The theme running through this gospel song, “being like Jesus,” is found in 1 peter 2:21. The song was first printed in 1912 in Make Christ King, edited by E. O. Excell William E. Biederwolf. Later it was printed in the SDA Gospel in Song, Review and Herald, 1926.

James Rowe was born January 1, 1865, in Devon, England. At age 25 he came to the United States and got a job with the railroad in Albany, New York. After a short time as superintendent of the Hudson River Humane Society, he changed to a career in music, writing and editing songs for the Trio, Showalter, and James D. Vaughan (see SDAH 505)  music companies. Making greeting cards.

It is said that Rowe wrote an incredible 19,000 song poems! This was at a time when gospel songbooks were printed and sold by millions, so it is only natural that a great proportion of the songs would be considered “throw-away” music. “I Would Be Like Jesus” is one of three songs by Rowe that are still in use today, the other two being “I Walk With the King,” and “Love Lifted Me.” Rowe died November 10,1933, at Wells, Vermont.

Bentley Deforest Ackley, born September 27, 1872, at Spring Hill, Pennsylvania, was a most gifted child. He learned to play the piano, melodeon, clarinet, cornet, and piccolo in his father’s 14-piece band. In 1888 he went to New York, where he studied stenography; he also played the organ in several churches there in Brooklyn. In 1907 he joined the Billy Sunday evangelistic team as a secretary and as pianist for song leader Homer Rode-heaver. This successful association lasted for eight years, as he wrote new music for choir, solo, and congregation. The Rodeheaver Company employed him as editor; he composed more than 3,000 tunes, and also served as pianist for the popular church music conferences  that Rodeheaver held for many years at Winona Lake, Indiana. Bob Jones University conferred on Ackley the Doctorate of Scared Music degree. He collaborate with his brother, A.H. Ackley (see SDAH 251),a clergyman, in writing many gospel songs. B.D. Ackley died September 3, 1958. Ackley also composed the music for SDAH 426, “I Shall See the King.”