Fanny Finds Her Purpose

Our children's choir is learning "To God Be the Glory." Below is a short bio of the author, Fanny Crosby. I was impressed by a couple random Fanny facts: (1) her bizarre cheerfulness despite her disability; (2) her husband allowing her to keep her maiden name (since she was already well-known for her poems at the time of her marriage); and (3) her finding her true calling, hymnwriting, at the age of 44.

FRANCES "FANNY" CROSBY (1820 - 1915)


Fanny was born in 1820 in New York. When she was only 6 weeks old, she became sick with a cold. Her family’s usual doctor was out of town. Unfortunately, a quack doctor recommended that her family apply hot mustard bandages to her eyes, which caused her to lose her sight.

Despite being blind, Fanny was a happy and active child. She was writing poems by the time she was 8 years old. Perhaps because she was blind, Fanny had a fantastic memory. Her grandmother spent many hours reading the Bible to Fanny, and Fanny was able to memorize whole books of the Bible.

At 15 years old, Fanny moved to the Institute for the Blind in New York. She learned to play organ, guitar and piano while she was there. Fanny stayed at the Institution for 23 years, first as a student and then as a teacher. She continued to write poems and became friends with several U.S. presidents, including Presidents Van Buren, Polk and Cleveland. She fell in love and married one of her fellow teachers, Alexander Van Alstyne, who was also totally blind.

One day, when Fanny was in her 40s, a friend asked her to write a song for Sunday School. Fanny discovered that writing Sunday School songs made her incredibly happy. She said she had found her mission in life. Fanny went on to write about 8,000 hymns! Many of her songs have become well-loved and translated into other languages. Most importantly, Fanny’s songs have brought many people to Christ.

“To God Be the Glory” was written by Fanny in approximately 1875, when she was 55 years old. The song expresses praise to God for everything He has done. It also teaches important truths about the gospel, including the fact that we are saved by grace through faith. For example, the second verse says, “The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.”

Fanny died in 1915, when she was 94 years old.