It fell up­on a sum­mer day,
When Je­sus walked in Ga­li­lee,
The mo­thers from a vil­lage brought
Their child­ren to His knee.

He took them in His arms, and laid
His hands on each re­mem­bered head;
Suffer these lit­tle ones to come
To Me, He gent­ly said.

Forbid them not. Un­less ye bear
The child­like heart your hearts with­in,
Unto My king­dom ye may come,
But may not en­ter in.

Master, I fain would en­ter there;
O let me fol­low Thee and share
Thy meek and low­ly heart, and be
Freed from all world­ly care.

Of in­no­cence, and love, and trust,
Of qui­et work, and sim­ple word,
Of joy, and thought­less­ness of self,
Build up my life, good Lord.

All hap­py thoughts, and gen­tle ways,
And lov­ing­kind­ness dai­ly giv­en,
And free­dom through obe­di­ence gained,
Make in my heart Thy hea­ven.

O hap­py thus to live and move!
And sweet this world, where I shall find
God’s beau­ty ev­ery­where, His love,
His good in all man­kind.

O Fa­ther, grant this child­like heart,
That I may come to Christ, and feel
His hands on me in bless­ing laid,
Love-giving, strong to heal.