Fanny Crosby

Fanny Crosby was born in New York in 1820 but when only 6 weeks old she was blinded through the mistake of a Doctor. At the age of 8 she wrote this poem:

O 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!

During her long life Fanny was incredibly industrious. She wrote over 8000 hymns and poems and spoke about her personal experience of Jesus in her heart to hundreds of large audiences. She became a friend of statesmen and presidents, especially Abraham Lincoln, and in her spare time she knitted dishcloths to give away to her friends!

Her memory was astonishing and she could recite the first 5 books of the Bible, the 4 Gospels and many other Scriptures.

Shortly before she died in 1915, Fanny said, “I am concerned about the breaking up of families. Buildings and furniture don’t make a stable home. When I was a child the Bible had a practical place in home and nation. My mother and grandmother took pains to teach it to me more than any other book. No nation can be great that ignores the sacred book. A nation cannot rise to its highest with prayer-less leaders. Prayer in the home is essential. People must know if the homes fails community crumbles, the state is unstable and the nation doomed. Educational culture cannot take the place of Christ in the home. His presence alone can prevent selfishness having dominion, for where there is selfishness, happiness can never be found.”

We should ponder these wise words from blind Fanny whose hymns still inspire millions globally through radio and TV.