Bless, O Lord, the congregation

1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

1. May the Holy Ghost descending,
Crown this message with success;
We are on his power depending,
He, and he alone, can bless,
By revealing
Christ the Lord, our Righteousness.

2. We have listen’d to the preacher,
Truth by him has now been shown;
But we want a greater Teacher,
From the everlasting throne;
Application
Is the work of God alone.

3. Bless, O Lord, the congregation
Now assembled in this place;
Bless the tidings of salvation,
Bless us with thy heavenly grace
And in glory
May we all behold thy face.

This hymn was written by Joseph Irons, an English preacher, author, and hymn writer. He was born in 1785 in Ware. He was a good friend of John Newton. After the death of Newton, Irons joined the Non-comformists. He became pastor of the Grove Chapel, Camberwell, London in 1819 and held that position for 33 years. He died April 3, 1852.

I did not find this hymn in the hymnbook Zion’s Hymns, Composed by Joseph Irons, for the Use of Church and Congregation, Assembling in Grove Chapel, Camberwell. In his writings, Thomas Bradbury, who followed later as pastor of Grove Chapel, often mentioned these words as belonging to Joseph Irons.

According to John Julian, though Irons’s “hymns are powerful and at times poetical…because of their strong Calvinistic teaching have failed to become popular.” As a result, his hymns are “seldom found” in many hymnal collections. For that reason also, many of his hymns are not paired with tunes. The above hymn is meter 8.7.8.7.4.7. Such a meter is often paired with tunes that are 8s.7s. Doubled, by repeating the line of four to make it eight, and then repeating the last two lines again. I think Beach Spring would be a good tune for this hymn.

Joseph Irons’s son – William Josiah Irons – was also a minister and hymn writer.