I am come a light into the world,
that whosoever believeth on me
should not abide in darkness.
Be Burning
On many occasions Mr. P. P. Bliss would travel with Mr. Moody. At one of Mr. Moody`s meetings he heard him relate about a story of a dark stormy night when a large passenger boat was approaching the Cleveland harbor.
This is the story as said by Mr. Moody.
On a dark, stormy, night, when the waves rolled like mountains, and not a star was to be seen, a boat, rocking and plunging, neared the Cleveland harbor. “Are you sure this is Cleveland?” asked the captain, seeing only one light from the light-house.
“Quite sure, sir,” replied the pilot.
“Where are the lower lights?”
“Gone out, sir.”
“Can you make the harbor?”
“We must, or perish, sir!”
And with a strong hand and a brave heart, the old pilot turned the wheel. But alas, in the darkness he missed the channel, and with a crash upon the rocks the boat was shivered, and many a life lost in a watery grave.
Then Moody made his appeal to his audience: "Brethren, the Master will take care of the great light-house: let us keep the lower lights burning! D. L. Moody.
From His lighthouse evermore,
But to us He gives the keeping
Of the lights along the shore.
Dark the night of sin has settled,
Loud the angry billows roar;
Eager eyes are watching, longing,
For the lights along the shore.
Trim your feeble lamp, my brother!
Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor,
In the darkness may be lost.
Let the lower lights be burning!
Send a gleam across the wave!
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman,
You may rescue, you may save.