Jesus Loves Me

Jesus Loves Me

If you grew up in the church, I can tell you the name of the first song you ever learned. “Jesus Loves Me” is by far the most popular children’s hymn ever written. But, did you know that it didn’t have any tune when it was first unveiled? That’s because it was introduced as part of a novel, not a songbook.

Anna and Susan Warner were sisters who taught Bible classes at the West Point Academy. They also wrote several books together. As the Civil War was nearing, the mood of the Academy grew tense. Cadets were apprehensive and uncertain.

In 1860, the sisters wrote a book called “Say And Seal.” It was second in popularity only to “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” One of the featured characters, a little boy named Johnny Fax, becomes terminally ill towards the end of the novel. All of the characters are affected by his illness, particularly the boy’s father. There is a political, yet personal, symbolism present in the illness of the boy and his impending death.

As Johnny gets weaker, the book’s main character carries the dying boy to another room where the boy whispers to him, asking him to sing a song.

Mr. Linden shares a short song about the love of Jesus and the care that God gives to those who belong to Him when they die. Couched in that song is a message of hope and encouragement for the cadets of West Point as they headed into war.

William Bradbury read the book and immediately saw the importance of Mr. Linden’s song, both politically and spiritually. Bradbury was perhaps the greatest hymn writer in the world at the time. He decided to put the tender hymn to music. Rather than writing a complex tune he saw the great value in treating it as a hymn for children which could easily be remembered and sung.

The result speaks for itself. It is still massively popular among the cadets and it was even sung by JFK while awaiting rescue when his boat was sunk in the Pacific Ocean.

Nobody knows how many young minds have been comforted over the years by the Warner sister’s song, but it stands today as the greatest children’s song ever written. Here are the 3 original stanzas as they appeared in the book.

JESUS LOVES ME

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—loves me still,

Though I’m very weak and ill;

From His shining throne on high,

Comes to watch me where I lie.

Jesus loves me—He will stay,

Close behind me all the way.

Then His little child will take,

Up to heaven for His dear sake.