need to have more hymns in reserve. We need to practice continually. Hymns, #578, “My will is weak, my strength is frail,” is quite a deep hymn. Hymn #625 in the Chinese hymnal, “O Lord, we gather before Thy face,” has the flavor of spiritual pursuit and may therefore be used in a prayer meeting. Hymn #353 in the Chinese hymnal, “Once I had a fervent heart,” is somewhat related to spiritual pursuit and may also be used in a prayer meeting.
Hymns, #693, “He faileth not, for He is God,” is not that suitable because the train of thought in this hymn does not match our subject. Hymns, #437, “Hast thou heard Him, seen Him, known Him,” is also inappropriate because the feeling of this hymn is very high. In the fellowship meeting, which does not have a particular subject, we should not use hymns that have a specific subject. Hymns, #720, “God hath not promised skies always blue, / Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through,” is not suitable. This is a good hymn to sing to comfort those who have suffered a domestic misfortune. Hymns, #370, “Abide with me! fast falls the eventide,” is not suitable. If we sing this hymn to enjoy the Lord’s presence when the sun is setting, it would be quite good. Or if someone is dying, we can sing this hymn with his or her family.
Hymns, #492, “In all thy work, O Lord, Thou didst,” is a very deep hymn with a specific subject; hence, it is not suitable as an opening hymn. Hymns, #207, “Lord Jesus! when we think of Thee, / Of all Thy love and grace,” is toward the Lord; hence, it cannot be used as an opening hymn in a fellowship meeting. Hymns, #333, “I know not why God’s wondrous grace / To me He hath made known,” cannot be used because the chorus is a quotation from the Bible; it is very specific. Hymns, #707 is on counting God’s blessing and therefore is not appropriate. Hymns, #657, “Can you be obedient / To the Lord of all,” is a challenging hymn and therefore is not suitable. Hymns, #1048, “Just as I am, without one plea,” should be used in gospel preaching. Hymns, #397, “More holiness give me,” can be sung at the beginning of a fellowship meeting when there is a feeling of insipidness. Hymns, #280, “Lord, may Thy blood now cleanse me, / Wash all my sins away,” is barely acceptable. Hymns, #705, “In some way or other the Lord will provide,” is very specific and therefore not appropriate.
Hymns are for the expression of feelings. We cannot sing a hymn that expresses a certain feeling if we do not have one. We should find a hymn that best expresses our feeling. Hence, we must learn how to select hymns. This means that when we touch a certain atmosphere, according to the prevailing feeling in the meeting, we should select a hymn from the hymnal that expresses that feeling best. When we choose a hymn in this way, the feeling will be expressed and will flow out through the singing of the congregation. This is the principle of selecting hymns.
When selecting a hymn, we need to sense the feeling of the saints when they are singing. Suppose there is a general feeling of insipidness in a meeting; if a hymn is selected that is very solemn, no one will be able to follow. Someone may select Hymns, #240, “Glory, honor, praise and power, / Be unto the Lamb forever!” In such a meeting, no one will be able to sing with any feeling of “glory” or “honor.” In the same way, it would not be appropriate for us to select a hymn asking the Lord to reveal Himself if there is a need for a hymn on the confession of sins. When people are sad, we should choose hymns of sorrow; when people are joyful, we should choose hymns of rejoicing.
It is not easy to select hymns. Often our meetings are not strong because our feeling is not keen. Some brothers have fellowshipped that the meetings in their localities are not strong. I would ask, “If our feeling is not keen, how can the meetings be strong?” According to our observation, we sense that the meetings are not satisfactory. Hence, we urgently need to be trained in these three matters: first, how to work; second, how to lead; and third, how to manage.
Leading the meetings is not the responsibility of the elders and deacons only; it is the responsibility of all the saints. Hence, we have an obligation to learn to select hymns. If we are unable to select appropriate hymns, how can we have good meetings? Although there may be no particular feeling at the beginning of a fellowship meeting, the principle for selecting hymns still applies. Consider hymn #128 in the Chinese hymnal, “I prostrate, Lord, before Thee, / Marvel at boundless grace.” This hymn expresses the feeling of a person who has been touched by the Lord’s love and feels that he is loved by the Lord. By singing this hymn of love, he is able to express all his feelings. However, because this is a specific hymn, it should not be called at the beginning of a fellowship meeting, a meeting without a particular feeling. The principle of choosing hymns is that we should choose a hymn according to the feeling we sense in the meeting.
