One of Sistertech’s early clients was a woman with a, shall we say, colorful past. When the client was a young girl she lived with her grandmother in Pasadena, CA. And who lived a few doors down? Relatives of Fanny Crosby. As best she can recall they were Crosby’s nieces. Lovely women. The kind of women that bring Proverbs 31 to mind, if you know what I mean. This young girl would often visit them and listen to stories — first hand stories — about the marvelous Fanny Crosby!
You don’t know who Fanny Crosby is? Really! I must say that Christian education has gone rather steeply downward. Sad. But Sistertech takes heart. For I bet most of you sing Crosby’s hymns of praise ever day of your lives. (I would not bet against Sistertech, if you know what’s good for you.) Sistertech’s favorite? It has got to be “Blessed Assurance”, but “To God Be The Glory” is a close second. She wrote the lyrics for over 8,000 hymns. Though blind from birth, clearly Fanny saw The Light.
- All the Way My Savior Leads Me”—bef. 1875, music by Robert Wadsworth Lowry
- “Blessed Assurance”—1873, music by Phoebe Knapp
- “Close to Thee”—1874, music by Silas J. Vail
- “Jesus Is Tenderly Calling You Home”—1883, music by George C. Stebbins
- “I Am Thine, O Lord”—bef. 1875, music by W. Howard Doane
- “My Savior First of All”—1891, music by John R. Sweney
- “Near the Cross”—bef. 1869, music by W. Howard Doane
- “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Saviour”—1868, music by W. Howard Doane
- “Praise Him, Praise Him”—bef. 1869, music by Chester G. Allen
- “Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It”—bef. 1882, William J. Kirkpatrick
- “Safe in the Arms of Jesus”—1878, music by W. Howard Doane
- “Saviour, More Than Life to Me”—1875, music by W. Howard Doane
- “Tell Me the Story of Jesus”—bef. 1880, music by John R. Sweney
- “To God Be the Glory”—1875, music by W. Howard Doane
- “Draw me Nearer”—1875, words by Fanny Crosby
Psalm 108:1-6
1My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make melody.
Awake, my soul!
2Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn.
3I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples,
and I will sing praises to you among the nations.
4For your steadfast love is higher than the heavens,
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.5Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
and let your glory be over all the earth.
6Give victory with your right hand, and answer me,
so that those whom you love may be rescued.
And thus, the prayer for today:
O God, the blessed assurance of all who trust in thee: We give thee thanks for thy servant Fanny Crosby, who, though blind from infancy, beheld thy glory with great clarity of vision and spent her life giving voice to thy people’s heartfelt praise; and we pray that we, inspired by her words and example, may rejoice to sing of thy love, praising our Savior all the day long; who livest and reignest with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God in perfect harmony, now and for ever. Amen.