Tell it out among the heathen that the Lord is King. Frances R. Havergal. [Missions.] Written at Winterdyne, April 19, 1872, and first pub. in Evening Hours, 1872, and subsequently in her Under the Surface, 1874, Life Mosaic, 1879, &c. The HAV. MSS. tell us that it
"was written at Winterdyne, when unable to go to church one snowy morning. She asked for her Prayer-Book (in bed), always liking to follow the services of the clay. On Mr. Shaw's return from church, he heard her touch on the piano. ‘Why, Frances, I thought you were upstairs!' ‘Yes; but I had my Prayer Book, and in the Psalms for today I read, ‘Tell it out among the heathen that the Lord is King.' I thought, 'What a splendid first line!' and then words and music came rushing in to me. There it's all written out. With copperplate neatness she had rapidly written out the words, music and harmonies complete."
The words and music are issued by Parlane of Paisley as a leaflet. Both are also in the musical edition of Snepp's Songs of Grace & Glory, 1880. The hymn is also repeated in other collections.
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Havergal, Frances Ridley, daughter of the Rev. W. H. Havergal, was born at Astley, Worcestershire, Dec. 14, 1836. Five years later her father removed to the Rectory of St. Nicholas, Worcester. In August, 1850, she entered Mrs. Teed's school, whose influence over her was most beneficial. In the following year she says, "I committed my soul to the Saviour, and earth and heaven seemed brighter from that moment." A short sojourn in Germany followed, and on her return she was confirmed in Worcester Cathedral, July 17, 1853. In 1860 she left Worcester on her father resigning the Rectory of St. Nicholas, and resided at different periods in Leamington, and at Caswall Bay, Swansea, broken by visits to Switzerland, Scotland, and North Wales. She died… Go to person page >
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