For a full century after her death, she filled a larger place in United States and British hymnals than any other woman.

To a fervour of devotion, which increased as she got older, she developed a fondness for sacred literature, which led her to compose a considerable number of pieces in prose and verse.

[2] Portions of these spiritual lyrics soon found their way into collections, while the diffidence of the author because of her pen name, left her comparatively unknown beyond the circle of her personal friends.

Her complete works were published in one volume by Daniel Sedgwick (London, 1863), as Hymns, Psalms, and Poems by Anne Steele, with a memoir by John Sheppard.

[16] It has often been written that the drowning of her betrothed, Robert Elscourt,[17] a few hours before the time fixed for her marriage, deeply affected an otherwise quiet life.

She said of herself:— "I enjoy a calm evening on the terrace walk, and I wish, though in vain, for numbers sweet as the lovely prospect, and gentle as the vernal breeze, to describe the beauties of charming spring; but the reflection how soon these blooming pleasures will vanish, spreads a melancholy gloom, till the mind rises by a delightful transition to the celestial Eden—the scenes of undecaying pleasure and immutable perfection."

She sometimes wrote hymns on creation and providence; and although these lack the powerful originality of those of classical hymnists, they were full of warm, tender, thankful feeling.

For many years, she was confined to her room because of illness, during which period, she was engaged in writing essays, principally of a religious nature, in prose and verse.

[23] After the death of her father, she spent the remaining nine years of her life in the house of her brother, William, which he had built very near the old family home.

Unlike most authors of her day, Steele was in a financial position which enabled her to devote the profits of her books to religious and charitable uses, and the same course was pursued by her surviving relatives.

[12] Among Baptist hymnwriters, Steele stood at the head, if regarded either by the number of her hymns which found a place in the hymnals of the nineteenth century, or the frequency with which they were sung.

Although few of them could be placed in the first rank of lyrical compositions, they were almost uniformly simple in language, natural and pleasing in imagery, and full of genuine Christian feeling.

But whilst Steele seemed to think of Him more frequently as her "bleeding, dying Lord"—dwelling on His sufferings in their physical aspect, Havergal more often referred to His living help and sympathy, recognized with gladness His present claims as "Master" and "King," and anticipated almost with ecstasy His second coming.