Anna Bartlett Warner
1827-1915 19th century
The certainty of being loved, said in a child's words.
Who was Anna Bartlett Warner?
Their father's bankruptcy pushed the two Warner sisters into writing for a living: novels, gardening manuals, whatever sold. They lived on Constitution Island, facing the military academy at West Point, and for decades held a Sunday Bible class there for the cadets, who rowed across the Hudson. Four lines slipped into one of their novels, to comfort a dying child, became the first hymn learned by generations. She is buried at West Point, with military honours.
In their own words
Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so; little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong.
Jesus loves me, He who died heaven's gate to open wide; He will wash away my sin, let His little child come in.
One more day's work for Jesus, one less of life for me.