This Little Light of Mine -- Harry Dixon Loes

This student, author, composer, and teacher was inspired to write this song based on something he heard, if we can reason that he often generated his songs after listening to a sermon. That method is reportedly what Harry Dixon Loes sometimes employed in his writing, so was that also true for “This Little Light of Mine” that he wrote sometime around 1920? Though where he first wrote the poetry for this song is uncertain, the 30ish Harry drew upon the influence that the Moody Bible Institute (see a contemporary picture of it here, in 2006) had exercised over most of his adult life, so maybe it was there that he gained the inspiration for the words he would pen. Is there a place or a people that move you to words that have lasted for 100 years? One wonders if Harry Loes knew what would transpire and for how long when he sat down to compose this poem.

Harry Loes studied at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago in the early 20^th Century, and later served on the musical faculty of the school, episodes that must have been formative in his songwriting career. He also studied at the Amer­i­can Con­ser­va­to­ry of Mu­sic (Chicago); the Me­tro­pol­i­tan School of Mu­sic; and the Chi­ca­go Mu­sic­al Col­lege. Anecdotal accounts indicate Harry wrote at least two of the 1,500 songs attributed the him (‘Blessed Redeemer’ and ‘All Things In Jesus’) as a result of hearing sermons, including one at the Moody Church, a phenomena common among countless other composers and poets. Could it be that Harry was listening to a sermon or was studying from his bible on the passages from two writers regarding light and the analogous act of spreading God’s message? Matthew (5:14-16) and Luke (11:33) both indicate believers should ‘shine’, illuminating all the area and a message that inhabits such a place. Harry’s first few words suggest that he himself or others he knew felt inadequate to participate in God’s mission. A ‘little light’ (v.1) might sound on the surface like something a timid character holds, until the rest of what Harry wrote is examined. Verses 2 and 3 relate how the light is taken ‘everywhere I go’, and that ‘Jesus gave it…’, hardly the words of a shy and uncertain individual. So, was Harry perhaps trying to coax someone who lacked some confidence, at least initially with the ‘little light’? ‘Hold just that much, and see what it can do, then understand what verses 2 and 3 communicate about your assignment with the light’, Loes seems to say. His simple, repetitive poetry might seem too elementary – lots of school kids sing this, after all – until his strategy for conveying the light is put into action. Do you and I have only a little corner of our own world to influence, or is it bigger than that? Most of us probably would say we’re in a small world. Presumably, that’s what Harry thought, too.

‘This Little Light…’ has such an uncomplicated message that other artists have used it in other venues, interestingly to help make the little light grow into something larger. Civil rights organizers used it in the 1950s and ‘60s to help promote this movement. Besides several secular offshoots of the song, Harry’s words have spurred additional recitations of the song for children that include hand motions, helping perpetuate its life among believers. Undoubtedly, its appeal is that kids can learn it effortlessly, while persuading even adults that none of us are powerless. He just needs me to hold that light. That’s all. He’ll do the rest.    

      

   

See the following link for history of the song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Little_Light_of_Mine

See also this site for information about the author: https://hymnary.org/text/this_little_light_of_mine_im_gonna_let

And, this site also for author information: https://hymnary.org/person/Loes_Harry

And, this site also: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/l/o/e/loes_hd.htm