This Child We Dedicate to Thee

This child we de­di­cate to Thee

O God of grace and pur­ity!

Shield it from sin and threat­en­ing wrong

And let Thy love its life pro­long.

O may Thy Spir­it gent­ly draw

Its will­ing soul to keep Thy law;

May vir­tue

pi­ety

and truth

Dawn ev­en with its dawn­ing youth!

We

too

be­fore Thy gra­cious sight

Once shared the blest bap­tis­mal rite

And would re­new its so­lemn vow

With love

and thanks

and prais­es now.

Grant that

with true and faith­ful heart

We still may act the Christ­ian’s part

Cheered by each pro­mise Thou hast giv’n

And la­bor­ing for the prize in Heav’n.