Thoro Harris, the author of today’s hymn, was born in Washington D.C. in 1874. Though nothing is known of his childhood and youth, 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.

Thoro went to work for The Glad Tidings Publishing Company as an editor, where he continued to compose and compile a number of works. He became well-known in Chicago because he was always seen with a canvas bag full of handbooks for sale. Somewhere along the way he became affiliated with the Pentecostal movement. In 1920 he went to Los Angeles to compile a hymnal titled, “Pentecostal Revivalist” for infamous evangelist, Aimee Semple McPherson. In 1926 he wrote “I Love Him Better Every Day.” He moved to Eureka Springs, Arkansas in 1932 to work for the publishing arm of the Oneness Pentecostal Organization. He died there in 1955.

Not a bad resume’ for anyone, correct? But consider this. Thoro Harris was born only 11 years after the Civil War ended. Think about what society was going through in those days following the abolition of slavery. What makes his accomplishments even more significant? Thoro was a black man! Today’s hymn connects him to the Nazarene Church because even though he wrote it in 1917, in 1931 the publishing rights were sold to Lillenas Publishing, which became the Nazarene Publishing House. It isn’t known what his motivation for writing it but we can all agree with him that . . . Who can cheer the heart like Jesus, By His presence all divine? True and tender, pure and precious,
O how blest to call Him mine!

Source: http://austinbhebe.wordpress.com/2013/01/16/all-that-thrills-my-soul/