Jesus Loves Me--A Simple Hymn with Global Appeal and an Grammy Winner

 

Today I’m continuing my hymn history posts. Last month, I mentioned the Battle Hymn of the Republic. You can read it here if you missed it. I tried to choose hymns that are well-known by many. With that in mind who hasn’t sung Jesus Loves Me? The story behind it is fascinating, as is the author.
This tune written in 1860 is still sung today in Sunday School and Children’s church in many churches globally. It wasn’t originally written for a hymn book but rather a work of fiction entitled Say and Seal by Susan Warner. She enlisted her sister Anna to write a poem to be read to her character, a young boy who was dying. Although no one can recall the plot of the story, this poem, now a hymn, lives on.  

Anna and Susan Warner
Raised in a prosperous family and tutored at home, Susan and Anna Warner were very well-educated for women of their time. After their father’s death, the family moved to Constitution Island located in the Hudson River. The family succeeded in maintaining their cottage there. Both women were Bible teachers as well as note-worthy authors. Neither married and both were active in temperance, abolish and suffrage movements. They taught a bible class to Westpoint cadets every week. Their home was near Westpoint. The cadets adored the ladies.

William Batchelder Bradbury

Thanks to William Bradbury, a musician, organist , choir director  and owner of Bradbury Piano Company found the poem 1862 and asked permission of Anne Warner to set the words to music and add the chorus. It was published multiple times in various song books.

Note the Gospel truths in the four original stanza
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—He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide:
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Jesus loves me—loves me still,
Though I’m weak and very ill;
From His shining throne on high,
Comes to watch me where I lie.
Jesus loves me—he will stay
Close beside me all the way.
Then his little child will take
Up to heaven for his dear sake.

Bradford changed the last few lines to: If I love Him, when I die, He will take me home on high.
Then he added the chorus that is so familiar to all of us.
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me—
The Bible tells me so!

Notable history of Jesus Loves me.
It is one of the first hymns taught to new converts on mission fields. At one time it was the most popular hymn sung in China. The hymn was even titled China for years. Easy to sing, it became a popular Sunday School song.
It has been translated into more languages than any other song. Although people may view it as a children’s song many adults have and still do sing it all over the world.
In 1943 the natives of the Solomon Islands sang it as they rescued the crew of PT-109 from the Pacific Ocean and brought them to safety. The ship’s commander was John F. Kennedy who would later become the 35th President of the United States.
For such an old song it not only has never gone out of print but also remains popular. Many celebrities have recorded varying versions of the song on many albums from 1972 to 2022. Tennessee State University’s Aristocrats of Bands recorded it in their debut album, The Urban Hymnal. This college marching band went on to win the 2022 Grammy for the Best Roots Gospel Album. Jesus Loves Me is among the selections on that album.

Here is the You Tube link to Tennessee State University Band playing Jesus Loves Me.

Do you know this hymn? How old were you when you sang it?

Cindy Ervin Huff, is a multi-published award-winning author. A 2018 Selah Finalist. She has a passion to encourage other writers on their journey. When she isn’t writing, she feeds her addiction to reading and enjoys her retirement with her husband of 50 plus years, Charles. Visit her at www.cindyervinhuff.com.
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My newest release is available February 21st. 

Miss Warner's Boys - The West Point Cadets

By Marilyn Turk

West Point Cadets - 1800's

Susan Warner and her younger sister Anna were teenagers when their widowed father Henry Warner bought Constitution Island across the Hudson River from West Point. The year was 1836, and their uncle, Thomas Warner, was the West Point chaplain. While visiting him, Henry first saw the island, which still contained remnants of fortifications from the Revolutionary War. At the time, Henry Warner was a successful New York City lawyer and planned to build a mansion on the desolate island. 

Original Cadet Chapel

However, after a series of financial setbacks, Henry Warner was forced to give up his city town home and move his family to the island where he built a farmhouse instead of a mansion. Life changed dramatically for the sisters, who not only had to adapt to country living, but also learn how to work the land to grow food for their survival.

Warner Home on Constitution Island, photo by Ahodges7

As Susan and Anna grew older, they began to write for income to help support the family. Susan was the first published, and her book The Wide, Wide World, became the country’s first best-seller, selling a million copies in 1850. The devout Christian sisters wrote hymns, nonfiction religious works, novels, and children’s stories, sometimes under the pseudonyms, Elizabeth Wetherell and Amy Lothrop, respectively. Together they published over seventy pieces of work.

In 1875, the sisters were asked by some West Point cadets to teach a Sunday School class. Initially, Susan taught the class in the Cadet Chapel on campus. During the summer months, cadets who had earned the special privilege were rowed across the river to attend the class in the Warner orchard. These cadets became known as “Miss Warner’s boys.”

In a biography of the sisters published in 1925 by Olivia Phelps Stokes, one of the cadets tells this story about the experience. “Miss Warner awaited her guests in the orchard. She always sat in the same big chair, supported by many cushions. She was a frail little woman with a long face deeply lined with thought and care, lighted with large, dark, very brilliant eyes. As she sat in her chair with the boys in a semi-circle around her on the grass, she looked like a print from Godey’s Lady’s Book of half a century before…

Miss Susan and her "boys"

After each of the boys had read a Bible verse, Miss Warner, choosing her subject from some New Testament text, talked to them for perhaps half an hour until her enthusiasm and interest had obviously almost exhausted her small strength…she always gave to the boys the brightest and most optimistic side of the faith she loved so well. When she had finished and lay back pale and weary against her cushions, her sister, Miss Anna, came down from the house with the rarest treat of the whole week, tea and homemade gingerbread.” In 1885, Susan Warner died and Anna took over teaching the class.

Despite economic hardship, Anna refused many offers to sell the island. But shortly before Anna’s death in 1915, Mrs. Russell Sage, a generous benefactor bought the island, and together, she and Anna deeded the property to West Point to be maintained for its historic preservation.

Anna Warner

Many years have gone by since the sisters passed away, as have the cadets they taught. But Susan and Anna’s most important lesson has lived on, reaching millions.

Perhaps you never heard of Susan or Anna Warner. Yet you may have sung a song they wrote. You see, in 1860, Susan penned the novel “Say and Sea,” which contained a poem written by Anna, called “Jesus Loves Me.” Two years later, musician William Bradbury found the poem and set it to music.

Jesus loves me, this I know.

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong,

They are weak, but He is strong.