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New songs of innocence

By James Logie Robertson

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LITTLE WILLIE'S PRAYER.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


20

LITTLE WILLIE'S PRAYER.

Father in heaven! Whose love is more
Than fondest earthly fathers know;
Whose shadow walks behind, before,
And guards my youth from every foe;
Whose power has called me from the deeps
Of life unborn, and given me birth,
And set me in the spring that keeps
For ever young this lovely earth—
Must I, to whom Thou givest all,
Thy nursling hanging on Thy breast,
For ever and for ever call
For greater gifts, and ne'er be blest?
Dost Thou require ev'n thanks from me,
Thy youngest and Thy feeblest one?
I will look up and smile to Thee
Like any daisy in the sun!
And shouldst Thou on some coming day,
In that wise providence of Thine,
See fit to take the light away
That on my path Thou lettest shine—

21

I will not speak a fretful word,
But wait upon Thee then as now,
As patient as a little bird
Trembling upon a leafless bough.
Father, I cannot pray to Thee!
I feel Thine arms around me still;
I can but clasp Thee silently,
And let Thy love my bosom fill.
I cannot think of grief or sin—
I only know Thou lovest me;
And sings with joy my heart within,
And soars from earth to dwell with Thee.