March 2, 2005

Jesus Loves Me

Anna Bartlett Warner, 1820-1915

    Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. Luke 18:15-17.

    Anna’s father was Henry Warner, a wealthy New York City lawyer. When he lost most of his fortune in the 1837 depression, the family was forced to move to their summer home (Good Craig) on Constitution Island in the Hudson River. It was then that Anna and her sister Susan began writing to earn money.
    After their father died, the sisters were left with a meager income and turned to writing popular novels to earn a living. One of Susan's books was entitled Say and Seal, published in 1860. While she was writing it in 1859, Anna provided a poem which was spoken by one of the characters, a Bible class teacher named Mr. Linden, to comfort a dying orphan child named Johnny Fax, whom he had taught about Jesus. The tune (China) was composed for it and the chorus added, probably in 1861, by William Batchelder Bradbury (1816-1868). The song first appeared in The Golden Shower which he published in 1862. Anna went on to write a number of novels under the pseudonym "Amy Lathrop" and publish two collections of poems. The two sisters conducted Bible study classes for many years at West Point until Susan died in 1885. Anna continued the classes until she died at the age of 95. Her home was willed to the Academy and is now a national shrine.
    In the book, Say and Seal, the words are spoken to a dying child, and in that context, there is another stanza not commonly found in hymnals:

    Hymns written by Anna Warner include:

• Jesus Loves Me
• O Little Child, Lie Still and Sleep
• One More Day's Work for Jesus
• We Would See Jesus
• World Looks Very Beautiful, The

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.

Jesus loves me! This I know,
As He loved so long ago,
Taking children on His knee,
Saying, “Let them come to Me.”

Jesus loves me still today,
Walking with me on my way,
Wanting as a friend to give
Light and love to all who live.

Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.

Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
Thou hast bled and died for me,
I will henceforth live for Thee.

Chorus:
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.