Her Heart Can See: The Life and Hymns of Fanny J. Crosby

Parts of the book were TMI (too much information) about the life and times of Fanny Crosby. Yet, one of the reasons I really love this book is for the tmi!--a real treasure house of information about those all those names associated with Crosby whom we hear so little about: William Bradbury, Philip Bliss, George Root, William Doane, Phoebe Palmer Knapp, William Kirkpatrick, Ira Sankey, etc. If you are a hymn lover, you will love this book about one of the most beloved hymn writers of all time.

I came to this book knowing very little beyond the sentimental inspirational "Story Behind the Hymns" profiles provided by the religious press. You will go away understanding her world and understand how influential she was in that world. The book places Fanny Crosby in the context of her age, when American Protestantism was at the peak of its influence on society. It explains how she fit into society, she was either related to--or knew--most of the people who held social or political power in the Northeast during the 19th century. This was before Church life had become marginalized from American Life. One would expect to discover about Crosby's hymns and the growth of Evangelicalism. But one will also learn about the education of the blind, social work, the growth of the Music Publishing industry and the development of copyright law! You will also discover that--yes she was related to Bing Crosby and had a close relative who became a Mormon! If you read this book, you will receive a great exposure to a wide scope of American life and how one women experienced it with everything but her eyes! A producer at PBS's "The American Experience" could very well use this book as a keystone to developing a wonderful documentary.

People in the latter nineteenth century and early twentieth century(and those today who know of her) considered Fanny Crosby to have been one of the greatest persons who ever lived. They very well may have been right. This tiny (4'9") woman, blinded shortly after birth, wrote over 10,000 gospel hymns, many of which survive today, such as, 'Near the Cross', 'Blessed Assurance', 'To God be the Glory' and others(see the Cyber Hymnal for a partial listing). Having lived her life in poverty for the most part, she wrote her timeless hymns for the masses to enjoy. Fanny knew and conversed with the greats of her era: Presidents Lincoln, Van Buren, Polk, and Cleveland; Gen. Winfield Scott, Henry Clay, Dwight L. Moody, Ira Sankey, Eliza Edmunds Hewitt, Horace Greeley, and many others. She had a troubled marriage, where she and her legally-blind spouse were separated for many years. She was truly the servant of all, and was sought out by the high and low for counsel and prayer. Active for many years on New York City's rescue mission circuit, she was a speaker for whom crowds would line up around a city block and wait for hours to hear. An active member of the International Order of The King's Daughters and Sons, she also aided the city of Bridgeport(CT)with their missions on skid row. I would urge anyone to read this wonderful biography of a chosen soul who taught the world many lessons, chiefest among them that, no matter one's disability in life, one can truly excel. Get yourself a copy of this book and enter a more gentle, humble, and pious age where the things of God were held in major importance by persons in all stations of life.