O that I were a little child
To whom the Lord gives grace,
To lie within His loving arms,
To look upon His face.
If all around is dark and drear,
That child’s whole soul is bright,
Because it loves the Saviour dear,
And He cloth give it light.
If father, mother, go away,
The child is not alone;
For God will be its comforter,
Its Friend when all are gone.
And if in all the wide, wide world,
It has no home of love,
The Lord will lead it by the hand
To His bright home above.
Through many a dark night lead it on,
And if the child should cry,
He gently wipes the tears away;
He says, “Thy friend am I.”
And everything the child may want
It tells the loving Lord,
He lends His ear to hear its cry
And marks the smallest word.
And when the child has journeyed far
And longs to be at rest;
He takes it home to dwell with Him,
For ever safe and blest.
ML 01/31/1909