The sold-out-for Jesus hymn

When you grow up singing familiar hymns, you're apt to grow cold to the passion behind their words. I thought of that recently when I read through the words of "Take My Life," by Frances Ridley Havergal. It's actually a dangerous hymn because it cuts "self" and "selfishness" out of the picture in its stated desire to be totally consecrated to the Lord.  With each new year, we often pause to reassess the coldness or fervor of our faith. I hope reading about Miss Havergal's commitment will challenge you (as it did me). And then, after reading this blog, I hope you'll find a hymnal (or search for the words on line) and let them settle into your soul.

Frances Ridley Havergal has been called a bright but short-lived candle in English hymnody. Born in 1836 at Astley in Worcestershire, England, her father was a clergyman, writer, composer, and hymn writer. Her middle name, which shows her family’s strong religious allegiance, honors Nicholas Ridley, a prominent English bishop in the 1500s who was burned at the stake for opposing the accession of the queen English history calls “Bloody Mary."  Frances’ brother was a priest in the Church of England and an organist, and she was baptized by another hymnist of that time.

Her father’s nickname for her was “Little Quicksilver” because she had a quick and hungry mind.  She learned to read by four and began writing verse by age seven.  Her mother died when she was only eleven.  Her mother’s last words included this charge to Frances: “Pray God to prepare you for all He is preparing for you.”  Frances learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew, and memorized the Psalms, the book of Isaiah, and most of the New Testament. At ages 16 to 17 she studied in Switzerland.  Because of health problems, she led a quiet life and was known for writing verse and prose. She also had a beautiful voice, and frequently sang with the Philharmonic. But she came to a point of believing she should no longer use her gift for secular purposes, and only in singing about the Lord.

As an example of her gift for rhyme, for New Year’s Day when she was 23, she wrote this poem based on Deu. 33:25:

As thy days thy strength shall be,

This should be enough for thee.

He who knows thy frame will spare

Burdens more than thou canst bear.

At age 38, her faith deepened with a complete surrender to Christ, which came after reading a little book “All for Jesus.” A couple months later she visited friends for five days.  Of that time, she later wrote:

"There were ten persons in the house; some were unconverted and long prayed for, some converted but not rejoicing Christians. [God] gave me the prayer, 'Lord, give me all in this house.' And He just did. Before I left the house, everyone had got a blessing. The last night of my visit I was too happy to sleep and passed most of the night in renewal of my consecration, and those little couplets formed themselves and chimed in my heart one after another till they finished with "ever only, ALL FOR THEE!"

Today those couplets are known as part of the the hymn “Take My Life and Let It Be.” She wrote the lyrics for 88 hymns, the still-sung ones including "Like A River Glorious," "I Gave My Life for Thee," “From Glory to Glory,” “I Gave My Life for Thee,” “The Half Has Never Been Told,” and "Who Is on the Lord's Side?"

A special note about the last verse to “Take My Life.”  It says:

Take My silver and my gold; Not a mite would I withhold.

Frances had a lot of nice jewelry, but decided she should donate it to the church’s Missionary Society to sell for God’s work.  She wrote a friend, “I retain only a brooch for daily wear, which is a memorial to my dear parents; also a locket with the portrait I have of my niece in heaven...I had no idea I had such a jeweler’s shop; nearly fifty articles are being packed off.  I don’t think I need to tell you I never packed a box with such pleasure.”

Frances suffered poor health much of her life. At 42, after a cold, rainy day when she met with some boys to talk with them about the Lord, she became very ill and feverish.  As she died, she whispered, “Come Lord Jesus, come and fetch me.”  She tried to sing and her last sweet, high note was “He--.”  The cause of death was listed as “peritonitis,” an inflammation of the abdomen. She was buried near her father in her birth town. Her tombstone includes what she claimed as her life verse: “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1:7.”