Emily Steele Elliott (Emily Elliott Godsmark after marriage;[1] 1836–1897), better known by the pen name of E. S. Elliott, was an English religious writer of poetry, hymns, and novels, as well as the editor of a missionary magazine. Several of her hymns were used at St Mark's Church, Brighton, where her father, Rev. Edward Bishop Elliott, served as incumbent, and several were contributed to the Church Missionary Juvenile Instructor, of which, for six years, she was the editor. Her hymns were translated into various languages, including Chinese, German, Portuguese, Sinhala, and Spanish.[2] Elliott was also the author of numerous well-known books.[3][4][5][6]
Among Christmas hymns designed for children, two popular ones were written by Elliott. One begins with the line, "There came a little child to earth," which was popular in England, but was not known to many singing congregations in the U.S.. The second hymn was just as suitable for adults as for youth. It was privately printed in 1864 for the use of the choir and school of St. Mark's Church, Brighton. The hymn has passed into almost every standard hymnal published in the U.S. at the turn of the 20th century. It starts with, "Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown", and is usually sung to the music by Barnby or Matthews.[4]
She wrote a large number of hymns which were issued in book form in 1866. Her Chimes of Consecration, a volume of 70 hymns and poems, was published in 1873, and her Chimes for Daily Service in 1880.[3][4] The latter contains 71 hymns in two parts. The second part of 48 hymns is also published separately as Under the Pillow, for use as a large type hymnbook with corresponding tune book for hospitals and infirmaries and the sick generally.[11]
For many years, Elliott worked for the missionary cause. For six years, she edited the Church Missionary Society's magazine for children, then named the Church Missionary Juvenile Instructor.[3][11] In later years, she rendered service by her Bible-readings for the women candidates in training at The Willows. She was an organizer of the Christmas Letter Mission, and was an Honorary Life Member of the Church Missionary Society.[12]
Personal life
She married William Godsmark (b. 1829).[1][13]
Their children included, Caroline (b. 1859), William (b. 1861), Edith (b. 1873), and Annie (b. 1877).[13]
She was an invalid in her later life, suffering from heart disease. Emily Elizabeth Steele Elliot died suddenly on 3 August 1897,[5][7][12][b] at the conclusion of an operation conducted at her home in Mildmay, Islington, London. An inquest returned a jury verdict of death by misadventure.[10]
Selected works
Under the microscope; or, 'Thou shalt call me My father', 1861 (text)
Village Missionaries; Or, "To Every One His Work" (1861) (text)
Stepping Stones. A book for the young, 1862 (text)
^ ab"Embezzlement". Uxbridge and West Drayton Gazette. 20 February 1891. p. 7. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via Newspapers.com. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ abCarus-Wilson, Mary Louisa Georgina Petrie (1901). Irene Petrie: Missionary to Kashmir. Hodder and Stoughton. p. 57. Retrieved 22 December 2023. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ ab"Another hymn-writer". Church Missionary Intelligencer and Record. 49. London: Church Missionary Society: 760, 798. 1897. Retrieved 23 December 2023. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
