Amidst us our Beloved stands

I called this hymn again today for the breaking of the bread at church. It was beautiful again.

Usually this hymn is sung to the tune of "When I survey the wondrous cross". That tune is too heavy for this song. That may be why this hymn is not so popular. This hymnal. net tune is a beautiful match for this hymn.

The 4th stanza of this hymn was written anonymously much later, first appearing in 1950, yet it is a perfect conclusion to the hymn, especially the last 2 lines. The original anonymous 4th stanza says "a heav'n" instead of "Thy grace".

Spurgeon had written a 4th stanza which is not very good and was not included in any hymnals other than his own. Here it is from hymnary:

4 Our former transports we recount,
when with Him in the holy mount:
these cause our souls to thirst anew
His marred but lovely face to view.
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"Mr. Spurgeon is chiefly known as a preacher and as the author of many vols. of sermons, expositions, and other homiletical literature; but he is also a hymn writer, and the compiler of a well-known hymn book. This book was prepared, in 1866, primarily for the use of the congregation at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. Hence its title 'Our Own Hymnbook, a collection of Psalms & Hymns for public, social, and private worship'. It contains 220 versions of the Psalms, and 910 hymns. Of Mr. Spurgeon's 20 contributions, only one, "Sweetly the holy hymn breaks on the morning air," can be regarded as possessing any particular merit. The others do not rise above respectable mediocrity." - John Julian 'Dictionary of Hymnology'.

I think 'Amidst us our Beloved Stands' has outstanding merit, especially with the hymnal. net tune and the later 4th stanza. Another of Spurgeon's hymns, which is also excellent is "The Holy Ghost is here, Where saints in prayer agree". This prayer hymn appears in more hymnals than any other of Spurgeon's hymns.

This hymn is not sung outside the Brethren Circles, in my experience..

Having been gloriously saved at a Gospel Hall meeting in Scotland, in 1959 where this song was often sung.

I had been a member of the Church of Scotland, actively involved playing the Church organ, piano, church bells. But was persuaded by a close friend to attend their youth rally, I did and thus, I was wondrously saved.

I called this song at my church's Lord's Table this past Lord's Day. It was very touching. There were a lot of testimonies of how easy it is to see the signs that the Lord instituted, yet not see Him.

You shared this hymn with us in a meeting once brother Wes (maybe at the time that you first discovered it), and it made a real deep impression on me. I'm going to call it at our next table meeting!

The week before my sister passed away I was introduced to this hymn. How wonderful that when we are gathered into the Lord's name at the breaking of bread we can behold our dear Lord. He desires that we stop all our working and allow Him to minister to us. His riches are unsearchable!

I have heard this wonderful hymn sung at the Breaking of Bread for many years and it always thrills my heart with the reminder that our Glorious Lord desires to meet with us and we are have been left that wonderful feast whereby we remember Him.