“C.” You ask if there is any authority in the New Testament for introducing a hymn between the bread and the cup, in the celebration of the Lord's Supper? None whatever, so far as we can see. We read, in Matt. 26, of their singing a hymn after supper; but we nowhere read of a hymn during the supper. We have occasionally known such a thing to be done; but we have always felt it to be out of place. We look upon it as a positive intrusion, an interruption to the current of spiritual feeling proper to the occasion. This, of course, is only what we might expect, from the fact of its being without any scriptural authority. We cannot believe that the Holy Ghost would ever be the author of an act which is not in strict accordance with the Word. We believe we ought to adhere closely to Scripture, in the celebration of the holy supper of the Lord. A man may fancy that he is led by the Spirit in doing a certain thing, and it may be, after all, only the impulse of his own mind. It is well to remember this, in order that we may be really exercised before the Lord as to our actings in the assembly of God's people. Some seem to think that it is a very simple thing to give out a hymn; and hence you will find persons who have no spiritual power to lead in prayer, or to give a word of exhortation, ever ready with the hymn-book, as if anybody could give out a hymn. Now, dear friend, we consider it a very solemn thing to give out a hymn. We believe it requires very great subjection to the leading of the Spirit to enable us to discern the proper moment for a hymn, and the proper hymn for the moment. We have known the entire current of the meeting to be rudely interrupted by the giving out of a hymn; and not unfrequently we have felt the hymn-book to be a grievous infliction.
We write in all confidence and freedom; for we have the most entire sympathy with the feelings to which you have given expression. And while on the subject of hymns, we may add that we have far too many hymns at our meetings for prayer; at least, so we, judge. They very often sadly interfere with the depth, earnestness, and solemnity of the occasion. In many cases it appears to be a regular routine of hymn and prayer, hymn and prayer, until one is thoroughly worn out by the actual bodily exercise, which certainly “profits little.” All this, we confess, is most deplorable. You go to a prayer meeting with your heart full of the sense of deep and urgent need, and of the reality of waiting upon God. The state of the Church, the claims of the world, the need of your own soul, are all pressing upon your mind, and you long to bow down before the Lord, in the midst of your brethren, in humiliation, confession, and prayer, when, to! the hymnbook is taken up, its leaves turned over and over, and some hymn given out completely foreign to the occasion. Then when you do get to your knees in prayer, no sooner is there a pause in the strain of supplication, than the hymn-book is again resorted to, and thus the integrity of the meeting is marred.
We do greatly desire to call the attention of our friends to this matter. We write in a spirit of true brotherly love, and with a real desire for the blessing and edification of the people of God. We have often longed for more power of continuance in the spirit and attitude of prayer, and less of the bustle and confusion of getting up and down. We dare not attempt to lay down an iron rule. Far be the thought. Many are unable, through weakness of body, to continue long in any one position; and nothing is further from our thoughts than to lay a burden on such, or on any; to do so would not be Christianity, but monasticism. Still, we feel free to throw out these suggestions to our Christian friends, who, we are sure, will receive them, as they are offered, in true affection.