After graduation from school, Eliza began teaching. However, her career was cut short by a serious spinal problem. She partially recovered, but was an invalid most of her life. She then turned to hymn writing, which ran in the family—her cousin was hymnist Edgar Page Stites.

Eliza lived all her life in in Philadelphia, where she was Sunday School superintendent at the Northern Home for Friendless Children, and later at the Calvin Presbyterian Church. She was also a regular contributor to Sunday-school Helps.