Jesus Loves the Little Children: The amazing history behind the beloved song

"Jesus loves the little children,

All the children of the world,

“Red and yellow, Black and White

They are precious in his sight,

“Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

These are the original lyrics to the beloved song many children learned in Sunday School between 1934 and 2000. I found it charming to see little boys and girls stretching their necks high while singing with all their might, "Jesus Loves the Little Children." Reverend Clarence Herbert Woolston wrote it for a fascinating reason.

Woolston was the pastor at East Baptist Church in Philadelphia for close to 40 years. He also performed magic tricks, and Harry Houdini purchased a copy of his magic book. Reverend Herb became popular with the children in the community, who enjoyed his sermons because he used visuals. oShabily dessed boys and girls would enter the church and watch Pastor Woolston's sleight-of-hand tricks, cute animals, and sense of humor.

One Sunday morning, street children of all nationalities entered the sanctuary, and the congregants exposed their true feelings in the City of Brotherly Love.

There were German children, Irish children, a group of Jewish boys, Black children, Hungarian kids, Italian kids, and many children who haven’t bathed. They are all sitting together on the front row, watching the old man deliver his sermon.

Regular parishioners moved away from the street children, and some church members left the building. The following Sunday, once again, impoverished boys and girls came to the church to see the magician as parents snatched their children away.

Next Sunday, the same thing happens. Street children of different races, creeds, and poverty levels enter the building, crowding to see the magician. Still, local parents moved their children away from the "less than desirable kids." I don't know if the outsiders realized they were being shunned or if they were too entertained by the magician.

This display of prejudice and racism deeply hurt Pastor Herb, so he stayed up late one evening and wrote the well-known song. He used the melody from the anthem, "God Save Ireland," and introduced Jesus Loves the Little Children to his congregation the following Sunday.

Reverend Woolstron is said to have cried when he first heard the children's choir singing Jesus Loves the Little Children. Many parents and grandparents have done the same over the decades by beaming wth pride and shedding tears as the little ones sing this song.

The second stanza is as follows

Jesus died for all the children

All the children of the world

Red, and yellow, black, and white

They are precious in His sight

Jesus died for all the children of the world

I'm trying to imagine adults inside a church where love is being preached yet they show their children they are indifferent to kids who are not like them. I wonder if those young people operated the same way when they became grown-up?

Some older versions of the song say Red, brown, yellow, black, and white. It has also been written that the tune is the same as that of Tramp Tramp Tramp ( see video below). If you watch Happy Harmonies cartoons or Tom & Jerry, you probably heard the melody of Jesus Loves Me in various episodes.

I can recall being in the Cherub Choir in the church where I grew up, wearing white robes and singing this song. Sadly, the words have not caught on, and there is still so much intolerance for those of different colors, ethnicities, and financial statuses in America today. I'm not sure how anyone who believes there is a God can think He would be pleased with mistreating anyone differently.