Birth: 24-03-1820
Death: 12-02-1915
Native Place: Brewster, United States
Place of Vision: United States
Frances Jane Crosby (or ‘Fanny Crosby’) was a Baptist missionary, lay preacher, and a prolific hymn writer who wrote more than 9000 hymns that are still popular and sung in many churches. Some of her best-known hymns include ‘Blessed Assurance,’ ‘Praise Him, Praise Him,’ ‘To God be the Glory,’ ‘Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior,’ and many more. Can you believe that she wrote all these songs being blind?
Crosby was blind from her infancy and lost her father when she was only six months old. She was raised by her mother Mercy Crosby and grandmother Eunice Crosby, who was largely responsible for her Christian upbringing and helped her memorize long Bible passages. Crosby developed a close relationship with the Lord through her prayers and never felt bitter about her blindness. In fact, she boasted all the more gladly in her inability to see herself and the world and delighted in this weakness for the sake of Christ.
Her devotion to her Master is reflected in her own words, “It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me”. And her love for Him in these words, “When I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior.” Her fervent desire to be used by God to touch millions of lives was fulfilled through her songs.
Apart from being a hymnist, Crosby was an active rescue mission worker. She passionately worked for the upliftment of immigrants and poor children. During a cholera outbreak in the city, she refused to leave the city and stayed to serve the sick. If someone who was blind can accomplish so much for her Creator, what about us?
