Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom,
Lead thou me on:
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead thou me on.
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead thou me on.
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will: remeber not past years.
So long thy power hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone,
And with the morn those Angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.
Inspiring words by Cardinal Newman.
3 comments:
Nobody seems to know what the first verse means but I suggest that Newman was thinking of photographs of the departed? I am enjoying the daily readings from Newman chosen by A.N.Wilson.
Silly me I meant verse 3! Do you know the fine tune for this hymn "Alberta" by Sir William Harris? The tune matches the words as it builds to a climax and the key changes to lead us on!
I know what verse 3 means!
When Newman was a boy, he used to stay at Greycourt House in Ham. He used to imagine angels walking up and down the grand staircase of the house. This image stayed with him throughout his life - and he looked forward to seeing them again in heaven.
There is 'blue plaque' on the house in Ham Street, and once a year we process from St Thomas Aquinas for prayers. The house is next to the Royal Oak pub.
Yes, I do know the tune by W H Harris - it is in my copy of Hymns A&M Revised, and is indeed a fine tune.
Having said all this I have to put a bit of dampener on things by saying that I am not particularly fond of the hymn 'Lead, kindly Light'!
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