Above:  Diocesan Confirmation, The Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, Georgia, April 2, 2017

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Text (1887) by Marianne Hearn (1834-1909)

Hymn Source = New Worship and Song (1942), Congregational Christian Churches (U.S.A.)

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Just as I am, thine own to be,

Friend of the young, who lovest me,

To consecrate myself to thee,

O Jesus Christ, I come.

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In the glad morning of my day,

My life to give, my vows to pay,

With no reserve and no delay,

With all my heart, I come.

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I would live ever in the light,

I would work ever for the right,

I would serve thee with all my might;

Therefore, to thee, I come.

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Just as I am, strong and free,

To be the best that I can be

For truth, and righteousness, and thee,

Lord of my life, I come.

Above:  A Baptismal Font

Image in the Public Domain

Text (1812) by Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

Hymn Sources = The Church Hymnary–Revised Edition (1927), Presbyterian; and Handbook to The Church Hymnary–Revised Edition (1927)

The first line of the hymn in its original version is “By cool Siloam’s shady fountain.”  In the version published in 1827, however, “fountain” became “rill.”

Heber based the hymn on Luke 2:40 and entitled it “Christ a pattern for children.”

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By cool Siloam’s shady rill

How sweet the lily grows!

How sweet the breath, beneath the hill,

Of Sharon’s dewy rose!

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Lo! such the child whose early feet

The paths of peace have trod,

Whose secret heart with influence sweet

Is upward drawn to God.

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By cool Siloam’s shady rill

The lily must decay;

The rose that blooms beneath the hill

Must shortly fade away.

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And soon, too soon, the wintry hour

Of man’s maturer age

Will shake the soul, with sorrow’s power,

And stormy passion’s rage!

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O Thou whose infant feet were found

Within Thy Father’s shrine,

Whose years, with changeless virtue crowned,

Were all alike divine,

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Dependent on Thy bounteous breath,

We seek Thy grace alone,

In childhood, manhood, age, and death,

To keep us still Thine own.

Above:  Episcopal Church of the Mediator, Washington, Georgia, June 7, 2015

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Original Danish Text (1699) by Thomas Hansen Kingo (1634-1703)

English Translation (1909) by George Alfred Taylor Rygh (1860-1942)

Hymn Source = Supplement to The Book of Hymns (1982), The United Methodist Church

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All who believe and are baptized shall see the Lord’s salvation;

Baptized into the death of Christ, they are a new creation;

Through Christ’s redemption they will stand among the glorious

Heavenly band of every tribe and nation.

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With one accord, O God, we pray, grant us thy Holy Spirit;

Help us in our infirmity through Jesus’ blood and merit;

Grant us to grow in grace each day by holy Baptism,

That we may eternal life inherit.

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Above:  St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Snellville, Georgia, June 29, 2015

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = The Lutheran Hymnary (1935), Norwegian Lutheran Church of America/The Evangelical Lutheran Church

Original Danish Words (1837) by Nikolai Grundtvig (1783-1872)

English Translation (1909) by Carl Doving (1867-1937)

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1.  Abide among us, we implore Thee,

Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Spirit breathe!

And let the babes we bring before Thee

Now be baptized into Thy death.

2.  Lord, after Thee we Christians call them,

O let them in Thy name arise!

And keep them Thine whate’er befall them,

That they may reach Thy paradise.

3.  If Thou their earthly race shouldst lengthen,

Thy faithful servants let them prove;

If few their days, their weakness strengthen,

That they may share Thy dying love.

4.  O write Thy blessed name, dear Savior,

Upon their hearts, we Thee implore;

And on Thy palms engrave this favor,

That they are Thine for evermore.

Above:  Diocesan Confirmation, the Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, Georgia, December 14, 2014

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = Lutheran Book of Worship (1978)

Original German Words (1657) by Johann Scheffler (1624-1677)

English Translation (1739) by John Wesley (1703-1791)

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1.  Thee will I love, my strength, my tow’r;

Thee will I love, my joy, my crown!

Thee will I love with all my pow’r,

In all thy works, and thee alone;

Thee will I love, till the pure fire

Fills all my soul with chaste desire.

2.  I thank thee, uncreated sun,

That thy bright beams on me have shined;

I thank thee, who has overthrown

My foes and healed my wounded mind;

I thank thee, whose enliv’ning voice

Bids my freed heart in thee rejoice.

3.  Uphold me in the doubted race,

Nor suffer me again to stray;

Strengthen my feet with steady pace

Still to press forward in thy way,

That all my pow’rs, with all their might,

In thy sole glory may unite.

4.  Thee will I love, my joy, my crown;

Thee will I love, my Lord, my God!

Thee will I love, beneath thy frown

Or smile, thy scepter or thy rod.

What though my flesh and heart decay?

Thee shall I love in endless day!

