The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-06
BLINDNESS a BLESSING.
So Says the Famous Hymn Writer,
Fanny Crosby.

NFOSDN.
New York. Aug. IBID you think you
would find me grieving because am
bhnd?" Mrs Fanny Crosby, the sightiess
hymn writer, asked when l expressed sur
prise at finding her so different from any
picture my Imagination had painted. "Ah!
my dear. loss of sight is one Of my greatest
blessings. But for my blindness l should
never have realized so perfectly Gods mer-
c.es; l should not have received SO good
an education; nor should l have cultivated
my memory to such an extent.
Il write my hymns. as a rule six or sew
en- at a sitting. | mean by that | com
pose them and hold them in my mind until
| have six or seven.
My memory is the storehouse of all my
knowledge; as you who retain your sight
90 10 the library and read a book or con-
suit dictionary to ascertain facts. 1
turn a leaf in my memory and if 1t has
ever been placed there, ! find it, Before
was years old l had committed to
memory the first four gospels, as wen as
the first four books of the Old esament
Il was my habit in my childhood and ear
iy youth TO memorize live chapters week,
50 now, you see, l sit here with my hands
folded, and turn the pages of my memory
Bible as l compose my hymns
Hymn writing, in my opinion, requires
another talent besides that of poesy, for
all great poets are not great hymn writer's.
and of course the reverse is also true Nv
hymns are written oftener from the in
ner suggestions than they are inspired by
actual incidents. Though some, and many
OF them the public consider my best have
been inspired directly by striking in
cIdents. Now you may remember hav-
ing heard Rescue the Perishing.' W ell
a HT.aVal 4
know teach in a Methodist mission
on Water street, and one night at meet
ing, while | was leading a poor bow I'M
der II years of age came forward and ask
ed our prayers. He had come from the
country to New York in seach for work
and had been led astray. As | listened to
his STORY, the words of that hymn came
70 me almost II not exactly as they stand
to-day"
Then again, l had been very much in
need OF money and quite Unexpectedly
received just the sum | wished At once
there welled up in my mind, or my heart.
can not say which, the words of All the
Way My Savior Leads me Again. 'SarA
in the Arms of Jesus was inspired nv an
incident which touched very nearly nv
heart, but about which l should prefer moi
to speak just now. Another time I will
tell you but not now
"Oftenest, perhaps my hymns have
been written TO order. Don't he sur-
pFlsed hymn writing comes as naturally
to me as prose writing does to you.
me ProdigaPs Return was written in
Just that manner. Mr., Bradbury came 70
me one day, saying, Fannie, can't Won
write me a hymn for this tune? and he
hummed the tune-Joy. joy! joyl there is
Joy in heaven with the angel Joy! ioy! iov,
for the prodigals return sprang TO NV
ilps as ne finished, and in few minutes
he had the hymn as it stands to-day.
Now, besides hymn writing NV work
consists in going down several times aaoh
week TO the business place of the large
firm who publishes all my hymns these
Gays, and cr1ticising the work of other
hymn writer's. We have MANY in this
country who have done and are still doing
fine work The manuscripts, as thew
come in are read to me and criticise and
often suggest alterations for those which
my publishers purchase
There is need something more than a
mere jingle Of words in order to give A
hymn an abiding life. There must be
something which appeals directly to the
christian consciousness and coming forth
from the experience of the writer. So reN,
persons even though they have a talent
for poetry. can be successful hymn writ
ers, | think chiefly because they have never
learned to feel. That is one of the bless
inSs produced by my loss of sight | feel
Rhyming comes as naturally to me Is
breathing indeed il is often an effort to
prevent myself from speaking in rhymes.
But / can not write prose- every one
laughs al II. II resembles, more than any,
thing else to me, a man wearing tight
shoes. ] never write line of it when it
can be avoided Lafayette McLaws