The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-05

about my work. but 1 learned my les
son many years ago when / was a little
girl. l had written verses that attract
ed some attention, and felt very proud
of them, when one day my teacher
gave me long talking to, and l real
lied that L did not know as much as /
thought 1 did. Since then 1 do not
think 1 have ever been vain about my
work, but simply try to do the best
can"
Miss Crosby has not always been
known as a writer of gospel hymns.
Fifty years ago she was writing songs
that were being sung all over the land,
songs that had longer vogue than any
written today. She was fortunate in
being associated very early in life with
those who recognized her genius and
helped her TO lay the foundation for
future success. Born in Putnam coun-
ty, New York, in 1920, she became blind
when six months old, and when fifteen
years of-age became an inmate of the
New York Institute for the Blind. In
1S47 she became a teacher in that in
Stitution, and remained there eleven
years. Her preceptor in the early days
was Hamilton Murray. whose eXcep-
tional equipment and fine literary taste
made him an able and sympathetic
guide to the young poet. He deter
mined that his pupil should have the
best training possible, and required her
to write paraphrases from Shake
speare, Milton, Addison, Pope, Young,
Cowper and other standard authors.
THE instruction / received at that
time has been great help to me-" said
Miss Crosby, recently, when speaking
of her earlier verses. Il remember one
morning my task was to paraphrase
N. p. Willis Morning and well to-
wards noon L was still struggling with
1t, when Mr. Murray came in.
Have you written those verses,
Fanny he asked.
80 have not, Mr.. Murray 1 replied.
Well, Fanny he said, you under
stand, no verses, no dinner. 1t is now
fifteen minutes to ~
Il think | must have liked my din
ner better than verse making at that
time, for my paraphrasing was COM
pleted BIZ noon.
How Famous Hymns Were Written
Some of my best hymns have been
written in hurry. Safe in the Arms
of Jesus which is one of my favor
ties, was composed in less than fifteen
minutes. One day in 1868 w. II. Doane
who had written music for a number
of my hymns, came to me and said he
had some music for which he wanted
WOruS. lie auQeQ tnat he mad Just forty
minutes in which to catch a train for
Cincinnati, and asked me to evolve the
lines in less than that time. He sat
down at the plano and played the mu-
sic, and in a few minutes the idea came
TO me. l hurried up stairs, and in fif-
teen minutes came down with the stan
Zas as they are sung today. / believe
the hymn was dictated by the spirit OF
the Lord. 1t is q splendid mission
hymn, and has brought comfort to tens
of thousands.
Rescue the Perishing' is another of
my favorite hymns which | know has
done great deal of good. / shall new
er forget the night l wrote il. Some
thing happened over a year ngo 10
make this hymn even dearer to me.
Many years ago l was greatly in
terested in the Bowery mission in New
York, and used to attend the services
almost every evening. The meetings
were very largely attended, but 1 felt
sad that more persons were not saved
One evening l went down there filed
with the idea that l should do more
to stir the hearts of the people, and !
made an address, in which / appealed
TO the young men. / asked if there
was any young man in the audience
who had gone away from his mother
God, and held out hope to him. !
seemed inspired to do a good work
that night
After the meeting young man
came UP and asked ne if j meant him
when spoke about young man who