The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-06-23
Literary Notes.

known through her devotional writings but es
pecially through her hymns and sacred music
this biographical volume will doubtless be large
~ sought after. The more editions of il that
are sold the better; for it must be stimulating
TO any Christian heart to read of what one fra
glle woman, with the burden of wears of i'm.
paired health, could yet accomplish for the Mas.
ter whose service was her souls most intense
delight and to which she gave herself with
conservation rarely heard of in these days of
languid labor. Miss Havergal was the daughter
OF the late w. H. Havergal, Canon of Worcester
Cathedral, who was remarkable for his mnsca,
powers and his gift as hymnist. His Psalmo-
dy was everywhere used in the English church
service, and he was composer of church music
even to greater degree than his daughter
she speaks of being moved to tears not long
after his death, by the glorious rendering" of
some OF his chants in Westminster Abbey. al
was overwhelmed" she saws in a letter n
iriend-"at hearing three of my hymns touch
ingly sung at church. 1 never before re-
allied the high privilege writing for the great
congregation especially as one of them was
sung to papa's tune 'Baca' Last night thew
sung one of the hymns to my tune 'TTvphosa' .
choir and congregation rang out the aleluias SO
brightly, that it suddenly came over me as il
never did before, what privilege it is even to
nave contributed bit of music for Christs direct
praise 1t was sort of hush of praise all alone
with Jesus, for His great goodness" So entire
was her spirit of conservation that Miss Haver-
gal denied herself after her early youth, the
pleasure OF singing or playing secular music, in
which, though we are not just prepared to saw
So there might have been the germ of an ascetic
idea. Her renditions of Handels, Mendelsobn's
and Beethovens sacred compositions were such
as to excite the deepest wonder and admiration
among her friends, She contrived to 'glorify the
MASTER as she says, even "at large, regular
London party; He seemed to give me the secret
OF His presence, and of course sang for Jesus
and did I not have a dead silercew AT home
or abroad, In the railway carriage or the CONT
mental Tension, among friends or strangers,
the one idea before this sanity woman was-"to
make the most of her life and to do the best with
1t for Christ" She studied Hebrew. Greek Ger
man, French, and Latin that she might better
comprehend the Scriptures through the ancient
languages, so as to be able to write what would
be helpful to others, and that she might sing
and write hymns in the modern ones. and TINS
reach larger numbers. Stopping over Sunday
once, at Swiss Pension in one of the Roman
Catholic Cantons, she collected the young maid
ems around, In order that she might sing Christ
70 them. She had no French hymns: so she
took one of her own, and in a few moments
wrote French ranslation-Seuleu,ent Do,lr
Iol-and sang 1T to them to their great DELIGHT
and as she hoped, profit. Delayed at the Hos
plce of st. Bernard over Sunday. her brilliant
touch charmed the old monks, and in the after.
noon they requested her to entertain the assem-
oled strangers. She told them she would sing
irom the Holy Scriptures and repeating the
words for the benefit of the several nationalities
present. In the languages represented. She gave
some OF Handels most solemn sacred COMPOST
tons. In the diligence it was the same: still
tne work OF Christ went on. The passengers
sang French songs: would she sing too ? All.
yes-and she gave them Sediment pour T5i in
which they soon all joined
But hymn writing and the composition If
church tunes were only portion of her work.
She was an enthusiastic member of the Young
Womens Christian Association, helping its meet
ings In every way She taught four Bible classes
week, when her health would permit She
was the head and front of the Christian workers
for Ireland: She instituted Saturday night class
es for the work -people-singing classes for the
girls-Sunday Schools for the children. until
they said of her, after one of her long Irish Wis
its" oh and isn't she real Colleen Baum"
Besides her Ministry of Song, and Under the
Surface and Songs Of Grace and Glorv all of
which went to an immense number of editions
some as high as fifty, she wrote also, in prose.
My King; Royal Commandments Bruev, and
four or five books for children of devotional
character. g., Morning Bells Little PiUows.
and still others. She enforced rest from work
which illness necessitated, was borne by this ar
dent spirit, with rare submission; indeed her
whole Christian life was of the most exalted or
der. Yet Miss Havergal was bright buoyant,
and sunny In her temperament, and could not
bear that religion should have anything gloomy
about it. She ever plead for a joyous Christian
ity' The account of her final going away il
very touching 80 beautiful to 90" she kent
repeating Splendid go. to-day"
No earnest reader can lay down this book
without thanking God for such testimony to His
everlasting faithfulness as is herein set forth !.
and so, in her death, Frances Havergal NAV &C.
complish even more than in her busy and devo.
ted lie. M + p