1 Lord Jesus Christ, the children's Friend,
To Thee the orphans we commend;
Do Thou their ev'ry need supply
Until they reach their home on high.
2 Thou pleadest still so tenderly,
"Let little ones come unto Me."
O grant us grace to do Thy will,
Our hearts with love and mercy fill.
3 Bless Thou the fatherless, we pray,
Abide with them from day to day,
Feed Thou Thy lambs, O dearest Lord,
In verdant pastures of Thy Word.
4 Grant that we heed Thy Word's commands,
And give us willing hearts and hands;
Let us our gifts of love bestow,
That they Thy boundless love may know.
5 Bless all who in the parents' stead
Provide these little ones with bread;
Bless all who shield with loving arms
These helpless ones from all alarms.
6 O precious Saviour, hear our prayers!
Protect Thy lambs from earthy snares;
Be Thou their Guide, O heavenly Friend,
Until they reach their journey's end.
Amen.
Source: The Hymnal and Order of Service #394
Anna Hoppe was born on May 7, 1889 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She left school after the eighth grade and worked as a stenographer. She began writing patriotic verses when she was very young and by the age of 25 she was writing spiritual poetry. After some of her poems appeared in the Northwestern Lutheran, a periodical of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, they came to the attention of Dr. Adolf Hult of Augustana Seminary, Rock Island, Illinois. He influenced her to write her Songs for the Church Year (1928). Several hymnals include her work, which was usually set to traditional chorale melodies, although she also made a number of translations. She died on August 2, 1941 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
NN, from Cyber Hymnal
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