Fanny J Crosby
Francis Jane Crosby (1820-1915) wrote more than 9,000 hymns, some of which are among the most popular across every Christian denomination. She wrote so many, that she was forced to use pen names for some of them, lest the Hymnals became filled with her name above all others. The most remarkable thing about her was that she had produced all of these hymns in spite of her blindness.
“I think it is a great pity that the Master did not give you sight when he showered so many other gifts upon you,” remarked one well-meaning preacher. Fanny Crosby responded at once, as she had heard such comments, before.
“Do you know that if, at birth, I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I was born blind?” replied Fanny. She had been able to see only for her first six weeks of life. She continued, “Because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Saviour.
Among Fanny’s hymns are favourites: ‘Blessed Assurance,’ ‘All the way my Saviour leads me,’ ‘To God be the Glory,’ ‘Pass me not, O Gentle Saviour,’ ‘Safe in the Arms of Jesus,’ ‘Rescue the Perishing,’ and ‘Jesus keep me near the Cross.’
She was capable of writing very complex hymns and composing music with a more classical structure but she preferred to write simple, sentimental verses that could be used for evangelism. She continued to write up to her death, a month shy of her ninety-fifth birthday. The last stanza she wrote was ‘You will reach the river brink, some sweet day, bye and bye.’ And she did.