Throw Out the Life-Line

“Throw Out the Life-Line” is a stirring gospel hymn written by Edwin S. Ufford in 1888 that calls believers to action in the work of soul-winning. The imagery of a life-line thrown to a drowning man serves as a powerful metaphor for the Christian’s duty to rescue the perishing—those who are spiritually lost and without Christ. With both urgency and compassion, the hymn exhorts listeners to reach out to others with the message of salvation before it is too late.

Ufford, a Baptist minister from Massachusetts, is said to have been inspired to write the hymn while watching life-saving drills on the Massachusetts coast. The sight of sailors practicing with life-lines left a deep impression on him, particularly the thought that many were spiritually adrift in the sea of life, needing to be rescued through the gospel. He used this vivid image to craft a hymn that not only calls attention to the need for evangelism but also stirs the heart to act with speed and seriousness.

The opening line, "Throw out the life-line across the dark wave," sets the tone immediately, casting the world as a perilous sea and the sinner as a drowning soul. The refrain, "Someone is drifting away; throw out the life-line!" is repeated with each stanza, driving home the point that each believer has a role to play in reaching the lost. The hymn makes clear that the responsibility is not just for ministers or missionaries but for every Christian who knows the saving grace of Christ.

Throughout the song, there's a deep sense of spiritual responsibility and divine calling. One verse asks pointedly, "Why do you tarry, my brother, O why? Throw out the life-line and save them today." This captures the urgency that Jude 1:23 expresses—saving others by pulling them out of the fire. The imagery emphasizes that the stakes are eternal and that delay can result in irreversible loss.

“Throw Out the Life-Line” became widely used during revival meetings, evangelistic campaigns, and missionary efforts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its message still resonates today as the world grows increasingly secular and distracted. For believers committed to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), the hymn serves as a musical reminder that people all around are spiritually drowning, and Christians hold the "life-line"—the message of the gospel.

This hymn does more than stir emotions; it compels action. It reminds the church that evangelism is not a secondary matter but a core part of the Christian life. With its nautical imagery, scriptural depth, and passionate appeal, “Throw Out the Life-Line” continues to be a timeless anthem of spiritual rescue, encouraging all who sing it to heed the Savior’s call and reach out in love to the lost.