Guernsey's Night of Carols

 

We would like to invite everyone to our Guernsey's Night of Carols. 

For more details please visit
http://www.otbchurch.com/

 

To join the event on Facebook visit

https://www.facebook.com/events/587367014652522/ 

“Let the Lower Lights be Burning”

 

A few years ago, at the mouth of Cleveland harbor, there were two lights, one at each side of the bay, called the upper and lower lights; and to enter the harbor safely by night, vessels must sight both of the lights. These western lakes are more dangerous sometimes than the great ocean. One wild, stormy night, a steamer was trying to make her way into the harbor. The captain and pilot were anxiously watching for the lights. By and by the pilot was heard to say, “Do you see the lower light?” “No,” was the reply; “I fear we have passed them.” “Ah, there are the lights,” said the pilot; “and they must be from the bluff on which they stand, the upper lights. We have passed the lower lights, and have lost our chance of getting into the harbor.” What was to be done? They looked back, and saw the dim outline of the lower lighthouse against the sky. The lights had gone out. “Can’t you turn your head around?” “No; the night is too wild for that. She won’t answer to her helm.” The storm was so fearful that they could do nothing. They tried again to make for the harbor, but they went crash against the rocks, and sank to the bottom. Very few escaped; the great majority found a watery grave. Why? Simply because the lower lights had gone out. Now with us the upper lights are all right. Christ himself is the upper light, and we are the lower lights, and the cry to us is, Keep the lower lights burning; that is what we have to do. He will lead us safe to the sunlit shore of Canaan, where there is no more night.

      Brightly beams our Father's mercy
         From His Lighthouse ever more,
      But to us He gives the keeping
         Of the lights along the shore.

      CHO.—Let the lower lights be burning!
             Send a gleam across the wave!
           Some poor fainting struggling seaman
             You may rescue, you may save.

      Dark the night of sin has settled,
         Loud and angry billows roar;
      Eager eyes are watching, longing,
         For the lights along the shore.—Cho.

      Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;
         Some poor seaman tempest-tost,
      Trying now to make the harbor,
         In the darkness may be lost.—Cho.

          P. P. BLISS.

D. L. Moody, D. L. Moody’s Child Stories Related by Him in His Revival Work, ed. J. B. McClure (Chicago: Rhodes & McClure, 1877), 121-22.

Carols Changed Christmas

Before the advent of the Christmas carol, celebrations of Christmas had become so depraved and rowdy that the observance of the joyous season was once forbidden by the English Parliament. The meaning of Christmas had become lost in a malestrom of reveling, drunkenness, rioting, and depravity. Decent people found it necessary to stay indoors for safety. The situation became so shameful that in 1644 Parliament passed strict laws making it illegal to commemorate the season in any way whatsoever! How empty and devoid of meaning is a Christless Christmas! KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS.

—Knight

Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996).

Art Thou Hung'ring for the Fulness

I came across this hymn while working on one of my graduate courses. The words were very gripping and I want to pass it along. Right now I have a friend putting the words to a new tune. If you would like to hear the former tune please visit (www.hymnal.net). I hope you receive a blessing from this hymn.

Art thou hung'ring for the fulness

Of the blessing Christ doth give?

Longing now to learn the secret

Of the life He bids thee live?

In His word thine answer standeth,

"Christ who is our Life" it saith;

Open now thy heart, and trust Him,

There to dwell, henceforth, by faith.

Christ, the Lord's Anointed, reigning

O'er the life He died to win,

Daily shall reveal more fully

His great power, without, within.

What thou never could'st accomplish

Shall His Spirit work through thee,

While thy soul this witness beareth,

'Tis not I, but Christ in me.

In Him dwelleth all God's fulness,

In Him thou art made complete;

Rise, and claim thy heavenly birthright,

Kneeling at thy Father's feet.

He will never disappoint thee,

Praise Him that the gift is thine;

Then go forth to live each moment

On sufficiency divine.

Lord, I come, and simply resting

On Thy faithful, changeless word,

I believe the blood doth cleanse me,

And that Christ is crowned Lord.

Grant henceforth a ceaseless outflow

Of Thy life and love through me;

Reaching those who sit in darkness,

Winning priceless souls to Thee.

Found in The Keswick Hymn-Book (Hymn #430).

Words by F. H. Allen
Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/641

Elizabeth's first Piano lesson