A Little Flock – Hymns of Dawn No. 6
Bible Scriptures Associated With This Hymn
“29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. 32 ‘Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’
You Must Be Ready
35 ‘Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them'”
(Luke 12:29-37, ESV).
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“22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22-24, ESV).
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“9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.” (Revelation 21:9-11, ESV).
In relation to this hymn’s 3rd verse lyrics:
“25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:25-31, ESV).
Lyrics
1.
A little flock, so calls he thee;
Who bought thee with his blood;
A little flock disowned of men,
But owned and loved of God.
2.
A little flock, so calls he thee;
Church of the Firstborn, hear!
Be not ashamed to own the name;
It is no name of fear.
3.
Not many rich or noble called,
Not many great or wise;
Those whom God makes his kings and priests
Are poor in human eyes.
4.
But the Chief Shepherd comes at length;
Her feeble days are o’er.
With glory crowned, and sceptre’s strength,
She reigns forevermore.
The History Of This Hymn
Author – Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)
Born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, Horatius Bonar became a pastor at Kelso in 1837 and six years later joining the Free Church of Scotland. His reputation as a religious writer was first gained on the publication of the “Kelso Tracts,” of which he was the author, yet he is no less favorably known as a religious poet and hymn-writer.
He became editor of the Quarterly Journal of Prophecy in 1848, to which he contributed a hymn for each number and the number of hymns contributed thereto is 101.
One of several hymns’ lyrics written by Horatius Bonar, which are most widely known today, is found in the Hymns of Dawn, No. 108 – titled “I Came To Jesus” with the opening words of the first verse: “I heard the Voice of Jesus say, ‘Come unto me and rest.'”
Composer – No information found in relation to the music score in the Hymns of Dawn for this hymn.
Hymn Book Purchase
The Hymns Of Dawn (hymn book) can be purchased at:
The Chicago Bible Students Online Bookstore: https://chicagobible.org/product-category/books/page/4/
The Dawn Bible Students Association: http://www.dawnbible.com/dawnpub.htm
Acknowledgment & References
Br. Charles Russell—the founder of the Bible Students movement, who is the compiler of “Poems and Hymns of Millennial Dawn” which was published in Allegheny, Pa., in 1890. This Bible Students’ devotional originally contained a total of 151 poems and 333 hymns.
Later on, the hymns from this book formed a basis for the hymnal titled ““Hymns of Dawn” which was published by the Dawn Bible Students Association in East Rutherford, New Jersey (USA) and the 1999 edition contains a total of 361 hymns.
- Hymnary.org.
Suggested Further Reading
A Special Calling by Br. David Rice. The Herald of Christ’s Kingdom. July /August 2016.
https://herald-magazine.com/2016/07/01/the-bride-class/
Old Testament Portrayals of the Church by Br. Homer Montague. The Herald of Christ’s Kingdom. July/August 2004.
http://www.heraldmag.org/2004/04ja_2.htm
The Song of Solomon by Br. Frank Shallieu. The Herald of Christ’s Kingdom. July/August 2004.
http://www.heraldmag.org/2004/04ja_3.htm
The Bride and the Bridegroom by Br. Carl Hagensick. A Verse-by-verse Study of Psalm 45. The Herald of Christ’s Kingdom. July/August 2004.
http://www.heraldmag.org/2004/04ja_4.htm
New Testament Portrayals of the Church by Br. Michael Nekora. A Precious Treasure. The Herald of Christ’s Kingdom. July/August 2004.
http://www.heraldmag.org/2004/04ja_5.htm
A Chaste Virgin. The Herald of Christ’s Kingdom. URL: http://www.heraldmag.org/literature/chliv_38.htm
The Truth About Hell. A Dawn Bible Association Publication. http://www.dawnbible.com/booklets/hell.htm
Hope Beyond the Grace. A Dawn Bible Association Publication. http://www.dawnbible.com/booklets/grave.htm
Christ and His Bride. BIBLE Students DAILY.
https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2017/06/25/christ-and-his-bride/
Links and Bible Resources – https://biblestudentsdaily.com/category/links/
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