The Believers Hymnbook has often puzzled me - and not just because of the missing apostrophe in its title. For this hymnbook, now in use by the the 5th generation of our family, illustrates the norms of "open brethren" theology in the 1880s, and illustrates how far many modern brethren have departed from it.
I may expand on this in future posts, but for now I will note the following:
Principles of reception: 4, 148
Divine soveriegnty: 440
Election to faith: 2, 55, 69, 181, 204, 232, 249, 287, 320, 356, 376
Particular redemption: 51, 223?, 303?, 318, 368, 408
Justification by the passive and active righteousness of Christ: 7, 15, 32, 40, [320], 437
Worship and prayer directed to the Son of God (and even, at one point, the Spirit): 17, 38, etc, 52, 61, 74, 95, 113, 359, 457
Some among brethren no longer believe in individual election to salvation (2), or particular redemption, or in prayer addressed to the Son of God. These would often also resist the principles of reception encompassing "every one that loves Thy name" (4). But the hymnbook they continue to use makes other kinds of claims.
This is an interesting article. I took my copy off the shelf to read the hymns you specifically listed. It's been a long time since I browsed through it. The leather is starting to get stiff: I need to apply some leather lotion to it...
ReplyDeleteThe majority of "open" gatherings I've encountered here in North America seem to prefer the newer Hymns of Worship and Remembrance to the Believers Hymn Book. I'm not entirely sure what the history is behind that, but I would be curious to see a similar analysis done with that book.
I currently remember the Lord with christians who use the 1881 Little Flock. It's not my favorite hymn book, but it's very good. Of course most of the doctrines you point out in the BHB are quite clearly taught in the 1881.