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I'd Rather Have Jesus

Author: Rhea F. Miller Meter: 11.11.11.10 with refrain Appears in 28 hymnals First Line: I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold Topics: Adoration

Meter: 11.11.11.10 with refrain Appears in 27 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: George Beverly Shea Tune Key: C Major Incipit: 13333 51166 51333 Used With Text: I'd Rather Have Jesus

MAGIS

Meter: 11.11.11.10 with refrain Appears in 1 hymnal Composer and/or Arranger: Joel A. Erickson Tune Sources: Timeless Truths (http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Id_Rather_Have_Jesus); Anonymous/Unknown, The Blue Book (3) Tune Key: D Major Used With Text: I'd Rather Have Jesus

Instances

Published text-tune combinations (hymns) from specific hymnals

I'd Rather Have Jesus

Author: Rhea F. Miller Hymnal: Favorite Hymns of Praise #106 (1967) First Line: I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold Lyrics: 1 I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I'd rather be His than have riches untold; I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands, I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand Than to be the king of a vast domain Or be held in sin's dread sway; I'd rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today. 2 I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause, I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause; I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame, I'd rather be true to His holy name Than to be the king of a vast domain Or be held in sin's dread sway; I'd rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today. 3 He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom, He's sweeter than honey from out the comb; He's all that my hungering spirit needs, I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead Than to be the king of a vast domain Or be held in sin's dread sway; I'd rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today. Languages: English Tune Title: [I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold]

I'd Rather Have Jesus

Author: Rhea Miller Hymnal: This Far By Faith #233 (1999) First Line: I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold Refrain First Line: Than to be the kind of a vast domain Lyrics: 1 I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I'd rather be his than have riches untold; I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands, I'd rather be led by his nail-pierced hand-- Refrain: Than to be the king of a vast domain, or be held in sin's dread sway; I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today. 2 I'd rather have Jesus than your applause, I'd rather be faithful to his dear cause; I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame, I'd rather be true to his holy name-- [Refrain] 3 He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom, he's sweeter than honey from out the comb; he's all that my hungering spirit needs, I'd rather have Jesus and let him lead-- [Refrain] Topics: Stewardship, Commitment; Invitation to Discipleship; Trust Scripture: Matthew 19:16-30 Languages: English Tune Title: [I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold]

I'd Rather Have Jesus

Author: Rhea F. Miller Hymnal: Hymns of Faith #237 (1980) First Line: I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold Lyrics: 1 I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I'd rather be His than have riches untold; I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands, I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand Than to be the king of a vast domain Or be held in sin's dread sway; I'd rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today. 2 I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause, I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause; I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame, I'd rather be true to His holy name Than to be the king of a vast domain Or be held in sin's dread sway; I'd rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today. 3 He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom, He's sweeter than honey from out the comb; He's all that my hungering spirit needs, I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead Than to be the king of a vast domain Or be held in sin's dread sway; I'd rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today. Scripture: Psalm 19:10 Languages: English Tune Title: [I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold]

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People

Authors, composers, editors, etc.

Rhea F. Miller

1894 - 1966 Person Name: Rhea F. Miller, 1894-1966 Author of "I'd Rather Have Jesus" in Baptist Hymnal 1991 Rhea F. Miller was the wife of Dr. H. V. Miller, one of the General Superintendents of the Church Of The Nazarene. After her husband's death Mrs. Miller taught piano and traveled all around the area in her little gray Nash coupe, teaching piano. She had a special mission in life and that was to get into pastors’ homes and teach their kids how to play the piano so they would have something to contribute to the church when they became adults. She would offer to teach these kids for free and hope to make up the difference with her other students. She was a very inspirational woman and made a deep impact upon many lives. She was very positive, always smiling, full of encouragement, and always enthusiastic. Her father, Martin James Ross, such had been no more than a drunk for some time and would actually steal money from his wife’s purse, just to get enough money to buy another drink. Mrs. Ross was a good, solid, faithful Christian, though. And she just kept living her life for Jesus. She would walk to church in any kind of weather- rain, snow, sleet, mud, whatever it was, just to get there to be with God’s people. Eventually her steadfastness broke through the walls her husband had isolated himself with. He surrendered to the wooing of God’s Spirit and was wonderfully delivered from the awful bondage of sin. He stood one night in a service in Brooktondale and began his testimony of how much Jesus meant to him… “I’d rather have Jesus than all the gold or silver in the whole world. I’d rather have Him than anything this world has to offer.” Mrs. Miller sat there and heard the words of her father’s testimony and a new song was born- “I’d Rather Have Jesus”. Bev Shea said he was 23 when he found the song in 1932. Mr. Shea didn’t copyright his version until 1939. Here he describes (from How Sweet the Sound) the impact that this song had on him: “One Sunday morning in the family home by the piano he discovered a poem with the title "I'd Rather Have Jesus." At the age of twenty-three, I was living at home with my parents, continuing to work at Mutual Life Insurance and studying voice. Going to the piano one Sunday morning, I found a poem waiting for me there. I recognized my mother's handwriting. She had copied the words of a poem by Mrs. Rhea F. Miller, knowing that I would read the beautiful message, which speaks of choice. As I read these precious words: "I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause. I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause." I found myself singing the words in a melody that expressed the feelings of my heart." Mrs. Miller wrote some other songs, too. One was for a Missionary Convention, a little chorus based on Psalm 126:6. The words went like this: “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves”- then a repeat of that and close. She also wrote a song called "It Is Worth All It Costs To Be Holy", copyrighted June 15, 1937, Nazarene Publishing House. That was in our hymnals for a while. Ron Kelly (former student and friend)

George Beverly Shea

1909 - 2013 Composer of "I'D RATHER HAVE JESUS" in Baptist Hymnal 1991 Long-time close associate of Billy Graham and soloist at Billy Graham's Crusades all over the world. He was largely responsible for the popularizing of "How Great Thou Art" and for moving the popularity of "Amazing Grace" from the cultural periphery into the mainstream of American Protestantism. He recorded dozens of albums and was eventually awarded a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement. George Beverly Shea died on April 16, 2013, at the age of 104.