“…where children early lisp His fame”

I came across the following hymn earlier this week as I was flipping through an old English hymnal (Hymns of Universal Praise) that was originally published in Chinese in 1936 by the Christian Literature Society, Shanghai, China.

It seems that most of the hymns are traditional Western hymns that were at some point translated into Chinese for use in China. (The Chinese love singing hymns, and know by heart many of the same ones as we do, albeit in Chinese!) Then, in 1981, the hymnal which I have in hand was published in English in Hong Kong. So the hymnal is a mixture of traditional Western hymns and original Chinese hymns.

The hymn that I am sharing below was written by Henry Ware, the Younger (1794-1843), although the musical arrangement printed in this hymnal is said to be from Sichuan (Szechuen), China.

"Happy the Home When God is There"

"Happy the home when God is there, And love fills every breast, When one their wish, and one their prayer, And one their heavenly rest."

‎"Happy the home where Jesus' Name Is sweet to every ear; Where children early lisp His fame, And parents hold Him dear."

"Happy the home where prayer is heard, And praise is wont to rise; Where parents love the sacred word, And live but for the skies."

‎"Lord, let us in our homes agree This blessed peace to gain; Unite our hearts in love to Thee, And love to all will reign. Amen."

I was especially touched by the line which speaks of young children lisping "His fame". John Piper is probably best known for his emphasis on living to find our ultimate joy in God alone and doing all things "for the Fame of God's Name". Its always refreshing to see that men like Piper are not merely making things up as they go but standing on the shoulders of centuries of saints who have gone before spreading the same "passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples."