Mark 10:16
Words by Anna B. Warner, 1820-1915
Music by William B. Bradbury, 1816-1868
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Without doubt the hymn that has influenced children for Christ
more than any other is this simply stated one, written in 1860
by Anna Bartlett Warner. Miss Warner wrote this text in
collaboration with her sister Susan as a part of one of the
best-selling novels of that day, a novel written by Susan
entitled Say and Seal. Today few remember the plot of that
novel, which stirred the hearts of many readers. But the simple
poem spoken by one of the characters, Mr. Linden, as he comforts
Johnny Fax, a dying child, still remains the favorite hymn of
children around the world to this day.
Anna and Susan Warner were highly educated and deeply devoted
Christian young women who lived all of their lives along the
Hudson River in New York, in a lovely but secluded area apart
from the busy world. Their home was near the U.S. Military
Academy at West Point, and for a number of years these two
sisters conducted Sunday School classes for the young cadets.
Their home, Good Crag, was willed to the Academy and made into a
national shrine. Both sisters were buried with military honors
in recognition of their spiritual contributions to the lives of
the young military officers.
After the death of their widower father, a well-known New York
lawyer, the Warner sisters were left with a meager income and of
necessity turned to serious literary writing. Susan became
especially noted for several of her works, including a popular
book, The Wide, Wide World, considered at that time to be the
best seller after Uncle Tom's Cabin. Although not as well-known
as Susan for her literary fame, Anna wrote a number of novels
under the pseudonym "Amy Lothrop" and published two collections
of verse, Hymns of the Church Militant, 1858, and Wayfaring
Hymns, Original and Translated, 1869.
The popularity of "Jesus Loves Me" soon spread quickly beyond
the boundaries of our own land. Numerous stories are told by
missionaries of the universal appeal this hymn text has had with
children in every culture. It is often one of the first hymns
taught new converts in foreign lands. The hymn has even been
appropriated by other religious sects; missionaries have
reported that they have heard groups in Buddhist Temples
singing, "Yes, Buddha loves me, Yes, Buddha loves me..."
Dr. William B. Bradbury, the composer of the music for the text,
was one of the important contributors to the development of
early gospel hymnody in this country. He was born in York,
Maine, on October 6, 1816. As a young man he moved to Boston,
Massachusetts, where he became associated with Lowell Mason,
often called the father of American public school and church
music. Bradbury served as choir director and organist in several
large Baptist churches in the East, where he became especially
noted for his work with children. Among the highlights of his
career were his annual Musical Festivals, where more than one
thousand children would gather, all dressed alike, and sing many
of his own compositions. Soon Bradbury gave himself exclusively
to the teaching, writing and publishing of a great volume of
music. From 1841 until his death in 1868, he was involved with
the publishing of fifty-nine collections of sacred and secular
music. Bradbury composed the music for "Jesus Loves Me" in 1861
especially for Anna Warner's text and personally added the
chorus to the four stanzas. It appeared in its present form in
1862 in his hymnal publication, The Golden Shower.
Other hymns by William B. Bradbury include "He leadeth Me", "Just As I Am", "Depth of Mercy", "Even Me", "Sweet Hour of
Prayer", and "The Solid Rock".
Quoted from "101 Hymn Stories" by Kenneth Osbeck. Kregel Publishers, P.O. Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, 1982.
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