Scripture Verse

The star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. Matthew 2:9

Introduction

Words & Mu­sic: Cur­tis S. Kauff­man, 1900. Pub­lished in Sun­day School Hymns No. 1, by Is­aac H. Me­re­dith, Grant C. Tul­lar & Jo­seph W. Ler­man (New York: Tul­lar-Me­re­dith, 1903), num­ber 251 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Kauff­man (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

See the bright­ly shin­ing star,
As its ra­di­ance beams afar,
Guide the feet of wea­ry pil­grims
To the place where Je­sus lay.
Like a bea­con from its height,
Burning bright­ly in the night,
As the wise men fol­lowed on­ward,
Safely guid­ed all the way.

Refrain

Shine on! shine on!
Beautiful star of light;
Shine on! shine on!
Cheering the gloo­my night;
Shine on! shine on!
Sending thy rays afar,
Shine on thro’ the dark­ness,
Oh, thou fair­est star.

It is shin­ing still for thee,
With a glo­ry fair to see,
As it lead­eth ever up­ward
To the pa­lace of the King.
So we fol­low thro’ the night,
Safely guid­ed by its light,
While our hearts re­spond with glad­ness
To the song the an­gels sing.

Refrain

So to­day that star alone
Is the light to lead us on
To the feet of Christ our Sav­ior,
He our pro­phet, priest and king,
As it bright­ly burns above,
Sentry of the King of love,
While we fol­low on­ward, up­ward
And His prais­es sweet­ly sing.

Refrain

illustration
Star of Bethlehem
Elihu Vedder, 1879–80
Wikimedia Commons