Augustus M. Toplady (1740–1778) was a passionate English Anglican cleric and Calvinist theologian. According to popular tradition, Toplady was walking through the rugged Mendip Hills in Somerset when a sudden, violent thunderstorm erupted. Finding shelter inside a massive, split cliffside, he watched the storm rage while feeling completely safe. Inspired by this physical refuge, he wrote the comforted lines of 'Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee' on a scrap of paper, creating a timeless prayer that celebrates Christ as our ultimate shelter during the storms of life.