Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-05-31

Fannie J. Crosby was born in Southeast,
Putnam county, y. Y. March "a, 1870, and
was to all appearances a normal child.
When she was six months old, slight
inflammation of the eyes necessitsted the
attention of a physician. 1t is said that
through his lack of skin, she became
permanently blind.
Long years after, she cheerfully said
ALTHOUGH it may have been blunder on
the physicians part it was no mistake of
Gods; I verify believe it was his intention
that should live my days in physical
darkness. so as to be better prepared to
sing his praises and incite others so to do"
The little blind girl was not debarred
from the pleasures of other children. She
could climb tree or ride horse as well
as any Of them At the age of eight years
she wrote the following lines; -
oh what hsppy soul am l.,
Although | cauuo see,
am resolved tsst in the wol Ia
COMMENTED will he
How many blessings enjoy
That other people don't,
To weep and Ugh because I'm blind,
cannot. and won't
When nine years OF age she moved to
Ridgefeld, Conn, and there lived with a
Mrs. Hawley, who read the bible and
poems to her. In one year she committed
to memory the first four books of the Old
Testament and the four Gospels, besides
many poems.
At the age of fifteen she was sent TO a
school for the blind in New York city.
Her mental development was rapid aud at
the age of twenty-five she became
teacher in the school where for seven years
she had been pupil. Soon after, William
Cullen Bryant visited The school and spoke
encouragingly to the young teacher of
some verses of hers which he had CHANGED
to ad.
When Henry Gays son was killed at
the battle of Buena Vista. in 1S47, Miss
Crosby composed and sent to the grief
stricken father a poem of sympathy.
Sometime after, Clay gave an address be-
fore the school. At its close he sought out
Miss Crosby and leading her TO the front
of the platform, said; This IS not the
first time have felt the comforting pres
ence Of my Soung friend, although ! never
saw her before. Into the deep wounds of
my sorrow she has poured the balm of
consolation"
When Grover Cleveland was Il boy six
teen years old he used 10 copy her poems
for her.
In 1874 she published her first volume of
verses The Blind Girl" and 'sOther
Poems.1 Since that time several other
volumes hsve appeared.
Miss Crosby's real name is Frances Jane
Van Alstyne. In 1855 she was married to
Alexander Van Alstyne, blind teacher in
the school where she herself had taught.
He was brilliant musician and a fine
classical scholar. They lived happily to-
gether until his death, June Is, 1902.
Their only child died at an early age.
At times she wrote as many as seven
hymns in day The following incident
well illustrates the facility with which
she composed:
On one occasion friend said to her,
II have only forty minutes to catch my
train and want you to write hymn for
me before GO"
He hummed the tune to which he
wanted the hymn written, and in fifteen
minutes she had produced one of her
most popular hymns, ''Safe in the Arms
of Jesus"
When the Countess Schimmelman came
to America, she made Miss Crosby very
happy by telling her that she had been
greatly helped when imprisoned on se-
count of her religious faith and not
knowing what additional persecution was
before her by singing nightly as she lay
down to rest, '.Safe in the Arms of Jesus
The suthor modestiy said, Il had very
little to do with writing it; l sat down
with the melody in my heart and the
Spirit wrote it,
Perhaps the tenderest and most appre-
eiated of sill her hymns is one entitled,
'HSaved by Grace" For some reason she
kept this one treasured in her heart for
many years before giving it to the public.
One day in making an address she re-
peated the beautiful lines, saying she had
been keeping them for her own enjoy
ment. A stenographer present wrote
out and sent them to an English pub
Usher, so they first appeared on the other
side of the Atlantic, but were not long in
finding their way home again.
-Four years ago at the age Of eighty
three she had composed about five thou
sand hymns. she has always signed her
maiden name to her writings at her hus-
bands request. Her hymns are sung in
every quarter Of the globe, and have been
translated into many languages spoken
in the missionary fields of the Christian
church.
Her favorite hvmn begins with the
words, ''Safe in the arms of Jesus" Ths
| hymn which has seemed TO exceed in use
fuIness is tsRescue the Perishingn.
| Exceedingly popular in their day were
the songs remembered ty many gray
haired man and woman of to-day
ssRosalie, the Prairie Flower" 'sHazel