Her blindness at a young age, her education and teaching at
the New York Institute for the Blind, a published author of many books, a
poetic eulogy for President William Henry Harrison, all are facts written about
her life.
Franny grew up a happy and active child. She was raised with
strong Christian values and from an early age she was read Scriptures by her
mother and grandmother, and she memorized many verses. It was at a young age she
began to write poetry.
On March 5, 1858, Fanny married Alexander van Alstine, a
former student at the Institute. He was a talented musician whose skills on the
organ were renowned in the New York area. The dynamic duo collaborated on
several gospel hymns that resonated with audiences across the country.
Fanny told Samuel Trevena Jackson, who wrote, “Lincoln’s Use
of the Bible," her little "love story," which he recorded in his book,
"Fanny Crosby's Story of Ninety-Four Years." She said...
"Some people seem to forget that blind girls have just
as great a faculty for loving and do love just as much and just as truly as
those who have their sight. When I was about 20, a gifted young man by the name
of Alexander Van Alstyne came to our institute. He was also blind and a
musician. We soon became very much concerned for each other. . . I placed my
right hand on his left and called him 'Van.' From that hour, two lives looked
on a new universe, for love met love, and all the world was changed. On March 5
in the year 1858, we were united in marriage.
"I became a mother and knew a mother's love, but the
angels came down and took our infant up to God."
Her love for writing followed her throughout her life and she
never seemed to be bothered by her lack of sight. She is quoted as saying, “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 to me tomorrow, I would not accept it. I might not have ever sung hymns
to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting
things about me." She also once said, “When I get to heaven, the first face
that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior.” She had an ability
to craft words, phrases and thoughts so vividly that would allow us to see the
Savior so clearly in her songs.
Robert J. Morgan tells the following stories of two friends
of Fanny’s in his book, “Then Sings My Soul.”
“Frances Ridley Havergal and Frances (Fanny) Crosby were the
two most famous women hymnists of their age, although they never met they
became dear pen pals. Havergal lived in England and Crosby lived in America.
Havergal once wrote a poem about her American counterpart:
“Another of Fanny’s dearest friends was Phoebe Knapp. While Fanny lived in the Manhattan slums and worked in rescue missions, Phoebe lived in the Knapp Mansion, a palatial residence in Brooklyn, where she entertained lavishly. She was an extravagant dresser with a wardrobe full of elaborate gowns and diamond tiaras. Her music room contained one of the finest collections of instruments in the country, and Fanny was a frequent houseguest.
"One day in 1873, while Fanny was staying at the Knapp
Mansion, Phoebe said she had a tune she wanted to play. Going to the music
room, she sat at the piano and played a new composition of her own while the
blind hymnist listened. Fanny immediately clapped her hands and exclaimed, 'Why
that says, Blessed Assurance!' She quickly composed the words, and a great
hymn was born.
“Many years later, D. L. Moody was preaching in NY at the 23rd
Street Dutch Reformed Church. The Moody/Sankey meetings had popularized Fanny
Crosby’s hymns around the world and had made the blind poetess a household
name. But whenever she attended a Moody/Sankey meeting, she refused to be
recognized, disavowing acclaim.
“This day the church was so crowded she could find nowhere to sit. Moody’s son, Will, seeing her, offered to find her a seat. To her bewilderment, he led her onto the platform just as the crowd was singing, 'Blessed Assurance.' Moody, Sr., jumped to his feet, raised his hand, and interrupted the singing. 'Praise the Lord!' he shouted, 'Here comes the authoress!'
“Fanny took her seat amid thunderous ovation, humbly
thanking God for making her a blessing to so many.”
Studylight.org, Contending for the Faith: The phrase “unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding means “all the rich blessings that come from understanding, and being fully convinced of, the precise knowledge of the mystery of God in Christ. “Riches” is defined as “fulness or abundance” but the word is here used as a noun, implying the things one receives.
Studylight.org, Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Bible:
When our knowledge grows to an understanding of the mystery of God, and of the
Father, and of Christ . . . when we come to have a more clear, distinct,
methodical knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, then the soul prospers . .
. embracing with the highest satisfaction, as faithful sayings and worthy of
all acceptance . . . Great knowledge and strong faith make a soul rich. This is
being rich towards God, and rich in faith, and having the true riches . . . The
soul prospers when it is filled with joy and peace and has a satisfaction
within which all the troubles cannot disturb and is able to joy in the Lord
when all other comforts fail.
Biblehub.com, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: There shall be no
internal agitation . . . This is a beautiful description of the happy effect of
the prevalence of piety; and it is as true now as it was in the time of Isaiah.
Biblestudytools.com: This gives “assurance forever,” of
interest in divine things, in the love of God, and relation to him as a Father,
in Christ as a Savior and Redeemer, and in the glorious inheritance which this
gives a title to; or a holy confidence and boldness at the throne of grace now,
having this righteousness to make mention of as a justifying one, and also
hereafter, before the throne of judgment, this being what will answer for Him
in a time to come.
Biblestudytools.com, Dawn Wilson: Submission to God is a theme throughout the Bible . . . When God’s children are told to submit, the idea is to give themselves over completely and choose to place themselves under God’s authority and control with the desire to obey His will . . . The result of humble submission is the ability to resist the devil and his schemes, and to live more Christlike in the assembly of believers . . . You will acknowledge that God is God . . . You will remember what God has done in saving, providing, protecting you . . . You will have a heart of gratitude, and you will anticipate what God plans to do in your life through His love and grace.
Bibletools.org: From this, we can see that expectant watchfulness is the normal posture of a Christian. Jesus wants us to be ready for His return at any time, and as servants, we are in no position to determine when to expect Him. He will come when He will come, and we must be prepared to welcome Him whenever that happens to be.
Biblehub.com, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: Set your affection, “or mind” . . . your thoughts should be occupied about the things where Christ now dwells, where our final home is to be, where our great interests are. Since we are raised from the death of sin, and are made to live anew, the great object of our contemplation should be the heavenly world.
Biblehub.com, Matthew Poole’s Commentary: That the hearts of believers here might be where their treasure is, the apostle here repeats his exhortation, using another word, importing they should intensely mind things above . . . the inheritance reserved in heaven for us.
Biblehub.com, Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible: For unless the affections are set on them, they will never be sought after in a proper manner. The word signifies to mind the, and think on them, to favor and approve of them, to be affectionately desirous of them, and concerned for them, for where the treasure is, the heart should be; and as the saints’ best things are above, their minds and affections should be there likewise.
Dailyverse.knowing-Jesus.com: There is something very edifying and encouraging in glorifying God and singing praises to Him, even when faced with problems and pain, for it not only lifts our heart and gives hope to the soul, but causes us to trust Him in our helplessness and gives great glory to our Father.”
