Memory of a child's hymn from Sunday school days

[Mammar]

Many moons ago when the Earth was young and I attended Sunday School I remember singing a sweet little missionary type hymn, the first few lines of which were "Over the sea there are little brown children, fathers and mothers and babies dear"
I can sing it all the way through but whenever I mention it in conversation I get blank looks. Please tell me there is someone else out there who can remember it!

[horselady]

I remember it. You've got me thinking about all the other Sunday School hymns now!

Daisies are our silver, buttercups our gold

There's a place for little children above the bright blue sky

[Mammar]

Jesus wants you for a sunbeam!
Can you remember it all the way through too? My sister and I sing it as a duet -
They have not heard of the little Lord Jesus etc!
So relieved to hear from you
Thought I was imagining things!

[TydFan]

What about: Jesus bids us shine with a pure clear light.
Like a little candle burning in the night. In this world is darkness so we must shine. You in your small corner and I in mine. (Plus 2 other verses)

And there's always All things bright and beautiful


Don't know the one about little brown children.

[Mammar]

Here we go TydFan - you'll have to imagine the tune:
Over the sea there are little brown children
Fathers and mothers and babies dear
They do not know of the little Lord Jesus
They do not know that God is near
Swift let the message fly over the water
Swift let the message fly over the sea
Swift let the message fly over the water
Telling the children that God is near.
And I've been singing "You in your small corner" ever since I read your post!

[janetholland]

yes we remember the song from bolton-le-sands junior school in Lancashire, do you know who wrote it? like you we were discussing it because we have never heard it since, we cant however remember all the songs so if you have them we would like them, also do you know its origin. It was about 1960 ish when we sang it.

[Mammar]

Good gracious! I'd forgotten about this question!
Regretfully I have no idea who wrote it. I was about 6-7 when I went to Sunday School in the 50's - in a little old hall. The church was a Christian Missionary type but truly cannot remember the denomination because that would have given you a clue to which hymn book they used. We didn't have our own hymn books. You had to leave them on the seats when you left.
Oh wait a minute - I have a Sunday School prize I can put my hand on.
Dash - the sticker in in just says "Sunday School Prize" That's not at all helpful, is it!?
Afraid that's the best I can do for you. Should you find out more, do post so I can share the memories with you.

[Euthydemus]

Yes, we sometimes sang it at Gerrards Cross in the 40s/50s. We hated it! It was in a small blue hymn book which contained not many more than 200 hymns; it was close to the end. I also remember the tune.

[Penllooo]

Yes I remember from Hill House School in Doncaster 1955 - we gathered round the piano which Miss Cox played reading from a large hardback hymn book with music, and I've just been looking for the opening line - all I could remember was 'little brown children' and the pretty tune.... so thankyou

[bowmanera]

I remember this from St Stephens Sunday school.would have been around 1948/49. It suddenly started running through my mind this morning s I was doing the toast.
Must have been a seniormoment

[Pattydawn]

I was in England as a small child and we sang this as part of morning assembly in school..
They do not know of the father in heaven.they do not know that he is near.. swift let the message go over the water telling the children that God is here. Sometimes at night when darkness gathers little brown children begin to fear, swift let the message go over the water telling the children that God is here

[Aliosn]

Over the sea there are little brown children
Fathers and mothers and babies dear
They have not heard of the Father in Heaven
They do not know that God is near
Swift let the message fly over the water
Telling the children that God is near.

[greenpin]

Yes - I remember it very well - and like you, get blank looks, which is probably just as well. As a white child in a rural English infant school in the 1960s, I found it captivating and so exotic (how embarrassing). I've been thinking of it a lot lately - every time I hear "Do They Know It's Christmas?" on the radio.

[Gordon03]

The tune is 'Pleading Saviour' from the Plymouth collection U.S.A. 1855 (8.7.8.7.D)

[Gordon03]

The tune is 'Pleading Saviour' from the Plymouth collection 1855

[Pattydawn]

They do not know of the father in heaven they do not no that he is near swift let the message go over the water telling the children that God is near..some times at night when the darkness gathers little brown children begin to fear swift let the message go over the water telling the children that God is here