The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-09
A BLIND HYMN WRITER.
FANNY CROSBY, WHO COMPOSED
"SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS
A Woman Deprived of Sight in Her
Youth, Has Done More Than Any Other
One Person to Make Religion Attractive
and Inspiring-Story OF Her Life.

|
and Inspiring-Story of Her Life.
The woman who has written more Sun
day school hymns than any other ten liv-
ing writers has her home in this city. Her
maiden name was Frances Jane Crosby,
and she is always Familiarity called Fanny
| Crosby, the name attached to some of her
| hymns. Few of the thousands who week
| II sing the words she has written know
| that she is blind and has been so ever since
she was six weeks old, through maltreat-
ment of the eyes for some slight disease.
| She is now sixty-one years of age.
| Visitors to the music publishing house
that prints the majority of her hymns may
see on certain days in the week shrunken
figure in black dress and colored spec
tacles either entering, guided by some one
who has brought her from her up town
home, or feeling her way around among
| the desks and avenues of books, helped
now and then by the employees of the
! place. who all like the little woman. A
| smile generally lights up her face, and she
| speaks in the voice of one who is seldom
| sad. A certain rocking chair ia back
room is devoted to her use, and she comes
| down TO occupy it several times week.
| Probably no other house in existence has
| so regular composer of one kind of writ
| ing hymns. She furnishes by contract a
| fixed number each week, some of which
| are at once used, some not. She is con-
sidered to have a marvellous faculty for
knowing what will ''sing," and does con-
siderable revising of the hymns of others
to make them suitable for music.
Miss Crosby's method of work is unique,
even for blind person. While composing,
she always holds closely over her eyes a
small opened copy of some book, Golden
Hymns" being her choice if that is availa-
| bic. When the piece is finished to her sat-
isfaction she dictates it to some one who
writes it out as copy" Generally the
| music is composed after the stanzas are
written, though sometimes she is required
to make verses for tunes. new or well
known. Another of her specialties is the
composition of all the hymns and recita-
tions required for ANIMALS used by Sunday
schools on Christmas, Easter, Children's
Day and like occasions and sometimes she
performs this service for the celebration of
any special date in single church.
GIRL AT SCHOOL.
When fifteen years old Fanny Crosby
was removed from her home to the Institu-
ton for the Blind, this city. She received
SO good an education in this school that
she afterward taught there English gram
mar, rhetoric and Greek, Roman and
American history for eleven years before
her marriage Her gift for rhyming
showed itself early, and her first piece was
composed at the age of eight. She says it
has been the motto of her life and the se-
cret of her cheerfulness:
Oh, what happy soul am,
Although cannot seel
lam resolved that in this world
Contented l will be.
How many blessings enjoy
That other people don't;
To weep or sigh because I'm blind,
cannot nor I won't.
While a teacher she wrote words to
many songs for George F. Root, the well
known composer. Some of them became
very popular and are favorites still, among
them ''Hazel Del, ""Rosalie, ''The Prairie
Flower" Proud World, Goodby," Ppm
Going Home" "Honeysuckle Glen" and
There's Music in the Air" The words
for some successful cantatas, notably 'The
Flower Queen" and 1.-The Pilgrim Fa-
TIERS" were included in her work.
Miss Crosby was selected to read poem
in the senate chamber. She was the first
woman to speak there In public capacity.
HER LIFE WORK.
Her living, lasting work was begun in
1864. six years after her marriage with
Alexander Van Allstyne, also from the In
stitution for the Blind. In that year, at
the request of William 3. Bradbury, the
famous composer of sacred music, she be-
gan to write Sunday school hymns, and
found her real life work. The first hymn
she ever composed:
We are going, we are going
To a home beyond the skies.
Came into existence at the Ponton hotel,
Franklin street, New York, on Feb. 5,
1864, and ever since its author has earned
her living by writing hymns. In the TWEEN
ty-seven years since then she has composed
nearly 5000 hymns for Mr.. Bradbury and
the firm which were his successors. Be
side these, she has done the same kind of
work for many we'll known men, Philip
Phillips among the rest.
The hymn by which she is most widely
known, Safe in the Arms of Jesus" was
composed in 1868. 1t is her own favorite.
In the same year she produced the well
known one beginning:
Pass me not, 0 gentle Saviour,
Hear my humble cry.
Each succeeding year Miss Crosby ha.
written hymns that have sung their way
into many hearts. and have been trans
lated into many tongues. Notable among
them are Rescue the Perishing." written
in 1869; also Jesus, Keep Ne Near the
Cross" and Keep Thou Ny Way, o Lord"
a piece composed to suit the music It was
used for several years as the prayer song at
the Mayfower mission connected with
Plymouth church, Brooklyn. In 1871 "The
Bright Forever" was written. In 1873
"Close TO Thee" in 1874 80 Come to the
Saviour" Like the Sound of Many
Waters" and Saviour, More Than Life TO
Me-" in 1875 81 Am Thine, o Lord, +" $50
Near to the Kingdom" and 20 My Saviour,
Hear Me-"
PREFERS TO BE BLIND.
There are many interesting incidents
connected with some OF Miss Crosby's
hymns, and those which come to her knowl-
edge are carefully treasured. she tells this
story of how she came TO write "All the
Way Ny Saviour Leads Me-" II was sit
ting in my foom on hot day in July
thinking. Some one came in and gave me
ten dollars. didn't expect it. The gift
awakened train of thought, and reflect
ed that, step by step, God was leading ma,
and said. Praise God that cannot see any
more than dor"
do you really mean that'" her hesrcr
asked, asSonished. do you mean you are
glad you cannot see:"
Yes, mean just that, the little woman
said Il wouldn't change If l could, for
feel this is best for mr. Why If had nos