Let the Lower Lights Be Burning

The following thought was given by Margie Tripp at the beginning of February staff meeting.


From http://lincolntribune.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=12557

Stories Behind the Hymns : Let the Lower Lights be Burning
By Warren Shiver

Those who live by the sea or on a large body of water, understand better than the folks that have never seen or been on the ocean, and seen the powerful waves crashing on the shore, the Biblical accounts of stories that involve the Sea of Galilee. Those who have had first hand experiences on a ship or boat sing with more understanding the hymns that speak of the Christian experience in nautical terms.

Rev. Dwight L. Moody, one of the greatest evangelists of the nineteenth century told a story in one of his sermons of a ship nearing the Lake Erie harbor at Cleveland, Ohio. It was a stormy night and the waves were high. Seeing only the lights from the lighthouse, the Captain asked the Pilot, "Are you sure this is Cleveland?" "Quite sure", replied the Pilot. "But", said the Captain, "where are the lower lights, the lights along the shore?" The Pilot replied calmly, "They’ve gone out sir." He assured the Captain that they could make the harbor, and turned the wheel, but in the darkness, they missed the channel and crashed upon the rocks. Many passengers drowned and with this illustration, Rev. Moody concluded his sermon with this comment, "Beloved the Master will take care of the great Lighthouse. Let us keep the Lower Lights burning."

Phillip P. Bliss, a well-known music teacher, hymn writer, and Christian leader that night listened to Rev. Moody’s sermon intently and the Holy Spirit spoke to him and shortly after the sermon ended, he picked up his pen and began writing both words and music to "Let the Lower Lights Be Burning". The hymn was first published in 1871 in a Sunday school hymnal. Bliss’s hymn became exceedingly popular, even inland where the people could not relate to the meaning of the Lighthouse, or the "Lower lights along the shore". Churches throughout the land began singing this hymn and it blessed millions of people. Unfortunately it has been dropped from many hymnals in our churches today, and only the older folks in the congregation still remember this powerful message. I could only hope that it would have a revival in our churches today, so that our young people could enjoy this great message and hymn.

The following song was sang by Roger Kennard, a former member of the Tabernacle Choir.

Let The Lower Lights Be Burning

(Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy, Hymn 335 by Phillip Paul Bliss)

Verse 1
Brightly beams our Father’s mercy,
From His lighthouse evermore,
But to us he gives the keeping,
Of the lights along the shore.

Chorus:
Let the lower lights be burning,
Send a gleam across the way,
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman,
You may rescue, you may save.

Verse 2
Dark the night of sin has settled,
Loud the angry billows roar,
Eager eyes are watching, longing,
For the lights along the shore.

Chorus:

Verse 3
Trim your feeble lamp, my brother,
Some poor sailor, tempest tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor,
In the darkness, may be lost.

Chorus: