Carney, Julia A., was Miss Fletcher when she wrote the hymn contained in this collection, beginning: "Think gently of the erring one." She was born at Lancaster, Mass., April 6, 1823; began writing verses in early childhood, contributing poems to juvenile periodicals when she was only fourteen; became a teacher in one of the primary schools of Boston in 1844; wrote the familiar little poem beginning, "Little drops of water, little grains of sand," in 1845; married Rev. Thomas J. Carney in 1849. She died at Galesburg, Ill., November 1, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Carney were members of the Universalist Church.