Fanny Crosby: An Autobiography Review
I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, And it told Thy love to me; But I long to rise in the arms of faith, And be closer drawn to Thee.
If you didn't know, that's one of Fanny Crosby's beautiful hymns. One of the biggest influences on my life has been Fanny Crosby, and I didn't even know she had an autobiography until I found it in a bookstore. I got so excited I ran up to the counter, bought it, went straight across the street to a restaurant and started reading. I finished it in a couple of days because I couldn't put it down.
About the book and its author
My copy is a 259-page hardback from Hendrickson, glued, printed in the USA. Not the greatest of the great as far as quality goes, but I'll take hardback over paperback any day.
Fanny Crosby (Frances Jane van Alstyne) was born on March 25, 1820, and died on February 12, 1915. She wrote over 8,000 hymns. Some sources say over 9,000; they've never been fully collected, so there's no real way to know. What a wonderful work she did for the kingdom of God. In 1858 she married Alexander van Alstyne, who was also blind, and their only child died in infancy.
Many of her close friends and relatives encouraged her to write this book, and even we, a hundred years later, can still be encouraged by it.
I tried to find out what denomination she belonged to. She grew up Presbyterian, but later in life she spent a lot of time with Methodists, and with Baptists as well. I have a feeling she leaned Presbyterian because of her upbringing, but I couldn't find anything that closed the deal. What I love about hymns is that you can write one that every denomination will come together and sing. Her hymns are in nearly every hymnbook in the country.
What's in it
I don't want to give too much away. It's a short book, and if I say too much it'll wreck it. The chapters run:
Flowers That Never Fade · The Training of the Blind · First Visit to New York · Early Poetic Training · The Promise of an Education · Inspiration for Work · The Daily Task · Summer Vacations · Two Addresses Before Congress · A Peerless Trio of Public Men · Contrasted Events · Literary and Musical Memories · A Lesson in Self-Reliance · Early Songs and Hymns · The Life of a Hymn Writer · Two Great Evangelists · Other Literary and Musical Friendships · Work Among Missions · Events of Recent Years · Incidents of Hymns · A Few Tributes · Autobiographical Poems
Even the dedication is a poem, sending the "little book" out with many a prayer to tell of God's goodness. She could take anything and turn it into a poem.
The book includes a great deal of her hymns, and near the end she tells how they were written and where the inspiration came from: a conversation, prayer, meditation, reading her Bible. You get the inside story on how those hymns came to be.
Is there a better book?
It's a very unique book, and one I cherish deeply. It was written by a blind woman of faith whom I admire deeply, and whatever biographies there may be, they can't be as good as her own words. So no, I don't think there's anything better.
Do I recommend it?
Yes, strongly, if you want to get to know Fanny Crosby better. Her story is fantastic: her true humility, her love of Christ, her Christlike love. Very powerful stuff. I'll close with the words of her hymn:
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child, and forever, I am.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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