A little child of seven,
Or even three or four,
May enter into heaven,
Through Christ the Open Door,
For when the heart believeth
On Christ the Son of God,
’Tis then the soul receiveth
Salvation through His blood.”
The children in Jackie’s class often sang this little hymn, and it was usually Jackie who asked for it, so the children called it “Jackie’s hymn.”
One week his seat was empty. Jackie had been knocked down by a car while out hiking. So seriously was he injured that he lived only a few hours, and all the children felt it very keenly as they looked at the empty seat.
His classmates were present at the funeral, and after the service was over they paused a moment and all stood together while they sang “Jackie’s hymn.” With bowed heads the relatives and friends listened to the sweet refrain, telling of God’s full and free salvation — free even to a “child of seven, or even three or four.”
ML-03/21/1971