In a general fellowship meeting, it is good to select hymn #352 in the Chinese hymnal, “Though we waver as the seasons, / He will every change endure.” Our inspiration to select this hymn indicates that we feel the Lord is dear to us. As we sing this hymn, a feeling for the Lord replaces our indifference. This is very good. After singing, we should follow with a prayer. We may pray, “O Lord, we were so indifferent when we came before You, yet Your love toward us has never changed. Thank You, Lord.” Once we sing this hymn and pray in this way, the hearts of the brothers and sisters will be brought to a state where they have a feeling for the Lord. The meeting will then have a center, a subject, which is the Lord’s dearness to us and His love for us to the uttermost. Then we can lead the meeting to this subject.
Let us consider selecting an introductory hymn. Even though Hymns, #544, “Lord Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine,” is a good hymn, after singing it, we will not be left with a strong feeling because this hymn does not touch the Lord’s love but touches our lack of love for the Lord. Hymns, #368, “More love to Thee, O Lord,” is the same. However, Hymns, #286, “Of Jesus’ love that sought me,” is very good as a continuation of the opening hymn, hymn #352 in the Chinese hymnal. Hymns, #286 speaks of Jesus’ love that is “far deeper than the sea”; the chorus also speaks of Jesus’ love. Thus, it conveniently leads us to the subject. Hymns, #956, “Soon our Lord will come, the day is drawing nigh,” causes us to consider the Lord Jesus’ coming and therefore is not appropriate for leading the meeting to the subject of the Lord’s love.
We have said repeatedly that selecting hymns is a matter of feeling; hence, we need to touch the feeling of the spirit. If we are indifferent when we come together for a fellowship meeting, there is a need for someone to touch a particular feeling. If this feeling is touched, we will be able to choose the most suitable hymn. For instance, we may select hymn #352 in the Chinese hymnal. The more we sing this hymn, the more we will feel that even though we are cold toward the Lord, He is never cold toward us; that even though our heart may often change, His love will never depart; and that even though we do not care for the Lord, He cares very much for us. After we sing this hymn with such feeling, we should immediately follow with a prayer, thanking the Lord for His unchanging love. In this way our heart will be stirred up to follow the Lord.
The Lord has never changed toward us. Although we may feel indifferent when we come into the meeting, through singing and prayer and the introductory hymn, Hymns, #286, the feeling of the Lord’s love being far deeper than the sea will be stirred up within us, and we will be led to the subject.
In order to select hymns, we must first know the purpose of hymns. Why do we need to sing hymns in a meeting? The hymns that the brothers and sisters typically select show that we do not know the purpose of selecting hymns, and we do not know that a hymn is a poem. A poem is for the expression of feelings. The Chinese say that a poem is an inspiration. A poem is different than an essay. Whereas an essay may be written according to a train of thought, a poem requires inspiration. To be inspired is to be aroused with a feeling. We must be touched before we can write a poem. Without any feeling there will be no poem. A poem, a hymn, is the expression of our feeling. When we come together and choose hymns, we must hold firmly to this secret.
There is always an atmosphere when the saints gather together. We need to learn to sense the atmosphere, the feeling. When we touch the atmosphere, the feeling, we can select an appropriate hymn from our memory that matches the feeling we sense. At the end of a meeting, if we sense that the feeling of the brothers and sisters is that the Lord Jesus is exalted, we should sing “All in all forever, / Only Christ I’ll sing” (Hymns, #513, chorus). This hymn can express the feeling of the brothers’ and sisters’ exaltation of Christ.
Since a hymn is for the expression of feelings, we must touch the feeling of the ones who are singing when we select a hymn. If a hymn matches the feeling of those who are singing, they will be released and will express their inner feeling through the hymn. Hence, we must be familiar with the hymns. We must ask, “What is the feeling of this particular hymn? Is the feeling adequately conveyed?” We need to be familiar with these points; then when we touch a certain feeling in a meeting, we will be able to select a hymn from our memory. Then everyone’s feeling will be expressed through the singing.
