Vesper Service – Brad S – 2025-10-25

This transcript was generated automatically. Its accuracy may vary

Short Summary
The Vesper highlighted the significance of the Hymns of Dawn in unifying believers and strengthening both faith and heartfelt trust in the Lord through shared worship. Various brethren shared personal testimonies about their favorite hymns, illustrating how these songs provide comfort, inspiration, and encouragement during trials and spiritual experiences. The service emphasized the hymns’ role in fostering unity and hope within the Christian community.

Long Summary
Introduction and Context of Faith and Hymns:
– The Vesper begins with gratitude to speakers Brother Ernie and Brother Len for their discourse on faith.
– Emphasizes how the Harvest Truth movement has blessed the Lord’s people with valuable resources such as Bible translations, dictionaries, concordances, and inspirational references.
– These tools have helped build the faith and intellectual assurance of the brethren over many years.
– Highlights the importance of a particular book that not only builds faith and intellectual assurance but also fosters heart reliance and trust in the Lord through life’s mountaintop and valley experiences.
– This vital book revives hope not only for believers but for all mankind.
– The book referred to is the Hymns of Dawn, a cherished hymnal among the brethren.

Background and Significance of the Hymns of Dawn:
– Prior to 1907, Bible students and ecclesias used various hymnals, causing difficulties at conventions where brethren sang the same hymns to different tunes or keys.
– Brother Charles Taze Russell felt unified singing was important and sought to create a common hymnbook.
– Brother Russell, his wife Maria, and Sister Gertrude Siebert compiled popular and inspiring hymns from various church hymnbooks.
– They modified lyrics as needed to align with the “harvest message” of present truth.
– The February 1907 Watchtower article titled “Shall We Sing Unitedly” announced the new hymnbook.
– Quote from the article:
> “Many men of many minds, writes the poet, but God’s people are striving daily to have the mind of Christ and to all mind the same things… We now have prepared at considerable trouble and expense a hymn book with music… containing beyond all dispute, 333 of the best of all hymns of all denominations.”
– The Hymns of Dawn is dedicated to the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and intended to aid God’s consecrated saints and all who call upon the Lord, including creation waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God.
– It is described as a collection of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to help believers “sing and make melody in their hearts unto the Lord.”

Role of Hymns in Public and Private Worship:
– Hymns are important not only at conventions and ecclesial gatherings (which feature theme scriptures and theme hymns) but also in private lives.
– During severe or fiery trials, when even prayer can be difficult, hymns often arise spontaneously in the heart to provide comfort.
– Hymns engage both the mind and heart, strengthening faith and trust in God during challenges.

Hymn Testimony Meeting – Personal Experiences with Favorite Hymns:
– Brethren were invited to come forward, share their favorite hymn number from the Hymns of Dawn, and explain its importance to them.
– The format included singing the first and last verses of each chosen hymn.

Selected Hymn Testimonies:
Brother Fernando: Favorite hymn is *Search and See*, hymn 296.
– Cited a verse emphasizing how man often restricts God’s love by narrow thinking, but God’s love is vast and unconditional.
– Reflected on the nature of God as love itself, not merely possessing love.
– This hymn brought peace and intellectual as well as heartfelt assurance about God’s boundless love.
Brother Jonathan: Favorite hymn is 65A, *Jesus Grant Us Strength*.
– It became meaningful after singing it at Brother Bus Jackson’s deathbed.
– The words about attaining the crown through the cross resonated deeply during that poignant moment.
Sister Joyce: Favorite hymn is 22, *Blessed Bible Holy*.
– Learned it from six aunts who were in the truth, especially Aunt Pauline.
– The hymn holds precious family and spiritual memories.
Brother Mark: Favorite hymn is 3 (*I Can Say I’ve Met a Cole Porter*).
– Shared a story of cultural contrast when moving from a large congregation to a smaller one in Duncan, British Columbia.
– The unique key and personalization of the hymn helped him feel at rest.
Sister Coretta: Favorite hymn is 358, *How Great Thou Art*.
– This was her mother’s favorite even before she came into the truth, evoking memories of her mother’s singing.
Sister Rachel: Favorite hymn is 126A, *Amazing Grace*.
– Treasured for its message of grace, especially in difficult times.
– Recognized as a famous hymn throughout Christian history.
Sister Debbie: Favorite hymn is 15, *Hope in Christ*.
– Described it as energizing and purposeful, summarizing the divine plan and our purpose in one hymn.

Closing Remarks:
– Appreciation was expressed to Sister Julia for piano accompaniment and to all brethren for sharing their testimonies.
– The hymns were recognized for their role in providing not only intellectual assurance but also heartfelt reliance on the Lord.
– The meeting concluded by affirming the spiritual encouragement and unity fostered through the Hymns of Dawn.

—

No direct Bible verses were quoted in the Vesper text provided, but several scriptural themes were referenced such as “making melody in your heart unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19) and the hope set before the saints (Hebrews 6:18-19).

