Not much is known about the author of this wonderful hymn, William Featherstone, except that he became a Christian aged 16, in 1862 – and wrote this hymn, initially as a poem, around the same time. Featherstone sent the poem to his aunt, who was the one responsible for seeking its publication. There are no other known poems or hymns penned by Featherstone, who passed away at the young age of 26, having resided at Montreal, Canada for the entirety of his life.
'My Jesus, I Love Thee' really is a story that tells of the progressive stages of love towards the Lord Jesus Christ by the Christian. Firstly, knowing Jesus as Saviour, and as the One who has loved the Christian first. Secondly, the Christian’s love to the their precious Saviour grows greater as their understanding of His sacrificial death at Calvary deepens.
Thirdly, we find a bold step of faith, as Featherstone refutes the idea that death for the Christian ought to carry for them any great fear. Instead, Featherstone is able to see that as the Christian traverses their life with Christ as their constant companion, their love for Him, like their faith, will only strengthen, so that death, when it comes, can be assuredly seen as no more than a simple step into the loving arms of Christ.
Fourthly, and finally, the Christian’s love for Christ will reach its apex when heaven has been reached and Christ and all His glory will be seen by sight, and not merely by faith. Here is where the hymn ends and eternity begins. Though the word choices of this hymn are, at face value, somewhat simple, the maturity and depth of understanding of its ideas are quite staggering, all the more so for a newly-converted 16 year old!
It seems that some modern versions contain an alteration of the second line, preferring to use the term ‘follies of sin’ rather than ‘pleasures of sin’. Personally, I prefer the original use of pleasures, as it encapsulates the idea that a great part of the difficulty of giving up sins is that many of them are indeed pleasurable, even when their folly is understood.
There is a most heart-warming story associated with this hymn, that I will quote in full:
“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 theatre’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 favourite. 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 pleasures 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 labours many were led to God.”[1]
My Jesus, I Love Thee
1 My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the pleasures of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
2 I love Thee because Thou hast 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.
3 I'll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath,
