Frances Jane Crosby (1820 – 1915) stands as an inspirational role model for all of those whose life has thrown them a curve ball. Born perfectly healthy, Fanny at age six weeks developed a minor eye infection. Unfortunately, her regular family doctor was away and a man pretending to be a doctor, treated her, by applying hot mustard poultices to her eyes. While her illness soon relented the treatment left Fanny permanently blind. While the doctor was revealed to be a quack, the damaged had already been done. Sadly, within a few months Fanny’s father died forcing her mother to find work as a maid to support the family. But as providence would have it this led to Fanny being raised mostly by her Christian grandmother. While this would prove the end of her sight it would also prove to be the beginning of the career of the most prolific hymn writer of all time.
Eunice Crosby, Fanny’s grandmother, worked tirelessly with young Fanny to help her see that her blindness did not have to prove to be a disadvantage but only a minor setback. She believed that God still had a wonderful plan for her granddaughter and she worked to help Fanny develop her memory skills as well as cultivate in her a love of the Scriptures. Early on Fanny showed a love of poetry and at age eight, her first verse showed that she promised herself never to feel sorry for being blind:
Oh, what a happy soul I am,
although I cannot see!
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don’t,
To weep and sigh because I’m blind
I cannot, and I won’t!
Her memory allowed her to memorize large portions of the Bible. In fact, she as a child, memorized five chapters a week and could recite the Pentateuch, the Gospels, Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, and many psalms chapter and verse.1
In 1835 Fanny was excited to learn about a new school for the blind in New York City called the New York Institute for the Blind; which she enrolled in. This decision proved to be the key to changing Fanny’s life forever. It was at this school that Fanny would spend the next 23 years of her life, as a student and later a teacher, cultivating her great gift of poetry and music. At the school Fanny proved to be an excellent, warm, and popular student. And it was here that she began writing more and more poems. Her work became so well-known that she performed her works before Congress in Washington, D.C., and by 1844, Presidents, ambassadors, war generals, and the nationwide church knew and loved her poetry and music.2
Fanny’s great desire, through her poems and hymns, was to lift people’s hearts and souls toward Jesus. When all was said and done she penned over 9,000 hymns, of which 6,000 have been published. And for many people the most remarkable thing about Fanny was she did all of this while completely blind!
In addition to writing such popular hymns as “Blessed Assurance,” “All the Way My Savior Leads Me,” “To God Be the Glory,” “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior,” “Safe in the Arms of Jesus,” and “Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross,” Fanny became very active in New York City working with the poor, slum ridden, and homeless. She often wrote her hymns for those who didn’t want to hear preaching from the pulpit and used simple verses to help in evangelism.
I think that Fanny Crosby understood that blindness was only a handicap if you made it one. One well-meaning preacher once commented to Fanny: “I think it is a great pity that the Master did not give you sight when he showered so many other gifts upon you.” Her response should be an encouragement to all of us, whether handicapped or not: “Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I was born blind, because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior.”3
1 Fanny Crosby | Christian History | Christianity Today
Great post, Curt. I must respond and say that I love the Old Hymns of the Faith. From a Theological standpoint, they make many of the contemporary worship songs seem shallow in comparison. I believe previous generations had a better grasp of Biblical knowledge and Theology. I know you and others like us are trying to change that, and I pray many more will join us in that vital work.