We are but little children poor,
and born in very low estate;
what can we do for Jesus' sake,
who is so high and good and great?
We know the Holy Innocents
laid down for him their infant life,
and martyrs brave and patient saints
have stood for him in fire and strife.
We wear the cross they wore of old,
our lips have learned like vows to make;
we need not die, we cannot fight:
what may we do Jesus' sake?
O, day by day, each Christian child,
has much to do, without, within:
a death to die for Jesus' sake,
a weary war to wage with sin.
When deep within our swelling hearts
the thoughts of pride and anger rise,
when bitter words are on our tongues,
and tears of passion in our eyes,
Then we may stay the angry blow,
then we check the hasty word,
give gentle answers back again,
and fight a battle for our Lord.
With smiles of peace, and looks of love,
light in our dwellings we may make,
bid kind good humour brighten there,
and still do all for Jesus' sake.
There's not a child so small and weak
but has his little cross to take,
his little work of love and praise
that he may do for Jesus' sake.
|
Another version of verse 1:
We are but little children weak,
nor born in any high estate;
what can we do for Jesus' sake,
who is so High and Good and Great?
Words: Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895), 1850
Music: Alstone (Christopher Edwin Cumming Willing, 1830-1904, 1868)
Meter: LM
| Hymnal, Year |
Number |
Tunes |
Other comments |
| Hymns Ancient & Modern,
1861-1874 |
363
| Alstone
|
|
| The Anglican Hymn Book,
1868 |
|
|
|
| The Sarum Hymnal,
1869 |
|
|
|
| The Church Hymnal,
1871 (Hall & Whiteley) |
|
|
|
| The Church Hymnal,
1874 (Goodrich & Gilbert) |
|
|
|
| The Church Hymnal,
1874 (Tucker & Rousseau) |
|
|
|
| The Church Hymnal,
1874 (Hutchins) |
|
|
|
| Church Hymns with Tunes,
1874 |
579
| Alstone
|
|
| Church Hymnal (Church of
Ireland), 1874 |
474
| Lyra, St. Denys
|
|
| Hymns Ancient & Modern,
Standard, 1875-1924 |
331
| Alstone
|
|
| A Church of England Hymn
Book, 1879 |
621
| Alstone
|
|
| The Universal Hymn Book,
1885 |
|
|
|
| The Hymnal Companion,
1890 |
490
| Alstone
|
|
| The Church Hymnal, Revised and
Enlarged, 1892 (Darlington) |
|
|
|
| The Church Hymnal, Revised and
Enlarged, 1892 (Parker) |
|
|
|
| The Church Hymnal, Revised and
Enlarged, 1892 (Hutchins) |
|
|
|
| The Church Hymnal, Revised and
Enlarged, 1892 (Tucker & Rousseau) |
|
|
|
| The Church Hymnal, Revised and
Enlarged, 1892 (Helfenstein) |
|
|
|
| The Church Hymnal, Revised and
Enlarged, 1892 (Messiter) |
|
|
|
The Yattendon Hymnal,
1900
|
|
|
|
| Church Hymns, New Edition,
1903 |
643
| Alstone
|
|
| Hymns Ancient & Modern,
New Edition, 1904 |
578
| Lyra
|
|
| The English Hymnal, 1906
|
610
| Puer nobis nascitur
|
|
| The Book of Common Praise,
1908 |
720
| Alstone
|
|
| The Hymnal 1916 |
|
|
|
| Church Hymnal for the Christian
Year, 1917 |
119, Children's 64
| Alstone, Highgate
|
|
| Church Hymnal (Church of
Ireland), 1919 |
641
| Lyra
|
|
Church Hymnal Revised,
1920
(Hutchins) |
|
|
|
| The Oxford Hymn Book,
1925 |
|
|
|
| Songs of Praise, 1925 |
|
|
|
| Songs of Praise, Enlarged
Edition, 1931 |
|
|
|
| The Book of Common Praise, 1938
|
|
|
|
| The Hymnal 1940 |
|
|
|
| Hymns Ancient & Modern,
Revised, 1950 |
|
|
|
| The Mirfield Mission Hymn
Book, 1955 |
|
|
|
| Church Hymnal (Church of
Ireland), 1960 |
|
|
|
| Anglican Hymn Book,
1965 |
|
|
|
| The Hymn Book 1971 |
|
|
|
| The Australian Hymn Book /
With One Voice, 1977 |
|
|
|
| The Hymnal 1982 |
|
|
|
| Hymns Ancient & Modern, New
Standard, 1983 |
|
|
|
| The New English Hymnal,
1985 |
|
|
|
| Hymns for Today's Church, second
edition, 1988 |
|
|
|
| Church Family Worship,
1988 |
|
|
|
| Hymns Old & New, New
Anglican Edition, 1996 |
|
|
|
| Common Praise (The Anglican
Church of Canada),
1998 |
|
|
|
| Together in Song: The Australian
Hymn Book II, 1999 |
|
|
|
| Sing Glory, 1999 |
|
|
|
| Complete Mission Praise,
2000 |
|
|
|
| Common Praise: Hymns
Ancient & Modern, 2000 |
|
|
|
| Hymns Old & New, Complete
Anglican Edition,
2000 |
|
|
|
| Church Hymnal (Church of
Ireland), 2000 |
|
|
|
Website compiled by Steve Benner, 1999-2006.
|