Today’s hymn is by Anne Steele. Born in 1716, she was the daughter of Mr. Wm. Steele, a timber merchant, and pastor, without salary, of the Baptist Church at Broughton, in Hampshire USA. At an early age she showed a taste for literature, but it was not until 1760 that she start to publish her work. In that year two volumes appeared under the title of Poems on Subjects chiefly Devotional under a pseudonym, as well as contributing to other collections. Among Baptist hymnwriters Miss Steele stands at the head, if we regard either the number of her hymns which have found a place in the hymnals of the last 120 years, or the frequency with which they have been sung¹. Enjoy this one!

Thou lovely Source of true delight,
Whom I unseen adore!
Unvail thy beauties to my sight,
That I may love thee more.

Thy glory o’er creation shines;
But in thy sacred word,
I read, in fairer, brighter lines,
My bleeding, dying Lord.

‘Tis here, whene’er my comforts droop,
And sin and sorrow rise,
Thy love, with cheering beams of hope,
My fainting heart supplies.
But ah! too soon the pleasing scene
Is clouded o’er with pain;
My gloomy fears rise dark between,
And I again complain.

Jesus, my Lord, my life, my light!
Oh, come with blissful ray;
Break radiant through the shades of night,
And chase my fears away.

Then shall my soul with rapture trace
The wonders of thy love:
But the full glories of thy face
Are only known above.

¹hymnary.org/person/Steele_A