Karl Barth, famous Swiss theologian, was asked what he considered to be his greatest theological discovery.
He replied: "Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so."
In 1860 Anna and Susan Warner wrote the novel Say and Seal which became a best-selling book of their day. Near the end, Johnny Fax, a young boy suffering from a long-standing disease asks his teacher to sing to him. The teacher's words are "Jesus loves me, this I know..."
In 1861, William Bradbury wrote music to the four stanzas written for the dying boy in the Warners' book.
I will forever love the simple, sweet, powerful words of this song.
