As I mentioned before, I so enjoy the hymn Blessed Assurance. I thought it would be interesting to look up the origin of the hymn and it’s author to learn about and share with you!
As I did some research, I learned a few fascinating things about the author, Fanny Crosby, that I hadn’t known! She was was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. This is especially neat to me as I am a member also! And I learned that she is related to Bing Crosby. I hadn’t ever drawn the connection before, but have grown to enjoy his music in recent years!
Fanny Crosby wrote more than 8,000 hymns and Gospel songs in her life. She had an incredible memory and could retain multiple new hymns in her mind. It is said that on typical days she would write between six and eight new hymns. (She didn’t do the actual writing, but would dictate to another to write them for her since she was blind.)
Frances Jane Crosby was born in 1820. At six weeks she became sick and a poorly trained doctor applied a solution to her swollen eyes which rendered her totally blind. But even through this, even as a child, she realized she had a special gift. She would say how happy she was to be blind – that even if sight was offered to her tomorrow, she wouldn’t accept it because she would be too distracted from the relationship she had with God. What an amazing testimony!
She often said, “I have a jewel – content.” And when only 9 years of age, she wrote this sweet little poem:
“O what a happy soul am I,
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.”
One day in 1873, Fanny was visiting with a friend, Mrs. Joseph Knapp, a musician of sorts. During their visit Mrs. Knapp played a tune on her piano, which she had recently written. She then asked Fanny, “What does this tune say?” After kneeling in prayer for a few moments – because Fanny never wrote hymns before first praying – she rose and declared, “It says, ‘Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!’”
Fanny began to dictate verses to Mrs. Knapp, who wrote them down, fitting them to the melody just as we hear it sung today. Mrs. Knapp also wrote tunes for several of Fanny’s other hymns.
Isn’t that a lovely origin to the hymn? What a remarkable woman Fanny Crosby was and what an incredible attitude she had! I learned that she wrote two autobiographies and I am going to have to look them up!
May we all follow her excellent example to delight in the life that God gives us!
Until Next Time!
Hope.
PS. What is your favorite hymn? If you don’t have a favorite or perhaps not familiar with any in particular, let me encourage you to become familiar with them. They are beautiful reminders of God’s love and provision for His people! Need a place to start? Look up Amazing Grace and learn the first verse – it’s lovely!
Keep reading: https://www.theamericanlady.com/2018/02/21/help-yourself-to-happiness/