Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy Hymn #335
By Philip Paul Bliss
Brightly beams our Father's mercy from his lighthouse evermore
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.
I can honestly say I do not remember exactly what was taught in Gospel Doctrine on Sunday except this point which brought my brain back to the relief society room. Brother something or another read the lyrics to this Hymn and then told the story on how this song came to be. Mr. Bliss was sitting in church one day and the preacher told a story about the Cleveland Lighthouse and a ship trying to make the bay. The captain of the ship turned to his navigator as the boat was tossed around a raging sea and asked "is that the Cleveland lighthouse?" over the storm the navigator cried "yes sir it is" the captain nodded, "are you sure?" again the response was yes. "If it is where are the lower lights?" the captain asked. The navigator didn't have response, the captains question went unanswered and he asked his final question "Can we make the bay" the navigator nodded "we must sir, if we don't we will surely perish." The captain nodded and continued to look for the lower lights that would light the way safely into the calm bay, but he never found them. His ship missed the bay and smashed into the rocks sending itself to a watery grave.
Sad story right? Agreed. Brother whatsit talked about how as members of the church we are the lower lights and that Christ is the lighthouse and the lower lights belong to his disciples and if one goes out how quickly we need to relight it. The light of course being our testimonies and the way we live our life which is different and strange to others but an example and a testament to what we believe he kept reemphasizing that we needed to be an example to other members of the church who need a reminder. Now i sat there, in the front row mind you, and had this thought, We as members of the church can see Christ our lighthouse we can see His hand in our lives, but I couldn't help but think about those who can't see Christ, who can't see the light house. Those who can only see the lower lights. How bright do our lights burn? is our lower light a beacon that can stretch for miles or simply a candle? Oh to be a lighthouse.
By Philip Paul Bliss
Brightly beams our Father's mercy from his lighthouse evermore
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.
I can honestly say I do not remember exactly what was taught in Gospel Doctrine on Sunday except this point which brought my brain back to the relief society room. Brother something or another read the lyrics to this Hymn and then told the story on how this song came to be. Mr. Bliss was sitting in church one day and the preacher told a story about the Cleveland Lighthouse and a ship trying to make the bay. The captain of the ship turned to his navigator as the boat was tossed around a raging sea and asked "is that the Cleveland lighthouse?" over the storm the navigator cried "yes sir it is" the captain nodded, "are you sure?" again the response was yes. "If it is where are the lower lights?" the captain asked. The navigator didn't have response, the captains question went unanswered and he asked his final question "Can we make the bay" the navigator nodded "we must sir, if we don't we will surely perish." The captain nodded and continued to look for the lower lights that would light the way safely into the calm bay, but he never found them. His ship missed the bay and smashed into the rocks sending itself to a watery grave.
Sad story right? Agreed. Brother whatsit talked about how as members of the church we are the lower lights and that Christ is the lighthouse and the lower lights belong to his disciples and if one goes out how quickly we need to relight it. The light of course being our testimonies and the way we live our life which is different and strange to others but an example and a testament to what we believe he kept reemphasizing that we needed to be an example to other members of the church who need a reminder. Now i sat there, in the front row mind you, and had this thought, We as members of the church can see Christ our lighthouse we can see His hand in our lives, but I couldn't help but think about those who can't see Christ, who can't see the light house. Those who can only see the lower lights. How bright do our lights burn? is our lower light a beacon that can stretch for miles or simply a candle? Oh to be a lighthouse.
No comments:
Post a Comment