My Jesus I Love Thee

A Christian Hymn by Will­iam R. Fea­ther­ston

This Christian hymn - My Jesus I Love Thee - first started out just as a poem written by William Ralph Featherston at the young age of 16. We don't know much about William Featherston except that he was born in Ju­ly 23rd, 1846, Montreal, Quebec, Canada and that he attended the Wes­ley­an Meth­od­ist Church there.

This is the only known poem penned by him. He might have written other poems but this is the only one published as a Christian hymn. Featherston died young at age 27 in May 20th, 1873 with no knowledge that he will be known for his one and only poem - a declaration of his love for his gracious Redeemer and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It was said that he mailed this poem to his aunt who was touched by the words and tried and had it published in a publication. By God's grace, it was discovered several years later by Adoniram Judson Gordon, the founder of Gordon College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary who added melody to the words and published it in his book of hymns in 1876.

Bible Verse: 1 John 4:19 (KJV)

  • "We love because he first loved us."  Read below for my thought on this and a story that will warm your heart and draw you closer to our Lord and Savior.
1 John 4:19 - My Jesus I Love thee

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My Jesus I Love Thee

~ William Ralph Featherston, 1846 - 1873

Stanza 1:

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;

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Stanza 2:

I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,

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.

Stanza 3:

I’ll love Thee in life, 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.

Stanza 4:

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.


We Love Because He First Loved Us - 1 John 4:19

Everything begins with LOVE - God's love for us!

Without the love of God in our heart, we are not capable of that all-giving, sacrificial and full committed kind of love for God and man.

This is a simple hymn written by a teen to his God - telling Him what's in his heart. He knew and had tasted the sweet love of God and now declaring his love in return. Because of Jesus' love and sacrifice on the cross, he now surrendered his life to his gracious Redeemer and committed himself to live for his Savior alone.

He will love Him in life...he will love Him in death. Did he know that he will died young? What teenager will think about death at this time in his life? If he knew that his one and only poem would minister to multitudes and inspire many to love Jesus.


A Heartwarming Story

Here's a story about 'My Jesus, I Love Thee'. I'm sure it will touch your heart as it had warmed mine.

“A young, talented and tender-hearted actress was passing along the street of a large city. Seeing a pale, sick girl lying upon a couch just within the half-open door of a beautiful dwelling, she entered, with the thought that by her vivacity and pleasant conversation she might cheer the young invalid. The sick girl was a devoted Christian, and her words, her patience, her submission and heaven-lit countenance, so demonstrated the spirit of her religion that the actress was led to give some earnest thought to the claims of Christianity, and was thoroughly converted, and became a true follower of Christ.

She told her father, the leader of the theater’s show, of her conversion, and of her desire to abandon the stage, stating that she could not live a consistent Christian life and follow the life of an actress. Her father was astonished beyond measure, and told his daughter that their living would be lost to them and their business ruined, if she persisted in her resolution. Loving her father dearly, she was shaken somewhat in her purpose, and partially consented to fill the published engagement to be met in a few days. She was the star of the show, and a general favorite. Every preparation was made for the play in which she was to appear. The evening came and the father rejoiced that he had won back his daughter, and that their living was not to be lost.

The hour arrived; a large audience had assembled. The curtain rose, and the young actress stepped forward firmly amid the applause of the multitude. But an unwonted light beamed from her beautiful face. Amid the breathless silence of the audience, she repeated:

"My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now."

This was all. Through Christ she had conquered and, leaving the audience in tears, she retired from the stage, never to appear upon it again. Through her influence her father was converted, and through their united evangelistic labors many were led to God.”

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Praise the LORD.
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise Him!

~ Psalm 147:1


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