Michael Haykin reviews Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing by Sydney Hanson.
What a delight it was to come across this board book in a Christian bookstore, Reformed Book Services in Brantford, Ontario. Part of a series designed to introduce classic Christian hymns to young children, this particular one contains the well-known hymn by the Particular Baptist author Robert Robinson (1735‒1790).
The text contains simply the original words of Robinson’s hymn that he penned in 1758 after his conversion under the preaching of George Whitefield (1714‒1770). Across 18 pages, the words of the first stanza are printed and then on pages 19-20 there is the familiar tune to which this hymn is sung in North America, “Nettleton”, and the words of all three stanzas of the hymn.
Original words
I was amazed, and indeed pleased, to see the original words of Robinson, including such archaisms as “Thou” and “Thy,” and even, in the first line of the second stanza, Robinson’s reference to 1 Samuel 7v12, “Here I raise mine Ebenezer.” Besides these words that will need explaining, there are also a number of challenging words for little ones: “melodious,” “flaming,” “interposed,” “constrained,” and “fetter”. But what a great opportunity this board book presents parents: to teach not only the meaning of such words as these but also to acquaint their children with one of the great hymns of our Faith and to talk about what it means to be a Christian and the joy that awaits all of God’s children.
It might have been helpful to have a note about Robinson’s life in the book.
This series exposes our children and grandchildren to some of the traditional core of Christian hymnody – a desperate need in modern worship. Finally, the drawings of Sydney Hanson are delightful, though that accompanying the words, “Praise the Mount! I’m fixed upon it” eluded me (pages 15‒16). Highly recommended for ages 0‒5.
COME, THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING: Hymns for Little Ones
By Sydney Hanson
Harvest House. 20 pages. £9.99
ISBN 978 0 736 991 872
