Story of the Hymn Jesus I Love Thee

The story of the Hymn Jesus I love Thee is about a sixteen year old teenager who wrote a devotional hymn that Jesus loves him and is his Lord, Friend and Savior.
William Ralph Featherson was born to John and Mary Featherson on July 24, 1846 in Montreal, Canada who wrote this hymn of faith for thankfulness to Jesus Christ.
He attended the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Montreal, later renamed St. James Methodist Church, then St. James United Church.
My Jesus I love Thee was written by William Ralph Featherston at the time of his conversion to Jesus Christ.
He then sent a copy of his hymn to his aunt, Mrs. E. Featherston Wilson in Los Angeles, California who, upon reading the lyrics, encouraged him to have it published.
His aunt sought its publication in Britain where it appeared anonymously in The London Hymn Book in 1864.
The story of the Hymn Jesus I love Thee is about William's committment to Jesus Christ the Savior.
William Ralph Featherson was touched by the Holy Spirit - his spiritual wealth in his short life came from Jesus Christ's Grace and Love.
He died on May 20, 1873 in Montreal, Canada aged 27.

Hymns

Story of the Hymn Jesus I Love Thee
Hymns teach Biblical Doctrine (beliefs) in Christianity.
They are a form of worship and serve as:
*A prayer of thanks that come from appreciation for what we have.
*An expression of faith that can "see" beyond this world.
With faith in God, we see and hear things that the “eye has not seen, nor ear heard” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Solomon
Proverbs 4:1-4 - written for one child but intended to be read by all children.
Solomon wrote to his children: "Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother".
Solomon ruled over the Kingdom of Israel and Judah after the reign of his father, David.
God's Laws in the Bible are our moral compass that always point in an ethical direction.

Lord, Friend and Savior

Story of the Hymn Jesus I Love Thee
God certainly works in mysterious ways to use the gifts and talents of special individuals who can teach and strengthen our faith through spiritual inspiration.
Hymns are a form of worship that serve as a prayer of thanks and an expression of our faith that brings Glory to God.
Hymns manifest our Savior's Divinity and Everlasting Values that inspire and lift us to a higher spiritual level by the inner energy of the soul.
Jesus I love Thee is a beautiful hymn because it came from the humble heart of a young man who simply wrote about his faith:
The first five words express his thoughts that came from deep within his soul "My Jesus I love Thee".
William realizes that indeed, Jesus loves him and truly, is his Lord, Friend and Savior.
Jesus Christ as our Lord (Greek-Kyrios) means Master, one to Whom someone belongs and their Christian direction in life.
As a Friend, Jesus becomes our Good Shepherd, Who leads His flock to greener pastures.
As our Savior, Jesus preserves our everlasting home with Him in the Heavenly Kingdom of God.
Jesus I Love Thee has blessed millions around the world to live the Gospel through righteousness and with words of comfort and peace.
Story of the Blind Man
John 9 records the story of the blind man whose spiritual awakening led to an acknowledgement of who Jesus is.
The blind man’s gift of spiritual sight was accompanied by his healing of physical sight by Jesus.
The man then spoke of the dawning of new light in his life in simple terms: “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25).
Psalm 36:9 refers to Jesus, “With you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.”

Adoniram Judson Gordon

Story of the Hymn Jesus I Love Thee
Three years after William Ralph Featherson’s passing at the age of 27, a well known American Baptist Pastor, Dr. A.J. Gordon discovered the anonymous hymn that had made its way to America in 1870.
He enjoyed the beautiful lyrics but did not like the melody.
Being a composer, he composed in a new melody to the hymn and also published it anonymously in The Service of Song for Baptist Churches in 1876.
It was around 1930, fifty years after its publication, that it was William Ralph Featherston who penned the beautiful hymn.
Adoniram Judson Gordon (1836–1895) was born in New Hampton, New Hampshire, on April 19, 1836, and was the famed pioneer Baptist missionary to India-Burma.
He was named after Adoniram Judson, a Baptist missionary to Burma who had recently completed a Burmese translation of the Bible.
Gordon experienced a Christian conversion at age 15 and thereafter sought to become a pastor.
He graduated from Brown University in 1860 and Newton Theological Institution in 1863.
In 1863, he also married Maria Hale and became pastor of Jamaica Plain Baptist Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts.
In 1869, he became pastor of Clarendon Street Baptist Church in Boston.
Gordon was the founder of Gordon College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
He also edited a number of hymnals and was editor of the monthly periodical, The Watchword including a series of books called Quiet Talks.
Gordon became a favored speaker in evangelist Dwight L. Moody's Northfield conventions.
Dwight L. Moody founded the Moody Church, Northfield School and Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts (now Northfield Mount Hermon School), Moody Bible Institute, and Moody Publishers - in Chicago, he built one of the major evangelical centers in America which is still active.
Adoniram Judson Gordon died on February 2, 1895, in Boston, of the flu aged 59 years old.

Expressions of Faith

Story of the Hymn Jesus I Love Thee
God's Grace works His favors according to our expression of faith - our inner spiritual values.
God gives one spiritual wisdom to express their faith through art, music, literature and service
Beautiful words, songs and images play a big part in Christian life to create reverence in worship.
Their spiritual essence help us to grow even closer to the beauty that can be found only in God and Jesus Christ.
Many magnificent voices have sung the enduring and timeless hymns to the Glory of God and our dear Lord, Jesus Christ,
Ira David Sankey (August 28, 1840 – August 13, 1908) was an American Gospel singer and composer who was associated with Dwight L. Moody (February 5, 1837 – December 26, 1899) in a series of religious revival campaigns in America and Britain toward the of the 19th century.
Both he and and Moody were both preachers who toured America and the British Isles drawing large crowds.
According to Sankey, the only difference was that "Moody reaches men's hearts with words that are spoken, while I reach them with words that are sung."
Jesus said: "For if you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give - large or small - will be used to measure what is given back to you."
(TLB, Luke 6:38)

Story of the Hymn Jesus I Love Thee

The Hymn: My Jesus I Love Thee
Author:William Ralph Featherstone
Melody: Adoniram Judson Gordon
Lyrics:
My Jesus, I love Thee; I know Thou art mine.
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
I ever I loved Thee, my Jesus 'tis now.

I love Thee because Thou has first loved mem
And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus 'tis now.

I'll love Thee in live; I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath.
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow:
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I'll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow:
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
Copyright:
Words: Public Domain, Music: Public Domain

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