The Guiding Star

Representative Text

1. Bright was the guiding star that led,
With mild, benignant ray,
The Gentiles to the lowly shed,
Where the Redeemer lay.

2. But lo! a brighter, clearer, light
Now points to His abode;
It shines, through sin and sorrow’s night,
To guide us to our God.

3. Oh! haste to follow where it leads
The gracious call obey;
Be rugged wilds, or flowery meads,
The Christian’s destined way.

4. Oh! gladly tread the narrow path,
While light and grace are given;
Who meekly follow Christ on earth
Shall reign with Him in Heaven.

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #637

Author: Harriet Auber

Auber, Harriet, daughter of Mr. James Auber, b. in London, Oct. 4, 1773. During the greater part of her quiet and secluded life she resided at Broxbourne and Hoddesdon, Herts, and died at the latter place on the 20th Jan., 1862. Miss Auber wrote devotional and other poetry, but only a portion of the former was published in her Spirit of the Psalms, in 1829. This collection is mainly her work, and from it some useful versions of the Psalms have been taken and included in modern hymn-books, about 20 appearing in Spurgeon's Our Own Hymn Book, 1866. Miss Auber's name is widely known, but it is principally through her exquisite lyric, "Our blest Redeemer, ere He breathed," and the Epiphany hymn, "Bright was the guiding star that led." (For criti… Go to person page >

Notes

Bright was the guiding star that led. Harriet Auber. [Epiphany.] First published in her Spirit of the Psalms, 1829, p. 142, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines. In America it has attained to a much greater popularity than in Great Britain, being found in many collections, sometimes attributed to the Rev. H. F. Lyte, and again to Miss C. Elliott. Original text in Lord Selborne's Book of Praise, 1862-7, p. 46, and Dr. Hatfield's Church Hymn Book, 1872, No. 363.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Tune

MANOAH (Greatorex)

MANOAH was first published in Henry W. Greatorex's Collection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes (1851). This anthology (later editions had alternate titles) contained one of the best tune collections of its era and included thirty-seven original compositions and arrangements by compiler Greatorex as well as m…

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INVITATION (Hastings)


CHRISTMAS (Handel)

The tune is based on the the beginning of the soprano aria "Non vi piacque ingiusti dei" from the opera "Siroe"

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Timeline

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The Cyber Hymnal #637

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