Scripture Verse

Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Acts 2:38

Introduction

portrait
Samuel S. Gilman
1791–1858

Words: Chris­toph F. Ne­an­der, 1793 (Dir, Herr, sei dies­es Kind emp­foh­len). Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Sam­u­el S. Gil­man, 1823.

Music: Mar­y­ton H. Per­cy Smith, in Church Hymns with Tunes (Lon­don: 1874) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Ne­an­der or Smith (head-and-shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), would you ?

Lyrics

This child we dedicate to Thee,
O God of grace and purity!
Shield it from sin and threatening wrong,
And let Thy love its life prolong.

O may Thy Spirit gently draw
Its willing soul to keep Thy law;
May virtue, piety, and truth,
Dawn even with its dawning youth!

We, too, before Thy gracious sight
Once shared the blest baptismal rite,
And would renew its solemn vow,
With love, and thanks, and praises now.

Grant that, with true and faithful heart,
We still may act the Christian’s part,
Cheered by each promise Thou hast giv’n,
And laboring for the prize in Heav’n.