Complimentary Story
April 2026“Jesus said, Suffer the little children unto Me!” (Matthew 19:14). “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ And Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in My name receiveth Me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matthew 18:1-6). Jesus loves little children!
Philadelphia, 12 years after the civil war, around 1877 the city of brotherly love became the city of hate and division. An influx of immigrants, from all over the world arrived in huge numbers and freed slaves migrated up north to Pennsylvania, increasing the black population from 4% to 20%. At the same time, a massive influx of Irish settlers came to Philly by the boatload — (750,000). Not to mention Germans, Italians, and other nationalities, settling into this area. In just a short time, over 2 million people landed in Philadelphia, with all their own ideas and beliefs, resulting in a hotbed of bigotry, distrust, jealousy, strife, and anger. There were riots in the streets, fighting among all the different factions, killings, burning of schools, and churches.
About this time, there was a Pastor named Clarence Wooston. He was a preacher and illusionist, and his sleight of hand was so good he wrote a book on using illusions that even drew the attention of the famous Harry Houdini. He’d also use animals he secured from the local zoo, and use them in his sermons to illustrate Bible Scriptures.
This attracted the children as they sat amazed. These were dirt-poor children who couldn’t afford the luxury of going to the zoo; they would all sit up front, spellbound with the animals and illusions while receiving the gospel of Jesus. These children were all of different races, different creeds, different backgrounds, different skin colors, all out of poverty. Not very clean, a little smelly, barefoot in some cases, dirty, yet cramped together, not caring where the other child next to them came from, or who they were.
So, as Reverend Wooston tried to gather the congregation together, he noticed that the adults started to take their children from up front and separate themselves from others with their children — they were not willing to mingle with those that were not of their own kind, self segregation, prejudiced, unwilling to rub shoulders with strangers from another land. So it became blacks with blacks, whites with whites, Italians, Irish, Germans all dividing.
This broke the preacher’s heart, because as he was trying to unite, the devil wanted them all to fight! He was so grieved seeing what was happening at one Sunday service that he went home and wrote this song, not for the children but aimed at the adults, to teach them a lesson about God’s love. Today when we hear this song, we don’t know the significance behind the lyrics, as it reflected upon the culture of the people gathered around Pastor Wooston’s flock.
Anguished in his spirit, seeing the racism, division, and strife caused by each group’s ethnicity refusing to co-mingle with each other, the following words were penned as he sought God for answers to deal with this crisis he found fomenting in his congregation. There are additional lyrics that are very rarely sung in this song, but further emphasize the meaning Pastor Wooston tried to convey.
May you reflect upon this song we sing, but now see it through the lens it was intended for, mainly to the adults that were unwilling to rub shoulders with their fellow men in Christ because of their prejudices.
Jesus calls the children dear, “Come to me and never fear. For I love the little children of the world; I will take you by the hand, Lead you to the better land. For I love the little children of the world.”
Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.
Jesus died for all the children, all the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in His sight,
Jesus died for all the children of the world.
Jesus is the Shepherd, true. And He’ll always stand by you. For He loves the little children of the world. He’s a Savior, great and strong, and He’ll shield you from the wrong, for He loves the little children of the world.
I am coming, Lord, to Thee, and your soldier I will be. For You love the little children of the world. And Your cross I’ll always bear, and for You I’ll do and dare, for You love the little children of the world.
