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THE LOVE OF GOD (Jackson)

Scripture Verse

God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him may not perish, but have life eternal. John 3:16

Introduction

Words: He­len Hunt Jack­son. First pub­lished in the short sto­ry The El­der’s Wife, in Scrib­ner’s Ma­ga­zine, un­der the pseu­do­nym Saxe Holm. The first book edi­tion was in Saxe Holm’s Sto­ries (New York: Charles Scrib­ner’s Sons, 1873), page 161.

Music: Al­pha­ret­ta A. H. How­ard, in The Church Hym­na­ry, ed­it­ed by Ed­win A. Be­dell (New York: Charles E. Mer­rill, 1893), page 457 (🔊 ).

Alternate Tune:

  • Rotorua So­lo­mon Straub, Bright Light (Chi­ca­go Il­li­nois: S. W. Straub, 1893), num­ber 78 (🔊 )

If you know How­ard’s full name, or where to get a good pho­to of him (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), would you send us an e-mail?

portrait
Helen Hunt Jackson (1830–1885)

Lyrics

Like a cra­dle rock­ing, rock­ing,
⁠Silent, peace­ful, to and fro,
Like a mo­ther’s sweet looks drop­ping
⁠On the lit­tle face be­low,
Hangs the green earth, swing­ing, turn­ing,
⁠Jarless, noise­less, safe and slow;
Falls the light of God’s face bend­ing
⁠Down and watch­ing us be­low.

And as fee­ble babes that suf­fer,
⁠Toss and cry, and will not rest,
Are the ones the ten­der mo­ther
⁠Holds the clos­est, loves the best,
So when we are weak and wretch­ed,
⁠By our sins weighed down, dis­tressed,
Then it is that God’s great pa­tience
⁠Holds us clos­est, loves us best.

O great Heart of God! whose lov­ing
⁠Cannot hin­dered be nor crossed;
Will not wea­ry, will not ev­en
⁠In our death it­self be lost—
Love di­vine! of such great lov­ing,
⁠Only mo­thers know the cost—
Cost of love, which all love pass­ing,
⁠Gave a Son to save the lost.