Transcript

Thanks, Brother Ernie. Thanks, Brother Len for that wonderful discourse. Well, we’ve had a wonderful day hearing about faith today, haven’t we? And, you know, at the onset of the Harvest Truth movement, the Lord’s people have been greatly blessed with many helpful and inspirational Bible student references, Bible translations, Bible dictionaries and concordances that have built up the faith of the brethren for many years. One very important book supplied to the brethren not only increases our faith, our intellectual assurance of the truth, but this book also builds our trust in the Lord, our heart, reliance on him through those mountaintop experiences or deep valley experiences that we experience in our Christian lives.

This book revives the hope that is set before us, but not only for us, but also for all of mankind, and this very important book I’m referring to is the Hymns of Dawn. You know, before 1907, Bible students and their ecclesias all used different hymnals. This made hymns singing difficult at convention gatherings because the brethren from all these different ecclesias had different hymn books. They would sing the same hymn, but it would be to different key or different music.

So Brother Russell felt it would be beneficial to have all the brethren use the same hymn book to unify them, especially for services at convention. Now, Brother Russell, his wife Maria and sister Gertrude Siebert compiled the most popular hymns and inspiring hymns from all the church hymn books. They also changed the lyrics where required to harmonize with the harvest message of present truth. An article entitled Shall We Sing unitedly from the February 1907 watchtower announced this new hymn book. Brother Russell.

Many men of many minds, writes the poet, but God’s people are striving daily to have the mind of Christ and to all mind the same things. We commend this same course in respect to our hymns. When we meet in one day conventions and general conventions, let us be able to sing unitedly. We now have prepared at considerable trouble and expense a hymn book with music. One of these Hymns of Dawn, containing beyond all dispute, 333 of the best of all hymns of all denominations.

So today we are blessed with this hymn book, the Hymns of Dawn. Now, the introductory pages of the Hymns of Dawn states it is a choice collection of psalms and hymns, spiritual songs to aid God’s people in singing and making melody in their hearts unto the Lord. This work, the Hymns of Dawn, is dedicated to the King of Kings, the Lord of lords, in the interest of his consecrated saints waiting for the adoption and of all that in every place call upon the Lord, the household of faith and of the groaning creation, travailing and waiting for the manifestations of the sons of God. Now, singing of hymns is engaging both to the head and to our heart. This is why at convention gatherings we not only have a theme text of Scripture, we also have a theme hymn, don’t we?

Not only are hymns of praise important in our ecclesiast studies and conventions, but also during our private lives, our private work lives, our quiet times, private study moments, and especially as we have all experienced those severe trials or fiery trials that suddenly seem to come upon us.

I’m sure all of you have experienced that at one time when you were so troubled in heart by one of these severe, fiery trials, even prayers to the Lord couldn’t come to your mind. But inside of you were welling up this hymn to comfort you, whether you heard it out loud or silently in your heart. To comfort you. So in this service, we would like to have a hymn testimony meeting where we would like you to come forward. We have a microphone in front.

The reason being, we want you to hear your favorite hymn from the front because it sounds so much better hearing the voices of the brethren in front of you. So bring your hymn book, share with us the number of your favorite hymn and explain why this hymn is so important to you.

It may bring back memories, memories of the Lord’s providential overrulings in your life or that of significant brethren or parents or family that you had their favorite hymns and how they inspire you as well. So who would like to be first to tell us of maybe one of their ebenezer experiences or a dark valley moment in their life where one of the Lord’s hymns pick you up not only intellectually, but from the heart? Yeah. We will sing the first and the last verse of each hymn that the brother or sister would choose. Who would like to be first?

Okay. Our piano player would like to start. Sister Julia, why is this hymn your favorite hymn? Who would like to come forward?

Brother Fernando.

The song that I really like, which we did, we singed already, so we don’t have to sing it again, is Search and See, and that’s Psalm 296, and there’s a part where it says, but man makes his love too narrow by false limits of their own. They magnify his vengeance with zeal. God he will not own.

I really like that verse of it because I feel like sometimes we’re so focused on making God’s love in a little box and not realizing that he is so vast, and something I realized, and I think we all know God is love and I was thinking about it, I was like, God isn’t. God doesn’t have love. But God is, at its very essence, love, and so I was just really appreciate that verse of the hymn.

Because it reminds me of, like, we. Sometimes we. Like God is in this little box, and if you don’t fit there, then you can be part of God’s love. So that verse has helped me to see that God doesn’t, you know, like all the things that we may say in his name.

But he doesn’t own to them. Because he’s like, I’m love and I love you as you are. So I really appreciate that hymn, and I like to listen to it at least once a day. So, yeah, appreciate the hymn.

Okay, so that’s Search and see, hymn number 299. We’re going to sing the first and the last. 296. Search and see. Okay.

