at twenty-one was darkened by a terrible affliction. Robert Elscourt, to whom she was betrothed, met sudden death by drowning only a few hours before the time set for the wedding ceremony. The tragic circumstance threw her many cherished hopes into shadow; but out of her painful experience came numerous soul-songs which have taken strong hold on the affection of the churches. Miss Steele's hymns number one hundred and forty-four, all of which were published in two editions before her death, in November, 1778. The most familiar, and certainly the most beloved of her hymns, is that which American people almost always sing to the charming tune "Naomi": Father, whate'er of earthly bliss Give me a calm and thankful heart, The blessings of Thy grace impart, And make me live to Thee: Let the sweet hope that Thou art mine Thy presence through my journey shine, This is from a poem of ten stanzas which begins with the line, "When I survey life's varied scenes." The abridgment was made by Augustus M. Toplady about the time he wrote "Rock of Ages"—in 1776 two years before his death. In this form the hymn is in general use in all English-speaking lands, and after a century and a quarter of service it has lost none of its charm. There are few hymns in any church collection that tend to inspire more heart-felt praise to the Redeemer than the following: To our Redeemer's glorious name Awake the sacred song; Oh, may His love, immortal flame, His love what mortal thought can reach, In wonder dies away. He left His radiant throne on high, Dear Lord, while we adoring pay Oh, may the sweet, the blissful theme Till strangers love Thy charming name, Another hymn by Miss Steele is taken from a poem of twelve stanzas on the Holy Scriptures. It is beautiful as to poetic form, and is widely popular both in America and Great Britain. I quote the five stanzas which are in common use: Father of mercies, in Thy word What endless glory shines! For these celestial lines. Here may the wretched sons of want Riches above what earth can grant, And lasting as the mind. Here the Redeemer's welcome voice Attend the blissful sound. Oh, may these heavenly pages be And still new beauties may we see, Divine Instructor, gracious Lord, Be Thou forever near; The mother of Archdeacon Wilson of Manchester, England, taught him when a boy to memorize good hymns a matter that is unfortunately much neglected in these days. The first of the three hundred he committed to memory was this noble hymn by Miss Steele: My God, my Father, blissful name ! This only can my fears control, And bid my sorrows fly. What harm can ever reach my Beneath my Father's eye? soul Whate'er Thy providence denies, For Thou art good and just and wise: Whate'er Thy sacred will ordains, Thy sovereign ways are all unknown My God, my Father, be Thy name The Archdeacon highly commended this hymn by saying that more than all the others he carried in his memory, it entered into his bone and blood, "as the true philosophy of life and the wisest prayer." For a full century after her death Miss Steele filled a larger place in American |