444. I lay my sins on Jesus

Horatius Bonar, 1808-89

The hymn, entitled “The Fulness of Jesus,” was written for children in a desire to provide something which children could sing and appreciate in divine worship. It is generally supposed to be the first hymn Bonar wrote. He used to say of this hymn that it might be good gospel but that it was not good poetry. Bonar loved children and for them his first hymns were written.

For further comments on Horatius Bonar see [Hymn 129].

MUSIC. PRYSGOL, composed by W. Owen, 1814-93, was taken from the Hymnary of the United Church of Canada. No information regarding the composer or the origin of the hymn has been traced.