"To God Belong the Children" (1868)
Words by Sanford Fillmore Bennett, 1836-1898
Music by Joseph Philbrick Webster, 1819-1875

Chicagp: LYON & HEALY, 116 Washington St.
[Source: pp. 57-59 from "The Signet Ring"]

1. To God belong the children,
In all the happy land;
His love surrounds them ever,
He holds them in his hand,
And sleeping or awaking,
His gentle loving care
Is, guarding o’er their pathway,
To scatter blessings there.

2. To God belong the chldren,
And from the heavens above
Descends the gentle blessing
Of  his paternal love, 
Like living dews descending,
At holy eventide
To feed the flow’rs of heaven,
That in the heart abide.

To God belong the children,
And with a father’s hand,
He leads their infant footsteps
Toward Canaan’s happy land!
He never will forsake them
But even to the end,
Whatever may betide them,
Prove Father, God and Friend.