| Show 0 r W BY CLINT CLINT BONNER f c 4 1 Lead lain l m Kindly y Light LightA 3 jj l J lii i A composer dodges London traffic rallie to 0 write a a melody If H 1 J I The Rev John Bacchus Dykes could compose composo a melody In a thunder storm Of or the hymn hymn- tunes to his credit many were written in crowded railway stations and on trains It is said that he wrote some somo of his best compositions in the pulpit while waiting to deliver his sermons So neither the rumbling carriages nor clattering hordes of shoppers interrupted his thoughts ns as he hurried along the streets of London Composer Dykes was running through his mind a poem he had read in an old March 1834 Issue of The British Magazine The lines were under the title Faith heavenly Faith Heavenly and had been written In June 1831 by a n disturbed Protestant minister named John Henry Newman Newman had vigorously criticized the Roman noman church Then he ho r pondered leaving the Protestant Protestant Protest Protest- ant faith for tor the church he had denounced By Dy the time he was 30 the indecision had shattered shattered shat shat- his health and he took a q trip to Italy for rest Lead kindly light amid th encircling gloom Lead Thou me on The night Is dark and I am far from home homel lead Thou me Keep Thou my feet feed I do not ask aik to seeThe tee see teeThe The distant scene One step enough for mt me I w woj s not ever t thus us nor prayed that Thou lead me on onI I loved to choose and see my path but now Load Thou me mo on Homesick with fever and depressed t r Newman waited three weeks for fora a return boat boa p m to hb his native England When he finally iO got g passage his sh ship stopped in the Mediterranean 1 The sails hung limp on the masts and not sQ- sQ f I breeze stirred for tor a n week With the prospect a of starving at s sea sea a added to his illness and con confused confused con con- i fused mind Newman wrote his prayer poem 1 i 0 lie He had no thought hought of its ever being used as astae at at- i If r hymn Two weeks later the ship Twelve docked i years later Newman made up his mind He He I r Ner went t to the Roman Church r rUy ti r-i Uy fly the time John Bacchus Dykes reached hL hiss I study t that August day in 1865 the tune to am a 5 Jr immortal hymn had been born And Cardinal f c John Henry Newman always Insisted that If iC i iwas i the tune tunc Dykes while was composed through the busiest section of London that maito malic I 3 u i popular his words r I loved ovod the garIsh day r rAnd J 11 And spite of fears I Pride ruled my will r f I Remember not past years i td h So long Thy power hath blest me sure ure i rt it still stiff s. s i a Will lead me on 1 7 Oer O'er moor and fen oer o'er crag rag and torr torrent nt tilt If t The night is gone y t. t V f 1 11 1 And with the morn 1 I Those angel el faces smile t Which I 1 have loved long since 1 o And lost a v t r M r t r |
