THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.

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maybe mentioned Lady Selina, Countess of Huntingdon, 1707, who wrote, “ When Thou, my righteous Judge, shall come,” and “ Fading, Still Fading, the Last Beam is Shining;” also Madame Guyon, who wrote while in prison,

“ A little bird am I,

Shut from the fields of air.’

Of her numerous hymns, the best known in the churches of the present day are:—“If life in sorrow must be spent; ” “ Oh Thou, by long experience tried; ” and “ Oh Lord, how full of sweet content ! ”

But it was Anne Steele (born in England in 1716, and died in 1778) who is the author of more hymns than any other woman of her time, which have been generally accepted and are still sung by the churches of all denominations, one hundred and forty-four of which were printed just after her death, the profits of sales going to aid benevolent objects, and gradually finding their way into all hymn-books in all Chris­tian climes.

Mrs. Anna Letitia Barbauld, whose name until recently was simply given as Barbauld by compilers, was of the same nationality as Miss Steele, and was con­temporaneous with her. All of us have sung hundreds of times her “ Come, said Jesus’sacred voice; ” “When as returns this solemn day;” “ Again the Lord of life and light awakes the kindling ray;” “How blest the sacred tie that binds!” “Praise to God! immortal praise!”

But it is when we have reached the year 1800 that a perfect flood of sacred song bursts forth.

In 1850 Caroline Southey, wife of the poet, wrote “Calvary,” and near that date the well-known, “ Oh, fear not thou to die;” and the celebrated, “ Launch thy boat, mariner.”

Of Mrs. Heman’s sacred songs, so full of tenderness, pathos, beauty, and at the same time vigor and intensity, more is known.

When her name is mentioned, that of Mrs. Sigourney is at once suggested. The former, born in England in 1793, dying in 1835; the latter, born in Norwich, Conn., in 1791, dying in her later home, Hartford, Conn., in 1865, were, as is seen, contempo­raneous; and though they never met, as far as known, or became acquainted each with the literary works of the other, there is thought to be a similarity in their pro­ductions.

Mrs. Sigourney’s hymns, “The Lord is on His Holy Throne; He sits in kingly state;” “Go to thy rest, fair child;” “Onward, onward, men of Heaven!” “When adverse winds and waves arise;” and especially the very familiar and greatly- beloved hymn, “Lab’rers of Christ, arise!” will endure as long as the world has need of such songs.

Of Mrs. Elizabeth Barrett Browning what need be said? She whom even the most eminent among the brotherhood of poets acknowledge as their peer. Vigorous and strong in her utterances, she is yet tender and appealing. Her “ Cry of the chil­dren ” is known and quoted the world over wherever wrong and oppression exist toward any of earth’s little ones. All of her poems seem sacred.

In her poem entitled “Work” occurs the oft-repeated words—

“God did anoint thee with His odorous oil,

To wrestle, not to reign.”

and—

“The last flower with a brimming cup may stand And share its dewdrops with another near.”

Her “De Profundis ” and “He Giveth His Beloved Sleep” are known everywhere.

How many of us, while singing:—

“ ’Tis religion that can give

Sweetest pleasure while we live;”

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