Light of Heavenly Life Divine

Light of heavenly life divine,

Cause thy light in me to shine

Breathe and give a pure desire,

Let my soul to thee aspire.

Now renew and sanctify,

Let all sin within me die;

Let thy image now be given,

Make me pure, and meet for heaven.

This hymn is part of a collection put together by Enoch Mudge, the first native New Englander to become a Methodist preacher.   Mudge was part of the congregation from Lynn, Massachusetts who formed the first Methodist congregation in this state when Jesse Lee came to preach.  He served on several circuits and composed the verses of the American Camp Meeting Hymn Book which he published in 1818, the same year that the first class meeting was formed here in South Walpole.  Later Mudge spent much of his ministry in New Bedford where he was the first Methodist preacher appointed to serve the new Seamen's Bethel there.

I was excited to find this little hymn, so suitable for Advent and Christmas, while looking through these hymns for my dissertation.  We will sing it in South Walpole on Christmas Eve to the tune CANTERBURY. 

Here are two more from the same source meant for this season.

Birth of the Saviour

My soul and voice awake and sing,

And shout the Saviour’s praise;

Come, celebrate thy Lord and King, In pure seraphic lays.

The rapture which my soul inspires,

Inspir’d th’ angelic throng;

My soul would emulate their fires,

And now renew the song

Glory to God, the angels sang,

Glory to God, I sing

Good-will o’er earth’s dominions rang;

The echoing heavens did ring.

Peace, joy, and love, swell’d in their strains’

My soul responding cries,

“Peace, joy and love, my soul inflames,

O, shout it through the skies.

“The Savior’s born, O earth, give ear

Receive the royal guest;

I have receiv’d my Saviour dear,

And am completely blest.

Hail! O my heavenly Prophet, hail’

Teach me thy Father’s will;

Hail! Great High-Priest, thy blood avils

For guilty sinners still.

“Hail! Conqu’ring Lord, my sov’reign King

Immortal honour’s thine;

Inspire my soul, that I may sing

Thy praise in songs divine.”

Jesus comes as was foretold

Comes to do his work of grace;

Now the prophecies unfold,

Here he shows his lovely face.

Shout him welcome, now he’s come,

Every heart prepare his way;

Make our hearts thy humble home;

In thine earthly temples stay.
 May we all, like Enoch Mudge, be "completely blest" as we receive the Savior anew this season.