What does keep your lamps trimmed and burning mean?
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"Keep Your Lamp(s) Trimmed and Burning" is a traditional gospel blues song. It alludes to the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, found in the Gospel of Matthew at 25:1-13, and also to a verse in the Gospel of Luke, at 12:35.
Also to know is, what does it mean to have your lamps trimmed?
In the days when light came from burning oil in lamps, a vessel at sea needed crewmen to constantly care for the lamps. This care involved trimming the wick, which drew the oil up from the storage reservoir, so that the flame would be clean and bright. A poorly trimmed wick creates a flame which is dim and smoky.
Keeping this in view, what does it mean when the virgins are trimming their wicks?
An untrimmed wick in an oil lamp has more of its length burning. That results in the oil being used up faster. So a trimmed wick is more economical.
How to Trim a Kerosene Lamp Wick
- Trim a wick for a flat flame as you would cut a fingernail. Cut the top straight and make a slight curve in the ends, using a pair of scissors. Burn the wick so the flame is 1/8 to 1/2 inch tall.
- Trim the wick to a point if you want a peaked flame. Cut the wick into two points if you want a double flame.