Above:  St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church, Smyrna, Georgia, November 16, 2014

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Words (1862) by Charles Seymour Robinson (1829-1899)

Hymn Source = The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America

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1.  Savior, I follow on,

Guided by Thee,

Seeing not yet the hand

That leadeth me.

Hushed by my heart and still,

Fear I no further ill,

Only to meet Thy will

My will shall be.

2.  Riven the rock for me

Thirst to relieve,

Manna from heaven falls

Fresh ev’ry eve.

Never a want severe

Causeth my eye a tear

But Thou dost whisper near,

“Only believe.”

3.  Often to Marah’s brink

Have I been brought;

Shrinking the cup to drink,

Help I have sought;

And with the prayer’s ascent

Jesus the branch hath rent,

Quickly relief hath sent,

Sweet’ning the draught.

4.  Savior, I long to walk

Closer with Thee;

Led by Thy guiding hand,

Ever to be

Constantly near Thy side,

Quickened and purified,

Living for Him who died

Freely for me.

Above:  The Hymn

Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor

Words by Philip Doddridge (1702-1751)

Hymn Source = The Methodist Hymnal (1905), Methodist Episcopal Church and Methodist Episcopal Church, South

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1. See Israel’s gentle Shepherd stand

With all-engaging charms;

Hark, how he calls the tender lambs,

And folds them in his arms!

2. “Permit them to approach,” he cries,

“Nor scorn their humble name;

For ’twas to bless such souls as these

The Lord of angels came.”

3. We bring them, Lord, in thankful hands,

And yield them up to thee;

Joyful that we ourselves are thine,

Thine let our offspring be.

Above:  The Episcopal Church of St. Mary and St. Martha of Bethany, Buford, Georgia, February 4, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5841256415309496401/5841256496004153266?banner=pwa&pid=5841256496004153266&oid=114749828757741527421)

Original Danish Words by Thomas Hansen Kingo (1634-1703)

English Translation by the Reverend George Alfred Taylor Rygh (1860-1943)

Hymn Source = Hymnal for Church and Home, Third Edition (1938), of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church, denominations with Danish heritage

http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/assembled-in-this-thy-house-danish-american-lutherans-1870-1962/

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1.  He that believes and is baptiz’d

Shall see the Lord’s salvation;

Baptiz’d into the death of Christ,

He is a new creation;

Thro’ Christ’s redemption he shall stand

Among the glorious heav’nly band

Of ev’ry tribe and nation.

2.  With one accord, O God, we pray:

Grant us Thy Holy Spirit;

Look Thou on our infirmity

Thro’ Jesus’ blood and merit!

Grant us to grow in grace each day

By holy baptism that we may

Eternal life inherit!

Above:  St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, Dahlonega, Georgia, July 14, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5900573726256533201/5900575391053106290?banner=pwa&pid=5900575391053106290&oid=114749828757741527421)

Original Danish Words by Nikolai Frederick Severin Grundtvig (1783-1872)

English Translation by the Reverend P. C. Paulsen (1881-1948)

Hymn Source = Hymnal for Church and Home, Third Edition (1938), of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church, denominations with Danish heritage

http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/assembled-in-this-thy-house-danish-american-lutherans-1870-1962/

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1.  Thy blessings fill our earthly need,

Thy blessing is Thy people’s meed,

The blessing from Thy hands, O Lord,

Is wine upon Thy festal board.

2.  The blessing which God’s promise here,

Was given Abraham of yore,

But not until the Savior’s birth

Its fullness was reveal’d on earth.

3.  The blessing now, like dew and rain,

Doth fall on ev’ry land and main

And to the church of Christ is sent

Through our baptismal covenant.

4.  The blessing to His church on earth

Gives at the font to man new birth

And through the bread and cup imparts

The life of Jesus to our hearts.

5.  For blessings manifold give praise,

To heaven thankful voices raise!

God’s blessing then for evermore

Shall on His church like showers pour.

Above:  The Undated Primary Document from My Great-Grandmother

Scan Courtesy of Barbara Taylor Jackson

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EDITOR’S NOTE:

My great-grandmother gave birth to two sons and four daughters.  The two sons were Randolph Winburn Barrett (1905-?) and George Dickey Barrett (1910-1989).

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

AUGUST 17, 2013 COMMON ERA

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1.  Jesus, Lord of little children,

Lord today as yesterday,

From Thy radiant throne in glory,

Bend to hear us while we pray.

2.  By the shores of blue Genes’ret,

On their heads Thy hands were laid,

In Thy loving arms were babies,

Nestled gladly unafraid.

3.  While their mothers heard Thee saying,

“Let the children come to me,

Such as these make up Thy kingdom,

And in heav’n my Father see.”

4.  So to Thee we bring our baby,

Praying Thou wilt bless him now,

And in the years to follow,

With Thy grace his life endow.

NELLIE SEGUIN FOX BARRETT

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Adapted from this post:

http://taylorfamilypoems.wordpress.com/2013/08/17/jesus-lord-of-little-children/

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