One time there were many attendants in a Lord’s table meeting, but the atmosphere of the meeting was plain and somewhat indifferent. Someone selected hymn #128 in the Chinese hymnal, “I prostrate, Lord, before Thee, / Marvel at boundless grace,” and a brother changed it to Hymns, #213, “On that same night, Lord Jesus, / When all around Thee joined.” This was a good change. First, this showed that the brother knew how to change hymns; second, it showed that he knew how to touch the atmosphere. After singing Hymns, #213, there were three to four prayers that failed to match this hymn. In fact, the prayers neither touched nor came up to the level of the atmosphere. We should not ignore the atmosphere in a meeting, paying attention merely to our feeling and praying formal, conventional prayers. As a rule, after singing Hymns, #213, a brother should offer a prayer based on the feeling of the hymn to bring the atmosphere of the meeting forward. In brief, this hymn says, “Lord Jesus, at Your last supper on earth, all around You was a dark shadow, and the situation was so difficult, but You still established Your supper for us to remember You. Apparently, it is we who remember You; actually, it is You who remember us. How could we be saved on that long, long night if You had not chosen and called us? Even today we are here remembering You because of Your grace.” In our prayer we need to bring the saints’ feeling deeper into the Lord, in order for them to sense that we remember the Lord because He first remembered us. When we offer such a prayer, the feeling of the saints will be turned to the Lord.
Let us consider how to introduce the subject of the Lord’s table meeting. Hymns, #87, which says, “O Lord! When we the path retrace / Which Thou on earth hast trod,” is neither good nor bad. However, Hymns, #158 is very good. This hymn speaks of how the Lord sought and found us and how He gave Himself for us. It is a very fitting hymn to continue the feeling of the previous hymn. After singing Hymns, #213, it would be good if someone had prayed, “O Lord, we thank and praise You. Before You departed from us, You established this table for us to remember You. We see that this bread is the body You gave for us, and this cup is the blood of the covenant, the blood You shed for us. We cannot but thank and worship You. Lord, You gave Your body and shed Your blood for us as the portion You have given us. Today we come especially to remember You and express our love for You.”
How should we select a second hymn? Someone may suggest Hymns, #437, “Hast thou heard Him, seen Him, known Him,” but this is not suitable. We must firmly grasp this principle: we need to touch the feeling of the meeting. After singing Hymns, #213 and offering a prayer on how the Lord gave Himself and shed His blood for us, we could also continue with Hymns, #65, “Jesus! that name we love.” Stanza 2 is especially appropriate, saying, “As Son of Man it was, / Jesus, the Lord! / Thou gav’st Thy life for us, / Jesus, our Lord! / Great was indeed Thy love, / All other loves above, / Love Thou didst dearly prove, / Jesus, our Lord!” This hymn continues the feeling of the earlier prayer and further strengthens the subject.
In order to remember the Lord in the Lord’s table meeting, we need to see that it is the Lord’s person and work that are worthy of our remembrance. First, we need to see the person of the Lord, to see who He is. We must see the two aspects of His person: He is God yet man; He is the Creator yet a creature. To remember the Lord is to come into the presence of the Lord and worship Him.
Second, we need to see the Lord’s living on earth. This includes His humbling Himself, His humiliation, and His human virtues. Hence, at the Lord’s table we first need to see the Lord’s person and then His human living. Regarding the Lord’s human living, Hymns, #87 says that the Lord showed His faithfulness to God and His wondrous love and grace to men.
Third, we need to remember the Lord’s suffering and death. There are many hymns on the Lord’s death, such as Hymns, #101, #104, and #95. We may also say that this is to remember the Lord’s work in redemption.
