Welcome Home!

Take the world, but give me Jesus; all its joys are but a name, but His love abideth ever, thro’ eternal years the same.

Take the world, but give me Jesus; sweetest comfort of my soul, with my Savior watching o’er me, I can sing tho’ billows roll.

Take the world, but give me Jesus; let me view His constant smile, then thro’out my pilgrim journey light will cheer me all the way.

Take the world, but give me Jesus; in His cross my trust shall be, till, with clearer, brighter, vision, face to face my Lord I see.

REFRAIN

O the height and depth of mercy! O the length and breadth of love! O the fullness of redemption, pledge of endless life above!

Francis Jane Crosby van Alstine, more commonly known as Fanny J. Crosby, was born on March 24, 1820. She contracted an illness while the family doctor was out of town 6 weeks after birth. Fanny was seen by a man who claimed to be a doctor. This "doctor" prescribed hot mustard packs to be placed on her eyes. Fanny got over the illness, but the prescribed treatment left her blind.  A few weeks later, her father died, and her mother became a house maid. Fanny's grandmother raised her and taught her Bible verses and poetry. At the age of 8, Fanny had written her first verse.  Fanny began memorizing 5 Bible chapters every week. As a child she was able to quote Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and many Psalms by the chapter. By the time she was 15, her mother had saved up enough money for Fanny to get an education. She was enrolled in the New York Institute for the Blind (NYIB). Fanny was at the NYIB for 12 years as a student.  After her graduation from NYIB she became a teacher and taught for 11 years there.  While at NYIB, when she was 23 years old, she met and addressed Congress, several presidents, including Grover Cleveland, who was the secretary for NYIB, before becoming President.  She met and married classmate and colleague Alexander van Alstine. Van Alstine was a well-known organist. Even though Fanny could play piano, harp and other instruments, her husband wrote most of the music for his wife's lyrics. Many people would take their music to Fanny and play it for her, so that she could write lyrics for them. Dwight L. Moody and other famous crusaiders used her music and helped her music receive more attention. She was contracted by a publisher to write 3 songs a week; most days she would write up to 7 songs (yes, 7 songs in 1 day).  She is credited to have written and composed approximately 9,000 songs. Fanny used some 200 pen names because her publishers were hesitant to have so many hymns written by just one person in their hymnals. She prayed before she ever began to write a song. She never thought her songs were any good if she forgot to pray before she began to write. Fanny composed and wrote both complex and simple songs, however; she enjoyed writing the simple songs that were inspired by Bible verses. Some of her most famous songs are: To God be the Glory, Saved by Grace, Blessed Assurance, Rescue the Perishing, Safe in the Arms of Jesus, and many others. Fanny continued to write songs until the time that she died. Her last song was written in January of 1915, just one month before she died. Fanny Crosby died on February 12, 1915, and died of atherosclerosis and  cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 94.