There's a reference to the song from 1917 in Annals of the Avery County Baptist Association. It's mentioned in an obituary of Elder Elias A Stamey, born July 12 1835, died Jan 9 1917, aged 81 (+5 months and 27 days!).

It says of him: "All who knew him was favorably impressed with his devoted life to God, and the sweetness of his voice to praise the Lord in song, and in death as the sunlight of Heaven beamed into his soul he sang "Bright morning stars arising, Day is breaking in my soul".


Mick