Fanny J. Crosby stands as one of the most influential and beloved hymn writers in Christian history. Born on March 24, 1820, in Brewster, New York, she lost her sight when she was only six weeks old due to a doctor’s misuse of a mustard poultice on her inflamed eyes. Though this physical blindness shaped her outward experience, it never dimmed the brightness of her spiritual vision. She would go on to declare, “It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank Him for the dispensation.”

Raised in a Christian home by her mother and grandmother after her father died, Fanny began memorizing large portions of the Bible as a child. By the age of 15, she had committed the first five books of the Bible, the four Gospels, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, and many Psalms to memory. Her gift for poetry was recognized early, and in 1835 she was admitted to the New York Institution for the Blind, where she spent the next 23 years, first as a student and later as a teacher. It was there that she began writing poetry and hymns, gaining attention even from American presidents who visited the school.

Fanny Crosby wrote more than 8,000 hymns during her lifetime, many of which are still sung today in churches around the world. Some of her most famous hymns include “Blessed Assurance,” “To God Be the Glory,” “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior,” “Rescue the Perishing,” and “Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross.” Due to publishers’ concerns about one author’s name appearing too frequently in hymnals, she wrote under nearly 200 different pen names. Despite her widespread fame, Fanny chose to live simply and gave much of her earnings to missions, orphanages, and other Christian ministries.

What made Fanny Crosby’s hymns so powerful was her deep spiritual insight and her focus on salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. She consistently pointed others to the hope of the gospel, writing texts that were both theologically rich and emotionally stirring. Her personal relationship with Christ was at the center of everything she wrote. She once said, “The songs I write are to show sinners the way to Christ and to encourage believers to live lives of faith.” Though she could not see with her physical eyes, she saw eternal truths with a clarity few others have matched.

Fanny Crosby died on February 12, 1915, at the age of 94. Her gravestone in Bridgeport, Connecticut, carries the simple words, “Aunt Fanny: She hath done what she could.” Her legacy lives on not only in hymnbooks but also in the lives of countless people who have been moved by her music to draw nearer to God. Her story is a powerful reminder that God uses every life surrendered to Him, regardless of physical limitations, for His eternal purposes. Through faith, Fanny Crosby saw what matters most, the glory of Christ and the joy of salvation.