"Some affirm, the breaking of bread should be first. I see no such system in the Word of God."

Published by J. Clarke, Cross St, Manchester. I wonder who wrote this?

Query whether he means the act of breaking the bread during the meeting, and not the meeting for the breaking of bread. That is, for the author the question is not at all whether the meeting should be the first thing but whether, during the meeting, it is appropriate that someone give a word before the bread is broken.

On p.4 he denounces the practice of making anything else a priority.
"Here again, I have to remark upon a violation of the plain text of Scripture in the various sects and denominations. The Lord’s Supper is made a secondary matter. Preaching is set up as the first thing to please and uphold a congregation... The disciples came together
on the first day of the week to break bread; but now [ie, 'these days'] it is to hear a preacher, or do any thing except the primary object of keeping the feast of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week."

I read it as you suggest, Greg - referring to procedure within the meeting, rather than the timing of the meeting as being in the morning (although didn't some brethren propose an evening meeting for breaking of bread? I can't remember who though).

I guess that, were it not for the effect of the Reformation on social norms in Europe and its outgoings, we'd still be meeting in the evening as they must in Nepal and other unchristianised countries. But with the privilege still open to us, it would be a great shame to give a higher priority to anything else.

I think that one of the main points made is that the Lord’s Supper comes before any other activity, not preceded by sermons and tagged on to the end as might be the case in many churches. This would appear to be what is meant on page 4. 

Among "assemblies" there has been controversy as to when in the “morning meeting” the bread should be broken. Scripture does not say, but many believe that it should be in the earlier part of the meeting when thanksgiving, praise, and worship be addressed to the Lord Jesus, especially as we have assembled to remember Him. 

The Lord in the midst of the assembly as “the Chief Musician”, or to use that modern expression, the “Worship Leader” - the only true One that is - leads the assembly in its service of praise to the Father, the Father having sought worshippers. Hence the tendency in the UK at least to sing hymns which address the Lord Jesus before and in thanksgiving at the actual partaking of the Lord’s Supper, and afterwards, though there might be still similar hymns for a time, hymns of praise to the Father. 

There always seems to me, and I think to others, somewhat of a change in the meeting once the Lord’s Supper has been eaten, not that I mean that the Supper is of a minor significance, certainly not, it is the object before us and the reason why we have come together in the first place, but is seemingly the order of things as described in the early part of Acts 20 and in 1 Corinthians chapters 11 to 14. I think Psalm 22 gives more than a hint of this also, the change being between verses 21 and 22, though the following verses go on to beyond the present age. Hebrews 2 verse 12 is the key. But this is not to make rules, the Holy Spirit will lead according to the Lord’s direction. 

At the commencement of the “Brethren Movement” some patterns standard among "churches" generally were maintained, not as to order of service at the Lord’s Supper, but as regards to various services throughout the Lord’s Day. Hence, the Lord’s Supper in the morning, then Sunday School or a Reading in the afternoon, and a Gospel Preaching in the evening. 

I would not press changing this format, but it does mean that time and opportunity for open ministry after the breaking of bread is not really possible, which appears to have been the order as in the two Scriptures just mentioned. 

It might be that in countries where Sunday is a normal working day, indeed that the Lord’s Supper be held in the evening, but in Christianised lands Sunday was a holiday in the true sense of the word – the Lord’s Day. 

Mark Best

Meetings that were connected with Percy Weston Heward ( NT pattern assemblies similar to OBs) observed Lord's supper in the evenings.

Joshua, I just noticed last night that AW Pink (who according to Wikipedia had some kind of association with Heward) also advocated for the Lord's Supper in evenings.

The discussion reminds me of the New English Bible's translation of Acts 20, which suggests that the believers met in Troas on Saturday night.

Joshua, I picked up Heward's "The puritan quarterly" vol 1 (1902-03). Fascinating to see his combination of interests in puritans, Bullinger and CE Welch, and Robert Govett!

Yes a very intresting man. He published his first magazine when he was just 16!