AUDIO: Exclusive Brethren Communion: The Lords Supper
We have come into possession of a remarkable audio recording of a recent Exclusive Brethren ‘Lords Supper’. You will find it at the end of this Post.
It is remarkable for several reasons, not least of which is that this is today, the cult’s most secret event – nobody is invited to attend this weekly 6am Sunday service unless they are a full member of the Exclusive Brethren.
It was not always so...
The Exclusive Brethren have changed radically from their early beginnings in Dublin, Ireland. The origins of the Plymouth Brethren are closely linked with one important spiritual event: The 'Lords Supper'.
Historically this was a simple service: here is an extract from a 19th century description of the weekly event. One fascinating observation is that in those days visitors were welcome to attend. There was even a place for them ...
An extract from Unorthodox London (1874)The Brethren have three principal places of meeting
in London, and to one of these, the Priory, 198,
Upper Street, Islington, I adjourned on a Sunday
morning at eleven o’clock, armed with a few of
the particulars above stated, and prepared to wit-
ness and report their exposition in public worship.
The room, which is a moderate-sized school, was filled
with a congregation of evident habitués, a very small
portion at the back being railed off "for those not in
communion."The service consisted principally of the
singing of a large number of hymns, without instru-
mental accompaniment of any kind, and the reading
of Scripture. There is nothing in the shape of pulpit
or reading-desk, nor any person occupying the posi-
tion of minister or president. There was, I suppose,
some preconcerted arrangement as to who should read,
pray, or give, out the hymn; but, to an outsider, it
appeared that any of the Brethren took part without
premeditation. Between each portion of the service
there was a long pause of several minutes, during
which the congregation sat with eyes closed, seemingly
engaged in private prayer.The special object of the morning assembly was
"the breaking of bread." This was done in the
most homely manner possible. A loaf of home—made
bread was placed, in common plates, on a table in the
centre of the room, divided into quarters, and passed
round the benches; each member helped himself or
herself to a portion, literally "breaking" it off the
quarter loaf. The wine was passed round in like
manner, in large common tumblers, the administra-
tion of each element being preceded by prayer. It
was a simple ceremony; but the idea could not fail to
strike one that its very homeliness made it a close
representation of the original supper in the long
upper room and the daily bread-breakings of Apostles.After the Communion—as I suppose one may term
it-—followed another hymn, sung to the tune of 'God
save the Queen.' Whether this loyal melody was
designed to occupy anything like the position of our
Collect for the Queen I cannot say, but the effect was
slightly incongruous.With this I imagined the proceedings would have closed,
as I had been told there would be no sermon; but a sort
of sermonette was introduced, it seemed — and, I believe,
really was - on the spur of the moment. It was delivered by a
very humble Brother indeed, in homely and not always
accurate English; but he displayed minute knowledge
of Scripture, and his sermon was intensely earnest—as
the whole service had been—consisting, I am sure, as
the preacher kept telling us, of “ thoughts that had been
pressing in upon his own soul.” The two concluding
prayers were offered by gentlemen of a very diiferent
mental calibre, and the congregation evidently num-
bered many persons of position and education. The
names of “ intending and accepted brethren ” were
then read, together with one who "sought restora-
tion", and another who proposed to take to himself a
Sister; and so the proceedings terminated, without—-
as will be evident—anything having transpired to
inform one as to the special doctrines of the body.
Over the years the Exclusive Brethren 'Lord's Supper' has been altered so much it is virtually unrecognizable.
Today's Lords Supper has a fixed format. First come the announcements (we have removed these from the recording for obvious reasons). Usually a random brother reads the announcements for the week, it's a task carried out by someone that usually does not have another task within the assembly.
There is a period of several minutes between the giving of the announcements and the beginning of the service. In this recording it was 7 minutes. Following the wait, a brother goes to the table to give thanks for the loaf. He does not use the sound system so his first thanksgiving is a little hard to hear, but after that, the sound system clearly picks up every brother’s part, every sister giving out her number and the singing.
Remember, every individual is expected to take part in the Lord’s Supper. As soon as you can audibly voice a number, Exclusive Brethren mothers encourage their daughters to give out a hymn. The fathers coach the young boys at home as how to hold a microphone and what to say. There are strict limits on what you can and cannot say at the Supper. Each segment of the time is highly regulated as to suitable words and participation.
Many ex-members remember the fear of going out of bounds and saying something unsuitable. The “Essential time” is not one remembered as one of liberty, more of making sure you crossed your t’s and dotted your i’s ... and impressed everybody with what you knew about the rules and regulations of the Lord’s Supper. If you strayed, a faithful brother would likely seek you out and help you with what these 'great men have said' so as to help you next time.
The early days of spiritual spontaneity have been replaced with yet more rules and regulations.
A Recording of the Exclusive Brethren Lord’s Supper: (Dated approximately 2008)
(In this audio the service is uncut. The initial 12 minutes are the breaking of bread and the passing of the cup. You might want to move the slider forward after a few minutes have passed)
This Post has also been featured on the peebs.net blog - Exclusive Brethren Communion: The Lords Supper (with audio)
