never recovered from the shock. She, however, survived him for ten years, and passed away in 1778, at the age of sixty-one. Her last triumphant utterance was, “I know that my Redeemer liveth." Those who were privileged to know her, bore testimony to her worth in words of warmest praise. She was said to be a woman of unaffected piety, warm benevolence, sincere friendship, and genuine devotion. The Rev. W. Garrett Horder observes of her: "She is perhaps the first English woman who contributed hymns of any importance to the Church's treasury of song." Yet he thinks that her fame as a hymnist is scarcely "justified by the quality of her productions." She was not a voluminous writer. In the volume of her collected poetical works, published by Daniel Sedgwick, there were included one hundred and fortyfour hymns, thirty-four versifications of the Psalms, and about fifty poems on various moral subjects. Of these, one piece on the death of the Rev. James Harvey, commencing, "O Harvey, honoured name, forgive the tear," is said to be the original of the epitaph, “Forgive, blest shade, the tributary tear." All profits received by Miss Steele from the publication of her poems and hymns were devoted to benevolent objects. Her works were reprinted in America in 1808, in England in 1863, and again in 1882. II. FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL. MISS HAVERGAL is one of the sweetest singers of the Church militant. Her hymns have found their way into stately cathedrals, roadside conventicles, missionrooms, and camp-meetings alike. They are sung everywhere, and by Christians of all sects, because they so beautifully express the power of religion upon the heart and life. Who that has read it can ever forget the "Consecration Hymn"? It seems to make the deepest chords of one's spiritual nature vibrate as with a touch of Heaven's own influence. Miss Havergal was born on December 14, 1836, at Astley, a little village in Worcestershire; her father, Canon W. H. Havergal, being already known in the musical world as a composer of sacred music. Probably the child derived her musical and poetic faculty from him; at any rate, she was a tuneful successor of a worthy sire. She displayed extraordinary precocity in early childhood, and at seven years of age "lisped in numbers, for the numbers came." By the time she reached womanhood she was known as a composer of hymns, and her experiences of foreign travel, frequent illhealth, successes and reverses in literary matters, and the common events of life, all were consecrated to the development of the poetic faculty. We find that some of her best poems were thrown off on the spur of the moment. Thus, "I gave my life for thee" was written in Germany in 1858, when, coming in weary from a ramble, she sat down opposite a picture with this motto. The ideas and words flashed upon her with the speed of lightning, and at once she wrote them off in pencil upon a scrap of paper. Many of her best hymns were written in this way. She herself said once, “All my best poems have come in that way, Minerva fashion, full-grown." Her own account of the way in which she used her talent of hymn-writing is most interesting. "Writing is praying with me; for I never seem to write even a verse by myself, and I feel like a little child writing. You know a child would look up at every sentence and say,' And what shall I say next?' This is just what I do. I ask that at every line He would give me, not merely thoughts and power, but also every word, even the very rhymes. Very often I have a most distinct and happy consciousness of direct answers.' It is not to be wondered at that hymns written in this spirit have accomplished such a wonderful mission. " This spirit of consecration was carried out in her life. She had many sharp attacks of illness, and consequent journeys in search of health; but all these dispensations were made means, in God's hand, of increasing her own spiritual life and her usefulness to others. Many a "turned lesson" was her lot: sometimes it was a long illness coming in the midst of well-arranged and all but finished work, sometimes a fire or a publisher's failure, at other times it was a bereavement; but in all these things she recognized the dealings of a Father's loving hand, and a wisdom that could not err. At such seasons her song assumed an added note of submission and consecration. Her humility was a striking feature in her character. Writing to Miss Mary Shekleton of Dublin, another hymn writer, she says, very characteristically: " My experience is that it is nearly always just in proportion to my sense of personal insufficiency in writing anything that God sends his blessing and power with it. ......I think he must give us that total dependence on him for every word, which can only come by feeling one's own helplessness and incapacity, before he can very much use us." Another extract gives one an idea of her busy life, even amid the repeated attacks of illness. To a correspondent she writes: "Your letter would take two hours to answer, and I have not ten minutes-fifteen to twenty letters to write every morning; proofs to correct; editors waiting for articles, poems, and music I cannot touch; American publishers clamouring for poems or any manuscripts; four Bible-readings or classes weekly; many anxious ones waiting for help; a mission week coming; and other work after that." And wherever her lot was cast, whether it were on a short visit or a lengthened sojourn, she sought for, and set in motion, new ways of doing good. In the autumn of 1878, Miss Havergal, having lost both parents, fixed on the Mumbles, Swansea Bay as her home. Accompanied by her sister Maria, she settled down there. She had come to the point of exhaustion, what with the death of her mother, her own fragility, and the many demands made on her for work; so it seemed that the Lord was guiding her into a quiet resting - place, where she could take breath and recruit. It was her habit to keep a "Journal of Mercies" in 1879, and a few extracts from this Journal will indicate the thankful tone of her mind better than any words:-" January 1st. Able to come downstairs first time. 2nd. Sleep. 3rd. Maria, and all her care of me. 4th. Opportunities of speaking of Christ. 5th. Rest and leisure to-day. 6th. Warmth and comfort. 7th. Spirit of prayer in answer to prayer;" and so on. But manifold Christian work among the poor population of the Mumbles entailed too great and continuous a strain upon her strength. She caught cold one day in May while talking to some donkey boys about religion and temperance, and though not at first seriously ill, the debility and feverishness increased so alarmingly that she became too ill for work. Inflammation supervened, and the pen fell for ever from the fingers that had worked so long and loyally for her King. A few days of agonizing pain followed, but through it all her words were, "Oh, how splendid to be so near the gates of heaven!" On June 3, 1879, she passed away. In her own words,- "She took The one grand step, beyond the stars of God, Miss Havergal's hymns may now be found in most |