British hymn writer and poet Frances Ridley Havergal was born in 1836, the youngest of a family of four girls and two boys. She was a bright and talented child who learned to read at the age of two and wrote poetry when she was seven. She trusted Christ as her Saviour when she was a teenager and wrote, “Then and there I committed my soul to the Saviour...and earth and heaven seemed bright from the moment...I did trust the Lord Jesus.”
Frances loved to read and study the Scriptures, and by the time she was a young adult, she’d memorized all the Gospels, Epistles, Revelation, the Psalms, and Isaiah. She was also a gifted classical pianist and singer. Though she could have been a famous concert artist, she chose to dedicate her talent to the Lord. She was often referred to as “the consecrated poet.”
Frances experienced great joy and victory in her life, but she also experienced periods of depression and doubt. During those dark times, Francis wrote some of her most beautiful poems and hymns. She used what God taught her to encourage and minister to other believers who were experiencing similar struggles.
She had signed a contract with an American publisher, but the publisher experienced a financial disaster. This was a huge disappointment that also adversely affected her publishing career and livelihood. Soon after this, the only copy of one of her book manuscripts was destroyed in a fire at the printer. Within a year, she caught a severe cold accompanied by inflammation of the lungs while vacationing. When doctors told her that she might die, her surprising response was, “If I am really going, it is too good to be true.” Frances survived and wrote a hymn expressing the peace of God, “Like a River Glorious.” The refrain proclaims the source of perfect peace: “Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed, finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.” The hymn was first published in 1876 in “Hymns of Consecration and Faith” and was titled “Perfect Peace.”
Frances remained in frail health and died two years later at the age of forty-two. In her short lifetime, she wrote many hymns, devotional books for children and adults, and tracts that have been a blessing and encouragement to many. She once wrote to another hymn writer who had also written about God’s peace. She quoted Romans 5:1 in her letter: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. She added, "It is yours already, purchased for you, made for you, sealed for you, pledged to you – by the word of the Father and the precious blood of Jesus." Her dying words were, "Come, Lord Jesus, come and fetch me."
Like a river glorious Is God’s perfect peace,
Over all victorious In its bright increase.
Perfect–yet it floweth Fuller ev’ry day;
Perfect–yet it groweth Deeper all the way.
Refrain:
Stayed upon Jehovah, Hearts are fully blest,
Finding, as he promised, Perfect peace and rest.
Hidden in the hollow Of his blessed hand,
Never foe can follow, Never traitor stand.
Not a surge of worry, Not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry Touch the spirit there.
Ev’ry joy or trial Falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial By the Sun of love.
We may trust him solely All for us to do;
They who trust him wholly, Find him wholly true.
All rights reserved. Without the express written permission of the publisher, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted, whether in whole or in part, in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopy, storage retrieval system, recording, or any other.
Subscribe to our emails