Lower Lights

One of my favorite hymns is one that we don't hear much in church, unless it's stake priesthood meeting. In our hymnbook the only arrangement is for men's choir. Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy is #335 in our hymnal. Last Sunday it was our turn to do sacrament meeting at the rest home. I had the talk and thought I had a topic. But late Saturday night, I read an item about this hymn and its origin and felt impressed (I know, I also feel impressed when I have something too spicy, but this was different. Trust me!) to talk on this subject.

Brightly beams our Father's mercy

From his lighthouse everymore,

But to us He gives the keeping

Of the lights along the shore.

Let the lower lights be burning;

Send a gleam across the wave.

Some poor fainting, struggling seaman

You may rescue, you may save.

The lighthouse obviously refers to the Savior, but what are the "lights along the shore," the "lower lights' referring to? Shortly after the Civil War a heavily laden steamer was struggling through a terrible storm on Lake Erie. It's destination was Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland's port was marked by a brightly lit lighthouse that night, but the lower lights, the lights that marked the channel past the entrance to the port, for some reason were not lit. The steamer cleared the entrance, but without the lower lights to mark the way it ran into the rocks and sank. Many lives were lost in the tragedy. A noted pastor of the day heard of the event and in a sermon given in Chicago, remarked, "Brothers and sisters, the Master will take care of the lighthouse. Let us keep the lower lights burning." The author of the hymn, Philip Bliss, was in the congregation and was moved to write the words and music to the song I've heard many times but never really understood.

Dark the night of sin has settled;

Loud the angry billows roar.

Eager eyes are watching, longing,

For the lights along the shore.

Trim your feeble lamp, by brother;

Some poor sailor, tempest tossed,

Trying now to make the harbor,

In the darkness may be lost.

All of us at times can relate to the seaman, beset by temptations and trials. At times the Savior's light can seem very far away, unattainable. But there, in our darkness, we see friends, family, leaders, and others whose example shows us the way and gives us hope. Other times, we may be the "lights along the shore" and help others by our example and service, sometimes unknowingly. It is good to remember we can be partners with Christ by our actions and deeds in helping others through the stormy waters of life. It is also good to remember that there are those who can help us navigate through the shoals of discouragement when the lighthouse grows dim to our eyes.