Sunday, July 24, 2022

Make Hymns New, Bringing Back what was Lost: A look at Send the Light...

In Wilton Iowa, in 1856 Charles Hutchinson Gabriel, was born. at the age of 17, he followed in His father's footsteps and began teaching at many signing schools. Charles was not taught by anyone for the most part he was self-taught. Charles quickly became commended for His work as a composer and a teacher. Charles is credited with writing more than 8,000 either words or music. after moving to California at the church of Grace Methodist Church in San Francisco where he was a Sunday school music director, he wrote the words to the hymns Send the Light. there was to be a missionary meeting at the church and Charles was asked to write a song for the meeting and he did so. the first published song that Charles wrote was Send the Light. the full song as the author wanted it is only included in the Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs collection. The whole song is not in modern hymns books only part of the song the first 8 measures of the refrain 


Send the LIght by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel

“Send the Light”
There’s a call comes ringing o’er the restless wave,
“Send the light! Send the light!”
There are souls to rescue, there are souls to save,
Send the light! Send the light!
 
Refrain
We will spread the everlasting light,
with a willing heart and hand, giving God the glory evermore,
We will follow, follow his command,
Send the light, the blessed gospel light,
Let it shine from shore to shore,
Send the light! And let its radiant beams
Light the world forevermore.
 
We have heard the Macedonian call today,
“Send the light! Send the light!”
And a golden off’ring at the cross we lay,
Send the light! Send the light!
 
Let us pray that grace may ev’rywhere abound,
Send the light, Send the light!
And a Christ-like spirit ev’rywhere be found,
Send the light! Send the light!
 
Let us not grow weary in the work of love,
Send the light, Send the light!
Let us gather jewels for a crown above,
Send the light! Send the light!

Biblical significance 

Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your tabernacle. Psalms 43:3

The song is to believed to be based on Acts 16.

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/acapeldridge-whatever-is-lovely/pl.u-zPyLBkgIZZ4W1v

I like another version of this song but wanted to be as it was written by the author of the song and not the modern version.

Bible verse taken from the NKJV


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