Lead, Kindly Light
Note.—John Henry Newman, the author of this beautiful poem (Volume V, page 110), was born in London in 1801. He entered Oxford before he was sixteen and achieved the highest distinction in his college course. He entered the Church of England and became noted for his wonderful sermons. After some years of prominence in his calling, he was convinced that his belief was wrong, and in 1845 he entered the Roman Catholic Church. In 1879 he was created cardinal by Pope Leo XIII. but he continued to reside in England, where he died in 1890. Besides his great influence as a spiritual thinker, Newman’s writings and sermons were characterized by a forcible and elevated style and by remarkably melodious utterance. Lead, Kindly Light shows these traits.
Some words and phrases in the hymn may be made clearer by explanation: “Kindly Light.”—“The light shall shine upon thy ways.” (Job xxii, 28.) “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” (Psalms xxvii, 1.) “The Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.” (Isaiah lx, 20.)
In the Bible there are many other instances besides those just given in which there is a figurative use of the word light. It is a natural and beautiful figure. A person in doubt intellectually or spiritually looks upon himself as in darkness, and light to him is an intellectual or spiritual awakening. The light that came to the poet was a kindly light; it removed his doubts and comforted him.
“Garish day.” The dazzling or glaring day.
“Moor and fen.” While these words seem new and unusual to us, we must remember that in England they are as common as the terms marsh and swamp are with us.
“Those angel faces smile,” etc. The subject of this clause is faces, and the verb is smile.
Children will love this hymn though they cannot appreciate its full significance till maturer years have brought with them the deeper experiences of life. Still they should know and love the poem and may be led to a partial understanding of its beauty in sentiment by means of interpretation carried not too far. By comment and reading somewhat in the following manner may the most be accomplished:
1. The poet had reached mature years and had felt the oppressing influence of questioning and doubt, but had reached a sublime faith in the power and love of God. He still feels, however, the need of the personal care and guidance of the Almighty, and asks that it may continue through life. So we may imagine him in one of those thoughtful moments which come to every one, musing thus: Darkness and night surround me with their encircling gloom, and I feel that years must pass before I reach my heavenly home, so—
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;