The Hymnal ‎#446

446. When mothers of Salem

1 When mothers of Salem
Their children brought to Jesus,
The stern disciples drove them back and bade them to depart;
But Jesus saw them ere they fled,
And sweetly smiled and kindly said,
"Suffer little children
To come unto Me.

2 For I will receive them
And fold them to My bosom:
I’ll be a Shepherd to these lambs, O drive them not away;
For, if their hearts to Me they give,
They shall with Me in glory live;
Suffer little children
To come unto Me."

3. How kind was our Saviour
To bid these children welcome!
But there are many thousands who have never heard His Name;
The Bible they have never read,
They know not that the Saviour said,
"Suffer little children
To come unto Me."

4. O soon may the people,
Of every tribe and nation,
Fulfill Thy blessed Word and cast their idols all away;
O shine upon them from above,
And show Thyself a God of love;
Teach the little children
To come unto Thee!

Amen.

Text Information

• First Line: When mothers of Salem
• Author: William Medlen Hutchings (1827-1876)
• Meter: Irregular
• Publication Date: 1950
• Topic: Children's Hymns

Tune Information

• Name: ATHLONE
• Composer: Robert Newton Quaile (1911)
• Meter: Irregular
• Incipit: 55443 55112 11771
• Key: C Major
• Copyright: Tune used by permission of the Wesleyan Methodist Sunday School Department, London.