Frances Jane Van Alstyne
(Known as Fanny Crosby)
(Known as Fanny Crosby)
“And I will bring the
blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not
known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.
These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them” - Isaiah 42:16 (KJV).
Fanny Crosby was born March 24, 1820 in New
York, to a poor family. She was blinded at six weeks old by an
incompetent doctor who treated her inflamed eyes with strong poultices. Her
father died a year after the incidence, her mother became a maid in order
to take care of her.
She was raised by her grandmother (Eunice
Crosby) to become the most prolific hymnist in history and one of the best
known women in United States. She wrote over 8,000 hymns. The
vast majority of American hymnals contain her work. She wrote her first
poem when she was 8 years old.
Fanny attended the New York Institute for the
Blind and became a teacher there for 11 years. She wrote her first book in 1844 - “The Blind Girl”. At 38
years old, she got married to Van Alstyne (very brilliant blind scholar)
and they lived happily together for 40 years.
She composed the hymn – Blessed
Assurance, Jesus is Mine! in 1873 from the melody played by a
friend (Mrs Joseph F. Knapp) on a piano for about two to three times. This
song came as a result of her personal testimony of her salvation. She
began writing hymns in her forties.
Fanny died February 12, 1915 (aged 94 years).
Her tombstone had the words - “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine. Oh
What a Foretaste of Glory Divine”. Eliza Hewitt memorialised
Fanny's death in a poem that consisted of some of the titles of her
hymns.
Fanny Crosby's 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. If perfect earthly sight were offered me
tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise
of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things
about me.”
Lessons and Prayers:
1. Hymns depicted Fanny's deep devotion to God, backed up by a life that demonstrated all she wrote in hymns. She devoted her talents to God's use.
Prayer – Lord, I thank You for all the talents You have given me to prosper as Your child. Glorify Yourself through my talents. Let my testimony take after my deep commitment to Your Kingdom and the knowledge of You.
2 .The loss of sight tuned Fanny's soul to the melodies of heaven. There is a need to lose something so as to attract heaven.
Prayer – Lord, please show me what I need to lose so that my life can attract heaven. Grant me the grace and willingness to lose whatever You show me to Your glory. Deliver me from all the attachments I am holding on to, that are against Your purpose for my life.
3. The Bible nurtured the entire life of Fanny and she maintained a positive outlook all the days of her life.
Prayer – Lord, release the pure water of Your Word into my life afresh. Cleanse me with Your Word and bind me to Your truth. Let Your Word prevail over every situation in my life. Beautify me with Your Word and perfect my life until You can reap Your righteousness in me.
4. Every task accomplished in God's service is noble before God. Divine blessings accompany each task.
Prayer – Lord, bless Your service in my hands. Please be the one accomplishing things in my life. Let me not stand in Your way in every area of my life. Deliver me from every distraction and from all the things that do not not allow You to fully express Yourself in my life.
Lord, please make way for the translation of the hymn - Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine! - to various languages of the world (e.g. Arabic, Bengali, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Nepalis, Pashtu, Punjabi, Thai, Turkish and Urdu).
