author
Frances Ridley Havergal
1836–1879
A beloved Victorian hymn writer and religious poet, she is best remembered for "Take My Life and Let It Be" and other devotional works that stayed in print long after her early death. Alongside her hymns, she wrote poetry, religious tracts, and books for children with the same warm, earnest spirit.
2 Audiobooks
Morning Bells; Or, Waking Thoughts for Little Ones
by Frances Ridley Havergal
Kept for the Master's Use
by Frances Ridley Havergal
About the author
Born in Astley, Worcestershire, on December 14, 1836, Frances Ridley Havergal grew up in a deeply musical and religious household. Her father, William Henry Havergal, was a clergyman and composer, and she became known not only as a writer but also as someone with strong musical training and a gift for languages.
Havergal built her reputation as an English religious poet and hymn writer whose work spoke plainly and directly about faith. Her best-known hymns include Take My Life and Let It Be and I Gave My Life for Thee; she also wrote hymn tunes, devotional prose, religious tracts, and works for children.
She died on June 3, 1879, in Wales, aged just 42. Even so, her writing continued to travel widely, and her hymns remained especially cherished by generations of Christian readers and singers for their clarity, sincerity, and sense of personal dedication.