First and last.

Sa Sam.

Thank you. Thank you, Brother Fernando, and I’m sure that when you discover the truth of the ransom for all A L L that’s what truly gave you the peace which the world cannot give. Who would like to be next? Brother Kate.

Yeah. Brother Jonathan, and then Sister Joyce. You can follow Brother Jonathan. My favorite is 65A.

Jesus grant us strength, and it wasn’t originally my favorite, but. But it was Brother Bus Jackson’s from the Wilmington class, his favorite, and it became my favorite when we went to his house on his deathbed, and the Armstrongs were there.

And because they loved music, they could sing in parts, and they knew this was Bus’s favorite hymn, and so we all sat around the bed and sang this. Sister Jewell and I and the Armstrongs, Sean and Tim and Lois and Brian probably was there. I can’t remember all, but when I heard.

It’s interesting, the Lord overruled that I could not sing it. I’m a tenor. I could not sing it. I didn’t have a voice because I was so choked up about the dear brother. But, see, the dear brother was a tenor, and he was a great tenor.

So the Lord allowed him to sing in his own mind. As he heard the other parts without me interrupting his tenor, and I just thought that’s why I couldn’t sing this hymn together with them. But the words. When you’re on your deathbed, the words are so impactful.

The goal is there.

Through the cross, attain the crown. Those were the last words of that hymn. That. That was his vision to be with the Lord. So that is why it’s my favorite hymn.

Wow. That’s impactful. Hymn 65, a first and last. Jesus grant us streng.

Thank you, Brother Jonathan. Sister Joyce would like to come up. All right, Sister Joyce, there’s the microphone. Thank you, Andy.

This is Blessed bible.

Okay, that’s 22, I believe. 23. 22, yeah.

And sister Joyce, why is this your favorite hymn? Why is it special to you? I had at least six aunts that were in the truth, and they taught me to sing this, especially my Aunt Pauline.

So it was. It’s always been precious to me. Very good. So you grew up singing this hymn with your family? Yes.

Very good. So we will sing hymn the first and last hymn number 22, Blessed Bible Holy.

Thank you, Sister Joyce. I hope that brought back some precious memories to you. Yes, it did. Who would like to be next? Favorite hymn, Brother in the front.

Mark.

Well, I wanted to share my story about him. 3.

You know, I was a Cole Porter in my early 20s, in the 70s, and I went to Duncan, British Columbia, and I grew up in Chicago, and, you know, there’s 150 to 180 brethren there every Sunday, and I went to Duncan, British Columbia, and when everybody showed up, there was like 12 or 13.

And it was kind of a culture shock. You know, I grew up. I had two or three times as many kids in my Bible class as a whole ecclesiastical, and the brother picked this hymn and sang it. It was a unique, unique key.

I guess I’m not real musical, but it was different, and it’s just the personalization that Jesus said to come to me, be at rest. Thank you, brother. Hymn number three, first and last. I can say I’ve met a Cole Porter.

SA thank you, Brother Mark. I hope that brought the memories back of your Cole Porter service. Thank you very much. Who would like to be next?

A favorite hymn, Sister Coretta. We have till 8:15, so be ready, brethren, if you would like to be next. So one of my favorite hymns is the same hymn that my mom loved even before we came into the truth. She loved hymn 358, How Great Thou Art. So that was hymn number 68.

358. 358 for Sister Clanky. Right? Good. Everyone remembers Sister clanky.

Hymn number 358. First and last.

Sam.

Thank you, Sister. I bet you you could hear your mama singing with you.

Who would like to be next? We probably have time for only two more.

Who would like to share? Sister Rachel?

My favorite hymn is Amazing Grace.

Simply for the fact that without grace, none of us would be here, and I Certainly wouldn’t. So whenever I’m going through difficult times, I think of Amazing Grace. I don’t know what number it is. 126A.

126A. Amazing grace. Thank you, Sister. It’s a wonderful hymn. A famous hymn in the annals of Christian faith, isn’t it?

SA Sam, that last line is so beautiful. To the Lord’s people, isn’t it? What hope Inspiring lyrics were written for our benefit. Not just our intellectual assurance, but our heart reliance on the Lord. Sister Debbie, you will be our last favorite hymn testimony.

Well, hymn 15 is one that I really enjoy because I feel like. Like you almost need to stand up and cheer and then start marching, you know? And it gives the whole divine plan and it gives us our purpose, and it’s just something that we just need to sing about.

What number was that again? 15. 15. Hope in Christ, first and last.

Yeah.

We’ll rise and then we’ll call upon our chairman to come up.

SA thank you, Sister Debbie. That is. That’s the plan of God in one hymn. Thank you, Sister Julia, for playing piano, and thank you, brethren, for sharing with us your favorite hymns and what they mean to you, either in remembrance or intellectual assurance or heart reliance in the Lord.

Click Here for the PDF transcript.