Do You (Will You) Know Him?
Let’s take a moment and consider the blessing we have with so many talented hymn writers from across time. Historical figures like Isaac Watts (1700’s), Philip Bliss and William Bradbury (1800’s). Or more recently Albert Brumley, Thomas O. Chisholm and Lloyd O. Sanderson from the late 1800’s to mid 1900’s. But we’d be amiss if we failed to mention the more recent contributors; such as Chris Tomlin (How Great is Our God), Keith Getty (In Christ Alone) and Ken Young (Thomas’ Song). There are so many talented hymn writers/composers that this short article could never do them justice.
But for the next few weeks I’d like to look closely at a contributor who gave her heart and soul to writing hymns for God’s people. We’ll break down three of her most noted songs and perhaps grow closer to praising our God in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. In her writings, Francis Jane Crosby had a desire to place “a heightened emphasis on religious experiences, emotions, and testimonies” when it came to singing to God. The style she used reflected a “sentimental, romanticized relationship between the believer and Christ.”
Perhaps you’ll remember some of the stories behind the wonderful hymn writer, Fanny J. Crosby. Consider the fact she had a great love for God’s Word and had memorized several books of the Bible (which served as the ‘fountain’ for her inspiration). Some many know that she authored/penned more than 9,000 songs during her life, and many under various pseudo names. But perhaps the most fascinating characteristic that this beautiful hymn writer brings to historical account is the fact she lost her sight at the age of 6 weeks! Before she could even register the memory of sight, she was blind. And though many would find this an opportunity for depression, her true heart was expressed as she wrote…
“It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my 
life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me.”
And with that in mind, let’s consider a hymn she wrote in 1894 exemplifying her desire to ‘see’ God… “I Shall Know Him”
“When my lifework is ended, and I cross the swelling tide, when the bright and glorious morning I shall see; I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side, and His smile will be the first to welcome me.
Refrain: I shall know Him, I shall know Him, and redeemed by His side I shall stand,
I shall know Him, I shall know Him, by the print of the nails in His hand.
Oh, the soul-thrilling rapture when I view His blessed face, and the luster of His kindly beaming eye; How my full heart will praise Him for the mercy, love and grace, that prepare for me a mansion in the sky.
Oh, the dear ones in glory, how they beckon me to come, and our parting at the river I recall; To the sweet vales of Eden they will sing my welcome home; but I long to meet my Savior first of all.
Through the gates to the city in a robe of spotless white, He will lead me where no tears will ever fall; In the glad song of ages I shall mingle with delight; but I long to meet my Savior first of all.”
What Do You See?
Fanny J. Crosby wrote more than eight thousand songs during her life time.
Born in 1820 and raised in southeastern New York state, she was never afforded the privilege of seeing the sunrise or watching a bird fly through the air. Before she had even seen 6 months of life, she was blinded by a ‘medical procedure gone wrong.’ And yet as we read any one of her many hymns, you’ll find that she was constantly referring to seeing and viewing all things godly. Notice just a few of the thousands of hymns…
“Lo! A spring of joy I see…” (All the Way My Savior Leads Me)
“We shall see the King of glory…” (Keep on Watching)
“Where our eyes shall see the beauty…” (At the Breaking of the Day)
“Visions of rapture now burst on my sight…” (Blessed Assurance)
“Let me now Thy glory see…” (Hear My Call)
“Ope thine eyes, behold and see…” (Church of Christ, O Sleep No More)
For someone who never saw the colors of life, she looked beyond this world and viewed things with her heart. What has happened to those of us with strong eyesight? The blessing of opening our eyes and viewing the sunrise; the pleasure we find in reading the printed word. We are blessed with something those who are blind live without. And yet some of us, with 20/20 vision, deliberately close our eyes to the promise of God. It’s almost as if we are wondering in the wilderness. Each of us have suffered from the bite of the serpent, and yet we dig in and refuse to ‘look upon’ the one who can heal and forgive. It’s not a new scenario, and you’d think we’d learn from history. Remember God’s words to Moses in Numbers 21:8, “…and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.”
When I consider all the thousands of songs that our feature poet penned in her day, there is one particular Fanny J. Crosby song I want you to read, perhaps for the first time. It became known to me in the last seven or eight years and I was drawn to it by the title she had given it. Ms Crosby’s religious affiliations were varied throughout her life time. She worshiped with the Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, the Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church, the Trinity Episcopal church and even the Dutch Reform church. But with this smorgasbord of theology, she penned a most interesting hymn in 1905. Not only do the words reach and touch me, the message is so timely for us today. Follow along with the message and thought behind this 100 year old hymn.
Church of Christ, O Sleep No More
Church of Christ, thy Lord is calling;
Ope thine eyes, behold and see,
Precious souls, in chains of bondage,
Pleading now for aid from thee.
Up and work for those that perish,
Haste, the time will soon be o’er;
Fold thy arms of love around them,
Church of Christ, O sleep no more.
Lo, again thy Lord is calling;
Preach the Word, its truth proclaim;
Lift thy voice and, like a trumpet,
Sound aloud Jehovah’s Name.
Boding clouds are in the distance,
Billows foam, and surges roar,
Dark and wild the night is coming,
Church of Christ, O sleep no more.
Still again thy Lord is calling;
Take the lamp that once He gave;
Let its beams of peerless glory
Shine afar the lost to save.
Do His will and do it quickly,
For the time will soon be o’er;
He may come when least expected,
Church of Christ, O sleep no more.
Are we guilt of falling asleep on the job? This life is long and weary, and often times our pathway is a hard road and quite honestly…we’re tired. But this is no time to sleep! Church of Christ, we are called to bring the lost to Christ. We have an obligation to do more than just see those who in need; we must be ready to ‘fold our arms of love around them.’ Too often, I’m afraid, we revert back and say, ‘I’m just too busy’, or ‘My schedule is already so full.’ If you hold to that philosophy, I’m sorry to say, but you’re blind! Shine your light in a dark and dying world. Look up and see those who are in need. There are ‘boding clouds’ in the distance, and believe me, the ‘surges roar.’ But it ultimately comes down to you and how you view your life with Christ…”When you look around, what do YOU see?”
Who Is Leading You?
When things don’t go the way you would like for them to, or the way you had planned, what is your response? Do you accept things as they are or do you complain and wish for different circumstances? In 1820 a family was blessed with a little baby girl. But in the early months of her life she caught a cold that caused an inflammation in her eyes. Her doctor, in an attempt to treat the sickness, applied a salve (mustard poultices) to her eyes to draw out the infection. The cold and infection eventually left, but because of the hot poultice, so did the babies eyesight. If you know the story of this historical hymn writer, you know this baby as Fanny J. Crosby. Her hymn writing is legendary.
When Fanny J. Crosby wrote the old hymn, “All the Way My Savior Leads Me”, she was expressing her own sentiments of living a life with God as her guide. Read this hymn and take note of the references she makes to being guided…
“All the way my Savior leads me, what have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt the tender mercy, Who through life has been my Guide?
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well;
For I know whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well.
All the way my Savior leads me, cheers each winding path I tread.
Gives me grace through every trial, feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps my falter, and my soul a thirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me, Low! a spring of joy I see,
Gushing from the Rock before me, Low! a spring of joy I see.
All the way my Savior leads me O, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised in my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal, wings it’s flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages: Jesus lead my all the way;
This my song through endless ages: Jesus lead my all the way.”
