This used to be a favourite, amongst many hymn many years ago when I was part of the Baptist Community. Many years on, it is not a hymn that we sing , but I suddenly started singing it to myself the other day and wanted to refresh the words in my memory.
I woke up this morning singing this powerful song. The last time I sang it was over 60 years ago at our pastor's farewell service! Today as my husband and I wait on the Lord for our next assignment my heart is encouraged by these words and the story behind them!!
John Fawcett was born of poor parents in Lidget Green, Yorkshire, England, in 1740. He was converted to Christ at the age of 16 through the ministry of George Whitfield. At age 26 he was ordained a Baptist minister. He accepted a call to pastor a small and impoverished congregation at Wainsgate in Northern England. After a few years with a meager salary and a growing family he accepted a post in Lane Baptist Church in London to succeed Mr. Gill the well known pastor of that church.
When the day of their departure arrived, the parishioners gathered around the wagons with saddened faces to bid their pastor and his family farewell. Suddenly, Mrs. Fawcett broke down and said, “ John, I cannot bear to leave. I know not how to go! ” “Nor can I either, ” replied John who had also felt apprehensive to leave. The order soon was given to unpack the wagons.
After this time John gave a sermon in which he shared this hymn with his congregation. This poem was first printed in 1782 under the title “ Brotherly Love, ” in a collection containing 166 of his poems.
Fawcett continued his faithful ministry to this humble congregation for more than 50 years. He became a well- known and outstanding preacher and scholar. In 1777 he opened up a school for young preachers. In 1793 he was invited to become a principal of the Baptist Academy at Bristol, England, but he declined the offer. He wrote a number of books on various aspects of practical Christianity some of which had a large circulation. In recognition of his ministry and accomplishments, Brown University in the United States bestowed upon him the Doctor of Divinity in 1811. John Fawcett remained with his beloved parishioners until a paralytic stroke caused his death on July 25, 1817.
The composer of the music for this hymn, Hans G. Naegeli was born on May 26, 1773, near Zurich, Switzerland. He was a music publisher and president of the Swiss Association for the Cultivation of Music. He was known for a pioneer in the field of music education. His teaching methods had much influence on Lowell Mason called the father of public school and church music in his United States. The tune “ Dennis, ” originated in Switzerland and was later purchased by Lowell Mason while he was traveling and studying in Europe in 1837. The music first appeared in ‘The Psaltery’ edited in 1845 by Mason and George J. Webb, with the notation, “ arranged from H. G. Naegeli. ”
My sister sang - or more accurately, tried to sing - this song at our father's Feb 2016 funeral service, and repeated it a the graveside service. So when she died in March 2018, I looked up the song, and then understood why it was important for her who had lover our father dearly!
"Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts...
When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again!"
The church that he was supposed to be promoted to was one of the most influential of his time. John Gill (author of NT and OT Exposition still much in use today) had been the pastor there for 51 years. That church later became Metropolitan Tabernacle pastored by Charles Spurgeon.
John Fawcett continued his faithful ministry to the humble people at Wainsgate until a paralytic stroke caused his death in 1817 at the age of 77. His salary was estimated at never more than $200/year, in spite of his growing reputation as an outstanding evangelical preacher and scholar.
In recognition of his ministry and many accomplishments, including the establishment of a school for the training of nonconformist men for the ministry, Brown University in America conferred the Doctor of Divinity degree upon him in 1811. On another occasion, the King of England is said to have offered John Fawcett any gift he might desire. He replied, "I have the love of my people - I need nothing more that even a king could provide."
John Fawcett's life is a model of a spiritual leader who sacrificed ambition and personal gain for Christian devotion to God and His people. - '52 Hymn Stories Dramatized' by Kenneth W. Osbeck
A spiritual classic hymn that shows how the Word and God's love binds us together. Just finished my early morning devotion and this wonderful hymn just spontaneously popped out of my heart. Gracious Jesus thank You so much.
This is so beautiful, this hymn just came to mind as I worshiping the Lord, I had to look it up and sing it, these old hymns are so up lifting, God Bless.
At the end of January 1985 I flew back to the United States from Taipei. As soon as the plane took off, I already knew that the home meetings would develop to the present stage. At first the home meetings recovered some who had not been meeting for a long time. Those who had not met for twenty or thirty years came back to the meetings. How dear it was when they all came together, and how sweet it was to sing,
"Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love....
And perfect love and oneness reign
Through all eternity."
Hymns, #860
If an old sister who had not been meeting for twenty years had sung this song, she would surely have burst into tears, and everyone else with her. However, beautiful flowers fade, a full moon wanes, and good things do not last. The meeting was good the first time, the second time, the third time, but by the fourth time it had become tasteless. And by the fifth time old wives' fables had begun.
In practice, we still have many natural concepts. We like the Lord's Day meetings because we can sit and listen to the preaching of experienced brothers. The more we listen, the more we enjoy. In contrast, we do not like the small group meetings. At first, the small group meetings recovered some who had not been meeting for a long time. It was so dear when some who had not met for twenty or thirty years came back, and it was so sweet to sing, "Blest be the tie that binds / Our hearts in Christian love; / The fellowship our spirit finds / Is like to that above" (Hymns, #860). When a sister who had not been meeting for twenty years sang this song, she burst into tears along with everyone else. However, beautiful flowers fade, a full moon wanes, and good things do not last. This kind of meeting was good the first, second, and even the third time, but by the fourth time the meeting was rather tasteless, and old-womanish myths began to creep in by the fifth time (1 Tim. 4:7). Because of this, many saints who desired to seek the Lord felt that the small group meetings were not so enjoyable.