Thoro Harris was one of the most prolific African American hymn writers of the early 20th century. And yet, there is very little known of his life and early years. This hymn, “All That Thrills My Soul” has been a favorite of mine since I first heard it many years ago.
Harris was born in Washington, D.C. in March 1874, eleven
years after the Civil War ended. He was one of two children born to Joseph
Dennis Harris, an African American physician and Elizabeth W. Harris, referred to
as “Head of Household” in the census.
Though nothing is known of his childhood and youth, the
catalog of Howard University, 1889, lists Harris as a fourth-year student in
the Normal Department, a Post Graduate student, and a special student.
We pick up his career in Michigan at Battle Creek College, a
Seventh-Day Adventist school. He was a gifted songwriter and after graduation
moved to Boston to enter the publishing business.
In 1902 he produced the first of dozens of hymnals and song
collections. In those days Christian publishing was big. As a result of his
success, Harris was invited by Peter Bilhorn to move to Chicago. Bilhorn was
active in Christian music, working with evangelists Billy Sunday, D.L. Moody,
and George Stebbins.
In the windy city, Harris took a job as an editor at
the Glad Tidings Publishing Company, promoting the songs of many other hymn
writers through the songbooks he edited. Harris became known for walking
around Chicago to sell books from canvas bags he carried around.
Since the 1930s his compositions have been consistently selected for publication in hymnals of various denominations. Harris died on March 27, 1955, in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
This hymn has survived with strength beyond any of
Harris’ other songs. The chorus boldly proclaims “All that thrills my soul
is Jesus; He is more than life to me. And the fairest of ten thousand, In
my blessed Lord I see.”
Studylight.org, Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible:
Christ, being raised from the dead, ascended to heaven, and was received up
into glory into His Father's presence, and is glorified with His glorious
presence, and which fills His human nature with fullness of joy, with a joy
unspeakable and full of glory; and as it is with the Head it will be with the
members in some measure; now the presence of God puts more joy and gladness
into them than anything else can do; but as yet their joy is not full; but it will
be when they shall enter into the joy of their Lord, into the presence of God
in the other world then everlasting joy will be upon their heads;
Enduringword.com, David Guzik: With these words David seemed
to understand that the benefits of this life commitment to God were received in
both this life, and the life beyond. The path of life is something enjoyed by
the believer both now, and in eternity. God gives us eternal life to enjoy as a
present gift, extending into eternity. This was a joy David could experience
now, but also ultimately receive when in the more immediate presence of God.
Dailyverse.knowing-Jesus.com: God has not given us these things because we are worthy creatures, but to the praise of the glory of His grace. We are accepted by God simply because we trust in Jesus. It is because we are in Christ that the Father looks at you and me as if He were looking at Jesus. The moment we believed, we were baptized into Christ's Body and became a child of God and a member in His Church.
Studylight.org, Dr. Constable’s Expository Notes: The ultimate goal of predestination and election is that believers will contribute to the praise of the magnificence of God’s undeserved favor that He has shown toward humankind. This grace was "freely bestowed" or "given" in the sense that the elect need do nothing to merit it. It comes to us through Jesus Christ, described here as the Beloved of the Father. Since God loves His Son, believers who are in Christ can rejoice that we too are the objects of God’s love.
Bibleref.com: This verse transitions to payment Jesus made for us "through his blood." Paul is referring to Christ's death on the cross as the sufficient payment for the sins of all who believe. What did this redemption cover? It paid to release us from the eternal penalty and the earthly power of our own sins. This freedom was not "free," since it is paid for by Christ's death; it cost Him everything. As a result, for the believer, the ultimate price has already been paid. This is grace: the ability to become a child of God, because God provided a free way to know Him by faith.
Enduringword.com David Guzik: Redemption always implies
a price being paid for the freedom that is purchased . . . Here the price
is [Christ’s] blood, showing that the blessing from the Father and the Son
comes not only from a divine decree, but it also comes according to His
righteousness and holiness
Bibleref.com: Paul was confident that God would meet their needs because they were generous in their giving . . . Their needs would be met through Christ, the one who made and controlled all things. They would never lack with Christ as their provider. From the earliest pages of Scripture, God has been known as the Lord who will provide, affirmed by Peter as well. As Paul noted in 2 Corinthians 9:10, "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness."
Biblehub.com, Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible: To the
end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent . . . Meaning either his soul, the more noble and
glorious part of him; or the members of his body, his tongue, which is the
glory of it, and with which he glorified God; see . . . O Lord my God, I will
give thanks unto Thee forever; to the end of life, as long as he had a being,
and to all eternity.
Bibleref.com: Every restoration to fellowship with the Lord
is an occasion to sing praise to the Lord and to thank Him. Perhaps David was
looking forward to eternity when he wrote, "forever." For the
believer, praise to the Lord doesn't end when his physical life ends; it
continues in heaven on a grander, purer scale.
Studylight.org, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: He would give his whole heart to God. He would allow nothing to divide or distract his affections. He would withhold nothing from God . . . Not merely in the present emergency; but I will do it ever onward - even to eternity. The meaning is, that he would in all cases, and at all times - in this world and in the world to come - honor God. He would acknowledge no God but him, and he would honor him as God.
Is there anything else that thrills your soul like Jesus? Is He more than anything else you could have in this life? He is the reason for your life. He is your All in All. He gives you purpose. He gives you joy. He holds you up at all times. He brings rest and peace to your soul.
May we earnestly desire to have all that thrills our souls
be Jesus! May we view all this world has to offer as paling in comparison to
walking with our Savior.
