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A Beacon Light for Jesus

Out upon life's ocean many souls adrift

Author: Haldor Lillenas
Tune: [Out upon life's ocean many souls adrift]
Published in 2 hymnals

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 Out upon life’s ocean many souls adrift,
Tempest tossed upon the raging sea,
Cannot see the many shoals and hidden rocks—
A beacon light for Jesus I would be.

Refrain:
A beacon light for Jesus I would ever be,
Sending out a warning light across the sea;
Faithfully shining on,
Until the night is gone,
A beacon light for Jesus I would be.

2 Many are the dangers on life’s rugged shore,
Strong the tempest rages, wild and free;
Many need a light to safely guide them home,
A beacon light for Jesus I would be. [Refrain]

3 I would not my light beneath a bushel hide,
I will place it where the lost can see,
That perhaps a ship in danger it may guide—
A beacon light for Jesus I would be. [Refrain]

Source: Alexander's Hymns No. 4 #216

Author: Haldor Lillenas

Rv Haldor Lillenas DMus Norway/USA 1885-1959. Born at Stord, near Bergen, Norway, his father sold their 15 acre farm in Norway and emigrated to the U.S., buying a farm in Colton, SD. After he built a sod house, the family (wife and three chldren) also came to SD in 1887. They moved to Astoria, Oregon in 1889, where Lillenas learned English and began writing song lyrics at an early age. In 1900 the family moved again to Roseville, MN, where he worked as a farm laborer and began attending a Lutheran high school at Hawick, MN. He sold a few songs at age 19. At age 21 he began writing more songs, encouraged by some earlier ones becoming popular (“He set me free” was one). His mother died in 1906 and his father returned to ND, but Li… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Out upon life's ocean many souls adrift
Title: A Beacon Light for Jesus
Author: Haldor Lillenas
Language: English
Refrain First Line: A beacon light for Jesus I would ever be
Copyright: Public Domain

Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 2 of 2)

Alexander's Gospel Songs and Solos #d84

TextAudioPage Scan

Alexander's Hymns No. 4 #216

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