Charlotte Elliott

Charlotte Elliot wrote this song about how to find salvation through Christ. It has been used by many as the call to the altar at the close of services, as it brings a quite simple message of sin, forgiveness, and salvation to all that turn from sin and trust in Jesus.

Charlotte Elliott, a Victorian hymn writer, was born in the south London district of Clapham in 1789 and died in Brighton, England, in 1871. Her grandfather was a famous evangelical preacher. Her family, who belonged to the evangelical wing of the Anglican Church, taught her Christian piety.

Elliott was a famous humorous poet during her youth. At the age of 32, she suffered from a serious illness that left her disabled for the rest of her life. Then her lifelong spiritual mentor César Malan, a Swiss minister and hymnologist, counseled her to replace her rage and inner conflict with peace, and simple faith in God; from that day on, she turned her literary talents to writing hymns.

Romans 5:8

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Matthew 7:13-14 ESV

Jesus came to seek and save the lost, but unfortunately, not all of the lost want to be found. The unfortunate reality of the narrow and wide gates Jesus spoke of is not all of us will choose correctly. Many will follow the mainstream and miss out on eternal life in heaven. The brief narrative on the Narrow and Wide Gate is the first of four warnings Jesus gave in regard to applying the Sermon on the Mount. The first being “a caution to the lost about where they are headed.” (Moody) God is patient, not wanting any of us to perish. All are welcome to walk with Jesus. For narrow is the gate.