Northwestern Bible School - Scroll Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

Page 20 text:

HYMN WRITER FRANCES JANE CROSBY 1820—1915 WHAT believing soul has not been comforted by the words of this hymn: Safe in the arms of Jesus Safe on His gentle breast, There by His love o ' er shadowed Sweetly my soul shall rest? This favorite hymn of Miss Crosby ' s is only one of the eight thousand poems from her facile pen, many of which have become permanent and valuable additions to our religious literature, Fanny Crosby was born in Putnam County, New York, March 24, 1820. The story of her blindness from her own lips is a rebuke to our spirit of complaint: When about six weeks old, I was taken sick and my eyes grew very weak; those who had charge of me poulticed my eyes. Their lack of knowledge and skill destroyed my sight forever? ' Later her mothers consolation to her was that God sometimes deprived persons of a physical faculty in order that the spiritual insight might be more fully awake. She herself says, 1 verily believe that it was His intention that I should live my days in dark¬ ness, so as to better sing His praises and incite others to do so? ' The secret of Miss Crosby ' s influence lay in a little jewel called Content. With Paul, she could say, ll I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content? ' At the age of eight she wrote these beautiful lines: 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 1m blind, I cannot, and I won ' t? ' Today she rests in Him; she has laid down a beautiful consecrated life, but her hymns continue to bring praise and glory to His Name.