Fourth, we need to remember the Lord’s exaltation, including His ascension and glorification. Our remembrance of the Lord consists basically around these four major points: His person, His living, His suffering and death, and His ascension and glorification. We remember the Lord for the things that transpired in the past, and we look forward to His coming back, which is something in the future. There are other items that are included in these major points; for example, the Lord’s name is included in His exaltation, and His being the eternal Savior is included in His person. Furthermore, there are many small items, such as the Lord’s humility, the Lord’s washing His disciples’ feet, and the Lord’s appearing to Mary. Nonetheless, there are four major points: first, the Lord’s person; second, the Lord’s human living, including all His situations; third, the Lord’s death; and fourth, the Lord’s exaltation.
Which item should we remember when we gather around the Lord’s table? Should we remember the Lord’s person, His living, His death, or His exaltation? How can we discern? If we sing Hymns, #213, followed by Hymns, #158 to bring in a subject, we are remembering the third item of the Lord — the Lord’s death in His work. The Lord’s death, however, did not begin with His crucifixion. His death began with His birth in the manger in Bethlehem. It would be very good to sing Hymns, #158 in order to remember the Lord’s death in His redemptive work. If after singing Hymns, #158, the meeting is strong and does not need further strengthening, and the spirit is high and does not need further uplifting, what should we do? One of the brothers may add a prayer.
What should we do after a strong prayer has been offered and there is a need to maintain the spirit? We may bless the bread and the cup. Brothers and sisters, we must pay attention to this: when the spirit of the meeting is at its highest point, when the meeting has reached a climax, there is no need to choose a hymn or add a prayer for strengthening. Instead, there should be brothers who take the lead to bless the bread and the cup. There are no regulations in our meeting regarding how many hymns should be sung and how many prayers should be offered before we bless the bread and the cup. One time in a Lord’s table meeting, everyone sang over and over, they prayed, knelt down and stood up, and prayed and sang again for at least fifty minutes, but no one would bless the bread and the cup. This can be compared to country people who invite others to a meal at twelve noon but still have not served them by three o’clock in the afternoon. We need to take care of the atmosphere and feeling of the meeting. I hope that the churches in different places will instruct the saints regarding these points.
We need to be watchful in spirit in the table meeting. We must bless the bread and the cup when the meeting reaches a climax and cannot go any higher. After we bless the bread and the cup and pass them around, there is a need to maintain the spirit with a hymn. We may use Hymns, #136, “Gazing on the Lord in glory, / While our hearts in worship bow,” or Hymns, #226, “For the bread and for the wine, / For the pledge that seals Him mine.” In contrast, Hymns, #226 bears a flavor of ritualistic formalities. We must touch the feeling of the meeting. In order to not allow the spirit to be weakened when we pass the bread and cup, we need to select a hymn that can maintain the spirit. At this point the selection of a hymn greatly depends on the prayers offered during the blessing of the bread and the cup. After singing Hymns, #158, someone may bless the bread and the cup, praying, “O Lord, thank You for first remembering us. You shed Your blood and died for us in this wilderness. The bread and the cup show us the story of Your giving up Your life and shedding Your blood for us. The scene of Your crucifixion is before our eyes. You wore a crown of thorns, and Your head was full of bruises. Lord, we thank You.” Someone else may continue and pray, “Lord, the picture of Your coming down to the earth from heaven to shed Your blood and die for us is vividly before us.” In such a case it would be good if someone selected Hymns, #95, “O Head once full of bruises, / So full of pain and scorn.” The hymn selected should be according to the prayer that blessed the bread and the cup.
Hymns, #93, “Lord, we treasure with affection / All Thy path of sorrow here,” is also good. This hymn is better than Hymns, #95 in continuing Hymns, #158. The fourth stanza of Hymns, #93 is the highest, speaking of sin’s distance and how far-reaching it is: “Thou didst measure then sin’s distance, / Darkness, wrath and curse were Thine; / Man-betrayed, by God forsaken; / Thus we learn Thy love divine!” The contents of this stanza show the far-reaching scope of sin. Even though the Lord went through all these sufferings, we do not know the far-reaching scope of sin. Nevertheless, the Lord experienced all these things personally, measuring out the distance of sin, enabling us to see the length of sin’s distance: darkness, wrath, and the curse. It is not until we have such a realization that we can know the loveliness of the Lord. If we want to touch the feeling of a meeting, we must at least understand the meaning expressed through the words of the hymns.
