Elliott, Charlotte, one of the sweetest though saddest of Christian singers, was the daughter of Charles Elliott, of Clapham and Brighton, England, and the granddaughter of Rev. Henry Venn, an eminent Church of England divine of apostolic character and labors. She was born March 18, 1789. Reared amid refined, cultured Christian surroundings, she developed at quite an early age a passion for music and art. She was unusually well educated. From her thirty-second year until her death, which occurred September 22, 1871, in her eighty-third year, she was a confirmed invalid and oftentimes a great sufferer. She was a member of the Church of England. Her hymns have in them a tenderness and sweetness born of suffering and resignation. Although an invalid, she did a large amount of literary work in her lifetime, publishing several volumes. Her Invalid's Hymn Book was published in various editions from 1834 to 1854, and contained altogether one hundred and fifteen of her hymns. Other poetic volumes by her containing hymns were: Hours of Sorrow, 1836; Hymns for a Week, 1839; Thoughts in Verse on Sacred Subjects, 1869. Her hymns number about one hundred and fifty, a large percentage of which, according to Julian's Dictionary, are in common use. "Her verse is characterized by tenderness of feeling, plaintive simplicity, deep devotion, and perfect rhythm. For those in sickness and sorrow she has sung as few others have done." It is doubtful if any hymn written in the past century is more widely sung and popular the world over than "Just as I am, without one plea." Miss Elliott shrank from publicity, nearly all her books being published in the first instance anonymously.

Christian, seek not yet repose 494
Just as I am, without one plea 272
O holy Saviour, Friend unseen 478
My God, is any hour so sweet 501
My God, my Father, while I 521, 736