Northwestern Bible School - Scroll Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

Page 15 text:

P. Bliss was inspired to write this hymn by listening to one of®. C. CIDoody ' s illustrations. Ghis was the great evangelist’s story: One dark, turbulent night, as a veritable tempest beat the sea into a maelstrom, a ship fought its perilous way toward Cleveland harbor. After the big lighthouse had been visible for some time, the captain began to question the pilot. Are you sure this is Cleveland?’ ' Quite sure, sir,’ replied the pilot. ' But where are the lower lights?’ the captain insisted. ' Gone out, sir,’ was the respectful answer. Ghe captain began to be really frightened, and inquired about the possibility of entering the harbor at all. Ghe answer came with all the finality of a death sentence, ' tDe must, or perish, sir! Carefully and courageously the old pilot eased the ship through the dreadful clamor of the storm, but as he sought vainly for the safe channel, the ship swerved too far to one side and crashed on the merciless rocks. !H«re is our lesson. It was not the fury of the storm, but the fail¬ ure of the lower lights that crushed out many a precious life that night. Brethren, the CDaster will take care of the great lighthouse; let us keep the lower tights burning.” Grim your feeble lamp, my brother: Some poor sailor tempest tossed, Grying now to make the harbor, In the darkness may be lost. £et the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave! Some poor fainting, struggling seaman, lfou may rescue, you may save,”