Recently someone asked me who the most prolific American writer of hymns has been. Without blinking, I knew the answer: Fanny Crosby. Here's a little bit about her (with facts from Wikipedia).
Fanny J. Crosby is probably the most prolific hymnist of all times, writing over 8,000 hymns, despite being blind since infancy. She was described as being one of the most prominent figures in American evangelical life, being one of the shapers of American culture, helping to embed Christianity in the history and culture of the United States.
Even though she was blind for life, Fanny refused to feel sorry for herself, and she did not let it hinder her from engaging in a full and active lifestyle. Fanny actually thanked God for her blindness, because she felt it contributed greatly to her greater spiritual gifts. Some of her most famous songs include the following: More Like Jesus, Safe in the Arms of Jesus, Near the Cross, Praise Him, Pass Me Not, Rescue the Perishing, To the Work, Blessed Assurance, To God Be the Glory, Close to Thee, I Am Thine O Lord, All the Way My Savior Leads Me, Savior More Than Life to Me, Tho Your Sins Be as Scarlet, Will Jesus Find Us Watching, 'Tis the Blessed Hour of Prayer, Redeemer, Jesus Is Calling, Man of Sorrows, He Hideth My Soul, and Saved By Grace, I Shall Know Him.
Many of you love to sing the great hymns of Fanny Crosby. Let me know your favorites. I'll watch for ways to incorporate one of her hymns when it enhances the scripture of the day.
Promise me you will sing with a full voice when we have a Fanny Crosby hymn!
Jack
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