THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD IS JESUS

No need of the sunlight in Heaven we’re told, the Light of the world is Jesus

The Lamb is the Light in the city of gold, the Light of the world is Jesus

Come to the Light; ‘tis shining for thee…Once I was blind, but now I can see.

The Light of the world is Jesus!

Phillip Bliss most often was called on to compose music for hymn texts others had written and brought to him.  Philip wrote the text and composed the music for his hymn, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD IS JESUS.  It was one of the last hymns he had composed.  His words in this hymn dispel the spiritual darkness of this world and the light that is available to all!

On the last Thursday of 1876, Phillip prayed with his boys…Paul who was 2 and George who was 4.  He explained to them that his desire was to stay with them, but that he and their mother, Lucy, were called to sing at D.L. Moody’s Tabernacle at year’s end.  They left their boys in the care of relatives and boarded the train for Chicago.

The train left at 2 PM in a blinding snowstorm.  As it crossed the 200-foot bridge spanning the Ashtabula River, the bridge collapsed.  The train crumpled into a heap at the bottom of the gorge and burst into flames.  Witnesses said that Phillip initially survived the wreck but when he realized his wife was still trapped, he crawled back in through a window to save Lucy.  They both perished.

Phillip was well known as a musician, music teacher, writer and composer.  It is told that after his luggage was recovered from the accident sight, in it they found other hymns including the music he had been asked to compose for the beloved hymn, "It is Well with My Soul!"

In this dark world, we need a strong light!  Phillip’s hymn reminds us that there is only one everlasting and bright light!  The light is Jesus Christ.