Elizabeth Prentiss by Sharon James

Banner of Truth Trust, 2006.   dw.  272pp.

This is the first full-scale biography of Elizabeth Prentiss, since the Memoir written by her husband in 1882. Sharon James tells the story of a fascinating, gifted, and godly woman, who exercised a wide influence in America and beyond through her novels and other writings. Through various tragedies in her own life, Elizabeth came to the conviction that suffering is ‘Christ’s school’ whereby we learn more of the love of God. Her various writings vividly communicate the joy of surrendering every detail of life to God, and the liberation of fully embracing his sovereignty.

This biography is not merely of historical interest. The longing of Elizabeth’s life was summed up in her best-known hymn: ‘More love, O Christ, to Thee’. Her story demonstrates that every Christian can grow in love to God- both through obedience in the duties of everyday life, and through the tragedies which most of us will, at some point, confront.