Hymns for Children. By the Rev. Benjamin Waugh. (Isbister and
Co.)—We welcome with pleasure a little volume of Hymns for Children, by the Rev. Benjamin Waugh. He dedicates it to two of his own children in the words : As a small part of a great debt I owe to children for the blessings daily derived from them, I offer them the following hymns of Him who gave them the supreme place both in heart and in His scheme of the world's regenera- tion." The true lovers of children will nob find fault with us if we earnestly recommend this little volume without much criti- cism. Mr. Waugh is far too modest to claim great poetical gifts ; but his verses do not lack the sentiment which is at the root of poetry, and are indeed full of true feeling, and eminently fitted to rouse religious thought in those for whom they are intended. We hope the little book will be ordered by all lovers of children,— not one at a time, but in reasonably large numbers, and spread abroadthrough the land wherever little children live,thatthey may learn to love and reverence the name of Christ, and to associate with religion their great English friend and protector, the author of this volume, Mr. Benjamin Waugh. The book is for all children, whether rich or poor, and may indeed be read with profit by any one. We give two of the hymns, which strike us as especially appropriate for this season :— WINTER (No. 88, p. 108).
'Summer and winter shall not cease.'
Say, why does God send winter All dark and pain show goodness, And all He dreary hours P For God is always love, Why does He strip the forests, Both here in earth's drear winter, And bury all the flowers P And Paradise above.
We know He has good reason, 'Tis wisest just to trust Him, For Ho does all things well, 'Tie happiest to Vora. Though foolish human wisdom And when His ways distress us,
That reason cannot tell. To trust Him but the more." "BIRDS IN WINTER (No. 87, p. 107). 'Not one of them is forgotten before God.'
'Twee God who made some bushes And God is always thoughtful For ever green to be, And kindly everywhere. He trained the leafy ivy If then we Would be children About the leafless tree. Of the dear God above, Did He then think of Winter, We must bo kind and thoughtful, And shelter for the bird P And do the works of love. Buoli thought seems much like Jesus, God we've heard.
And He was The little bird's in Winter
Must have our tender care, And Jesus, too, has told us And till the Spring is with us A sparrow is God's ears, Our morning meal must share."
It should be noticed that the hymns can be sung to certain tunes, of the names and books of which there is a list at the end of the volume, which will add greatly to its value for schools.
Previous page
