Lamp of Our Feet, Whereby We Trace

Bernard Barton (1784–1849), often called the "Quaker Poet," was an English poet and hymn writer born in London on January 31, 1784. He received his education at a Quaker school in Ipswich. In 1798, he apprenticed with a shopkeeper in Halstead, Essex, and in 1806 moved to Woodbridge, Suffolk, entering business with his brother as a coal and corn merchant. After the death of his wife during their first year of marriage, he briefly worked as a private tutor in Liverpool before returning to Woodbridge in 1810, where he held a forty-year position at a local bank. He died on February 19, 1849, in Woodbridge. Later that year, his daughter published his Poems and Letters, including a memoir.

Barton’s literary output was extensive, with works such as Metrical Effusions (1812), Poems by an Amateur (1818), Poems (1820), Napoleon, and Other Poems (1822), Poetic Vigils (1824), Devotional Verses founded on Select Texts of Scripture (1826), A Widow’s Tale (1827), New Year’s Eve (1829), The Reliquary (1836), and Household Verses (1845). From these writings, approximately twenty pieces entered common use as hymns, particularly in the Scottish Evangelical Union Hymnal and various American Unitarian collections.

Some of his most recognized hymns include Lamp of our feet, whereby we trace and Walk in the light, so shalt thou know. Other hymns derived from his devotional writings include Fear not, Zion’s sons and daughters, Hath the invitation ended?, See we not beyond the portal?, Those who live in love shall know, and Would'st thou share this benediction!. Additional hymns appearing in various collections are Around Bethesda’s healing wave, There is a life more dear, and Say not the law divine. His hymns are valued for their devotional depth and clarity of scriptural insight, often focusing on guidance, spiritual growth, and the believer’s walk with God.

Barton’s works have been translated into other languages, including Spanish, Tagalog, and Chinese, and several of his hymns, such as Lamp of our feet and Walk in the light, remain widely used in modern collections, demonstrating his lasting influence on English hymnody.