This week’s hymn comes from Puritan pastor, Richard Baxter (1615-1691). It’s both a hymn of thankfulness for and encouragement of Christian fellowship – thoughts that are very fitting to have after the Lord’s Day. I hope this hymn stirs in you a desire to build relationships with and pour into other Christians as your fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord, giving thanks to God for bringing you into his family; enjoy!

Meter: 8.8.8.8

They lack not friends who have thy love,
and may converse and walk with thee,
and with thy saints here and above,
with whom for ever I must be.

In the blest fellowship of saints
is wisdom, safety, and delight;
and when my heart declines and faints,
it’s raisèd by their heat and light.

As for my friends, they are not lost;
the several vessels of thy fleet,
though parted now, by tempests tossed,
shall safely in the haven meet.

Still we are centred all in thee,
members, though distant, of one Head;
in the same family we be,
by the same faith and spirit led.

Before thy throne we daily meet
as joint-petitioners to thee;
in spirit we each other greet,
and shall again each other see.

The heavenly hosts, world without end,
shall be my company above;
and thou, my best and surest Friend,
who shall divide me from thy love?

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Hi friends! The time has come for me to have to say goodbye for now. As much as I have enjoyed sharing these wonderful hymns, it’s often felt more of a burden to share them because of the other priorities I have in my life at the moment of being a wife and a mother. I hope to one day share again these hymns that I’ve come to love. But for now, I’ll be refocusing my attention on other areas in life that God would have me prioritise.

It is fitting then that the last hymn for the foreseeable future is ‘God Be With You Till We Meet Again’ by Jeremiah Rankin (1828-1904). It was written as a Christian good-bye; deliberately composed as a Christian hymn on the basis of the etymology of “good-bye,” which means “God be with you”. God be with you all!

God be with you till we meet again;
loving counsels guide, uphold you,
may the Shepherd’s care enfold you;
God be with you till we meet again.

Refrain:
Till we meet, till we meet,
till we meet at Jesus’ feet.
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
unseen wings, protecting, hide you,
daily manna still provide you;
God be with you till we meet again. [Refrain]

God be with you till we meet again;
when life’s perils thick confound you,
put unfailing arms around you;
God be with you till we meet again. [Refrain]

God be with you till we meet again;
keep love’s banner floating o’er you,
smite death’s threat’ning wave before you;
God be with you till we meet again. [Refrain]

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An orphan at the age of twelve, John Fawcett (1740-1817) became apprenticed to a tailor and was largely self-educated. He was converted by the preaching of George Whitefield at the age of sixteen and began preaching soon thereafter. In 1765 Fawcett was called to a small, poor, Baptist country church in Wainsgate, Yorkshire. Seven years later he received a call from the large and influential Carter’s Lane Church in London, England. Fawcett accepted the call and preached his farewell sermon. The day of departure came, and his family’s belongings were loaded on carts, but the distraught congregation begged him to stay. When love and tears prevailed, and Dr. Fawcett sacrificed the attraction of a London pulpit to the affection of his poor but devoted flock, he wrote this hymn. Fawcett continued to serve in Wainsgate and in the nearby village of Hebden Bridge for the remainder of his active ministry¹. Enjoy!

Blest be the tie that binds 
our hearts in Christian love; 
the fellowship of kindred minds 
is like to that above. 

Before our Father’s throne 
we pour our ardent prayers; 
our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, 
our comforts and our cares. 

We share our mutual woes, 
our mutual burdens bear, 
and often for each other flows 
the sympathizing tear. 

When we are called to part, 
it gives us inward pain; 
but we shall still be joined in heart, 
and hope to meet again. 

This glorious hope revives 
our courage by the way; 
while each in expectation lives 
and waits to see the day. 

From sorrow, toil, and pain, 
and sin, we shall be free; 
and perfect love and friendship reign 
through all eternity. 

¹hymnary.org/text/blest_be_the_tie_that_binds

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