Description

The Lower Lights

Many ships have been lost at sea, but oceans are not the only place where there are maritime disasters. The Great Lakes, which straddle the United States/Canada border, have had over 8,000 documented shipwrecks. Lake Erie, one of the five lakes, covers 2,000 of them, among the highest concentration of wrecks in the world. The high rocky shore from just east of Cleveland west to Cedar Point combines with shallow water and sudden squalls to create one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the area. This location was likely where a tragic event happened which motivated a writer to pen words for a hymn.

The Rev. Dwight L. Moody, a 19th century evangelist, told a story in one of his sermons of a ship nearing the Lake Erie harbor at Cleveland, Ohio. It was a dark night and a violent storm produced punishing waves. Range lights were used in harbors and consisted of two lights – one higher and set back from the other. When these lights lined up vertically, one exactly above the other, the pilot knew the ship was positioned correctly to navigate the channel. That night, a lighthouse was shining and functioned as the upper range light. The lighthouse keeper’s job was to tend to the tall lighthouse, as well as the lower range light lanterns. However, for some reason, that night the lower lights, which were absolutely essential for safe navigation, were not lit.

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 along the shore?”

“Gone out, sir,” replied the pilot.

“Can you make the harbor?” asked the Captain, to which the pilot replied, “We must, sir, or perish.”

The pilot steered the vessel on what he thought was a course towards safety. But without the lower lights, he missed the channel. The ship struck upon the rocks and many lives were lost in the cold, stormy Lake Erie water.

Rev. Moody ended his sermon with the admonition, “Brethren, the Master will take care of the great lighthouse; let us keep the lower lights burning.”

A young man named Philip P. Bliss heard Rev. Moody’s story. He wondered if someone’s negligence or misfortune had caused the deadly wreck. Then he questioned if he as a Christian had neglected to do his part. Was he doing enough? Was he an example and reaching out to bring others who may be drowning in sin or misery to a knowledge of Christ? Shortly after the sermon ended, he picked up his pen and began writing both the words and music to “Let the Lower Lights Be Burning.”

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.

Dark the night of sin has settled,

Loud the angry billows roar,

Eager eyes are watching, longing,

For the lights along the shore.

Chorus:

Trim your feeble lamp, my brother,

Some poor sailor, tempest tossed,

Trying now to make the harbor,

In the darkness, may be lost.

Chorus:

The hymn was first published in 1871 in a Sunday School hymnal and became extremely popular. Churches throughout the land began singing this hymn and it blessed millions of people. In the New Testament, Jesus said, “…Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40). Are you doing all you can to keep the “lower lights” burning to help others?

Sources:

http://plymouthbrethren.org/article/10378https://iblp.org/sites/default/files/pdf/responsibility_song.pdf https://www.hymns.com/HYMNS%20OF%20THE%20MONTH%20PDF/2015%20HYMNS%20OF%20THE%20MONTH/Brightly-Beams-Our-Father-s-Mercy_February.pdfhttp://www.rockthelake.com/buzz/2017/10/lake-erie-hides-secrets-2000-shipwrecks/