Fanny Crosby and Her Wonderful Saviour

This article is adapted from a sermon preached on September 30, 2024, as part of the series “The Impact of the Bible and Christianity on World History.”

An exploration of the life of Fanny Crosby and the living, lasting words of the Lord Jesus Christ that shaped her hymns, her hope, and her assurance of everlasting life.

A Word of Assurance from the Lord Jesus

Before considering the life of Fanny Crosby, lets look ay the words of the Lord Jesus Christ:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” - John 5:24 (NKJV)

The Lord Jesus offers something no religion or philosophy can promise with certainty: everlasting life now—not as a hope for the future, but as a present possession for the one who hears His word and believes God.

A Woman Whose Hymns Filled the World

In a past generation, Christian evangelists, missionaries, and hymn writers were widely known. The hymns of Fanny Crosby were woven deeply into public consciousness. Her songs were sung in churches, on streets, and even in moments of public controversy.

She once recounted an incident in London where a man falsely claimed to be the Messiah. As Salvation Army workers passed by singing one of her hymns—“I Shall Know Him”—the crowd joined in. Someone called out, “Check his hands. Look for the nail prints.” The deception collapsed under the truth her hymn proclaimed.

Why did God create you?

You are not here by accident. Your life has meaning and purpose.

Discover your purpose

In her day, Fanny Crosby was called the Queen of Hymns, reigning in New York much as Johann Strauss did in Vienna or John Philip Sousa in Washington. One writer said her sacred songs were sung “wherever the English language is spoken.”

Early Life and a Providential Blindness

Born March 24, 1820, as Frances Jane Crosby, she had normal sight at birth. At six weeks old, a medical mishap left her permanently blind. Soon after, her father died, and she was raised largely by her grandmother, Eunice, who determined that Fanny would not grow up helpless or dependent.

Under her grandmother’s care, she memorized astonishing portions of Scripture. By the age of ten, she could recite Genesis through Numbers, and the four Gospels, word for word. Her memory became a vast storehouse, which she later described as a writing desk filled with open compartments.

Education and a Remarkable Mind

At fourteen, Fanny entered the New York Institute for the Blind. There she excelled in nearly every subject except mathematics, which she famously disliked. Poetry became her natural language.

She later met well-known public figures, including future U.S. President Grover Cleveland, with whom she formed a lifelong friendship.

Salvation at Thirty-One

Though religious from childhood, Fanny Crosby was not saved until November 20, 1850, at nearly thirty-one years of age. Attending gospel meetings in New York City, she heard a hymn by Isaac Watts:

“Alas! and did my Saviour bleed, And did my Sovereign die?”

The truth that Christ loved her and died for her personally reached her heart. That day, she trusted Christ and passed from death unto life.

Hymns Born of Prayer

Fanny Crosby never began a hymn lightly. She said:

“I never undertake a hymn without first asking the good Lord to be my inspiration.”

She often composed dozens of hymns in her mind before dictating any of them. On one occasion, she prepared forty hymns mentally before a single word was written down.

One famous hymn, “Safe in the Arms of Jesus,” came together in moments when composer William Howard Doane played a melody at her piano. The words formed instantly—and the hymn became a comfort to grieving hearts worldwide.

“My Soul’s Poem”

One hymn meant more to her than all the others. She called it her heart song:

“Someday the silver cord will break, And I no more as now shall sing; But oh, the joy when I shall wake Within the palace of the King.”

She first shared it publicly at a Bible conference when D. L. Moody invited her to give a testimony. For a blind woman, her repeated emphasis on seeing Christ face to face carried deep meaning.

Thousands of Hymns, One Saviour

Fanny Crosby wrote thousands of hymns, so many that she used nearly 200 pseudonyms to avoid overuse of her own name. She did not want attention on herself—only on Christ.

Even into her nineties, her spirit remained joyful. She wrote:

“I have made up my mind never to become a disagreeable old woman, and always to take cheer and sunshine with me.”

She believed her blindness was God’s gift, saying she would not accept restored sight if offered, because it enabled her to write hymns undistracted for His glory.

Seeing at Last

On February 11, 1915, after dictating a poem comforting grieving parents, Fanny Crosby passed into eternity. As Warren Wiersbe later wrote, for the first time, she could see—and best of all, she could see her Saviour.

Her Wonderful Saviour

One of her hymns declares:

“A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord.”

Isaiah described the coming Messiah with that very name—Wonderful. The Lord Jesus is set apart from all others. His words are living words, life-giving words, and lasting words.

He spoke of the value of the soul, the necessity of salvation, and the certainty of eternal life. His words have changed missionaries, nations, and individuals—because they are the words of ultimate authority.

“He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life.”

A Question for the Reader

Do you believe His words?

Not merely that they are beautiful or inspiring—but that they are true. Eternal life, the salvation of your soul, is the most important matter you will ever face.

With all sincerity and love, we commend to you a wonderful Saviour—the best friend in life, the only Saviour in death, and the One who welcomes all who trust Him.