I reckon I was about age eight when I heard the Rev. Ingles Black preach a sermon on Henry Francis Lyte.   It remained with me largely as a result of his hymn “Abide with me, fast falls the eventide.” It measures the ageing process!

Henry was born in Kelso in Scotland, educated in Ireland, went to Trinity College where he won the prize for the best poem for three years!   He thought about Medicine but decided to “go into the church”.

He was ordained and served a brief curacy in Waterford before moving to Marazion in Cornwell.   It was here that two important events took place in his life.   Up to this time he had lived a worldly life and when a neighbouring clergyman sent for him, afraid he was dying unpardoned, the pair of them set about reading the Bible in earnest.

As they searched the Scriptures they found comfort in St Paul’s Epistles.   Henry received the gift of God’s grace and was converted to Christ.  The clergyman also found peace with God and died happy in the knowledge of sins forgiven and acceptance with God.  

In due course Henry was moved along the south coast to All Souls, a church in Brixham but not before he had married the local Methodist Minister’s daughter!    He ministered among the seafaring population of the town with her at his side.   Rather bizarrely she refused to leave the Methodists so they went their separate ways to public worship!

Brixham was where William of Orange landed in1688 to claim the English throne from King James 11 who was his father-in-law!   It had become a naval base and the occasional visits of ships affected the morality of the town!    However, fishing was the main employment and despite his ailing health he became well known and loved by the community.

Henry was able to use his poetical gift to set the psalms to music.   His first book was psalms in metre.   He also wrote many hymns.  This is the first verse of the most famous; “Abide with me fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens, Lord with me abide   When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless O abide with me.

There is a note of triumph running through the hymn.   It comes from Henry resting in the fact of Jesus presence with him (Deuteronomy 31 verse 6).  The last verse breaks into the glory:   Reveal Thyself before my closing eyes Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies; Heaven’s morning breaks and earths vain shadows flee; In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Dashboard