Frances Ridley Havergal, 1870.
FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL, THE CONSECRATION POET
The beauty of a consecrated Christian life has probably never been more perfectly revealed than in the life of Frances Ridley Havergal. To read the story of her life is not only an inspiration, but it discloses at once the secret of her beautiful hymns. She lived her hymns before she wrote them.
This sweetest of all English singers was born at Astley, Worcestershire, December 14, 1836. She was such a bright, happy and vivacious child that her father, who was a minister of the Church of England and himself a hymn-writer of no mean ability, called her “Little Quicksilver.” Her father was also a gifted musician, and this quality too was inherited by the daughter, who became a brilliant pianist and passionately fond of singing. However, because she looked upon her talents as gifts from God to be used only in His service, she would sing nothing but sacred songs.
Her sunshiny nature became even more radiant following a deep religious experience at the age of fourteen. Of this she afterwards wrote:
“I committed my soul to the Saviour, and earth and heaven seemed brighter from that moment.”
At the age of eighteen she was confirmed. It is evident that she looked upon her confirmation as one of the most blessed experiences of her life, for when she returned home she wrote in her manuscript book of poems:
“THINE FOR EVER”
Oh! Thine for ever, what a blessed thing
To be for ever His who died for me!