For me the evening meeting
was where the action was. Between 30 and 40 souls attended; women and men from pretty
poor circumstances. We sang the great hymns and songs from ‘The Redemption
Hymnal’, accompanied by my grandmother on a creaking old harmonium. My father preached a gospel message which
always contained down to earth practical applications.
I often wondered how he
managed to run a business and prepare two sermons per week…every week.
Faithfulness to the cause of Christ was however
rewarded. Through my parents’ personal testimony and witness in that small
village, some very unlikely people came to Christ. Preaching and living the
Gospel is what the church is called to do.
A favourite hymn of mine
from that time is ‘Burdens are Lifted at Calvary’. The words and music were written
in 1952 by John M Moore. It was prompted by an experience that he had while,
Assistant Superintendent of the Seaman's chapel in Glasgow. Called to visit a
critically ill seaman in hospital, Moore gave the individual a tract based on
Pilgrim’s Progress. Through conversation about the Pilgrim’s burden, the man
trusted Christ and later Moore wrote the Hymn.
Days
are filled with sorrow and care,
Hearts
are lonely and drear;
Burdens
are lifted at Calvary,
Jesus
is very near.
Chorus
Burdens
are lifted at Calvary,
Calvary,
Calvary,
Burdens
are lifted at Calvary,
Jesus
is very near.
Cast
your care on Jesus today,
Leave
your worry and fear;
Burdens
are lifted at Calvary,
Jesus
is very near.
Troubled
soul, the Saviour can see,
Ev’ry
heartache and tear;
Burdens
are lifted at Calvary
Jesus
is very near.
Half a century later
Scotland’s evangelical community has changed, and I suppose that many of today’s
more ‘hip’ leaders would regard such songs as mawkish and sentimental. Nevertheless,
the lyrics reflect the great truths of the Gospel centred on the cross,
redemption, salvation and most crucially, the conviction of sin and the need
for true repentance.
Let’s pray that in the rush
to become ‘seeker friendly’, and develop that ‘belonging before believing’
environment, we stay true to the first sentence the Lord Jesus uttered in His
public ministry: ‘‘Repent and believe the gospel”.
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