<P> Charitie Lees Smith was born on 21 June 1841, at Bloomfield, Merrion, County Dublin, the fourth child of Rev. George Sidney Smith and Charlotte Lees . The Rev. Smith was the minister of Colebrooke church, in the Church of Ireland parish of Aghalurcher from 1838--1867 and, during this period, the family lived in Ardunshin House near Brookeborough, County Fermanagh, Ireland . </P> <P> Her talent for poetic composition was developed at an early period of her life . </P> <P> In 1860, one of Smith's first compositions O for the robes of whiteness appeared in leaflet form in the immediate aftermath of the Irish 1859 revival . In 1863, she wrote perhaps her best known hymn "Before the Throne of God Above" which she entitled The Advocate (a hymn which was revived in evangelical circles in the late 20th century). In 1867, Smith's father took the family to Tattyreagh, Omagh, County Tyrone, when he became the rector of St Columba's Church . Smith continued with her compositions, publishing them in a volume entitled Within the Veil in 1867 . </P> <P> She wrote considerably for several serial publications and contributed hymns to J.C. Ryle's Spiritual Songs, Times of Refreshing, and Charles Rogers' Lyra Britannica (1866). Her hymn, "Christ Mighty to Save," was included in the latter publication, while "Heavenly Anticipations" was a favorite in Sunday schools . "Mighty to Save" first appeared in 1867 in the Lyra Britannica, its form being seven stanzas of eight lines each, but it was considerably abbreviated to fit it for common use, including a cento beginning with the third verse . "Aspirations" was written in the flush and fervor of coming "out of darkness into marvellous light" during the awakenings of 1859 - 60 in Ireland . </P>

Who wrote the hymn before the throne of god above
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