Library Collections: Document: Full Text


Memories Of Eighty Years

Creator: Fanny J. Crosby (author)
Date: 1906
Publisher: James H. Earle & Company, Boston
Source: Available at selected libraries
Figures From This Artifact: Figure 2  Figure 3  Figure 4  Figure 5  Figure 6  Figure 7  Figure 8  Figure 9

Previous Page   Next Page   All Pages 


Page 47:

707  

Among the many incidents of "Saved by Grace" is one told in a small Episcopal church in Pennsylvania by a woman who had been an actress. She said that she had been indifferent to all religious influence and on a certain day was going to spend the afternoon in pleasure at one of the public parks. As she was passing along the street, unconscious of her surroundings, she was attracted by some singing; and stopped out of pure curiosity to find that an Epworth League was conducting services in the open air. They were singing "Saved by Grace" and all the tender recollections of childhood came trooping before her mental vision; and as a result of the service there that afternoon she fell on her knees and asked the forgiveness of God.

708  

The melody to "My Saviour First of All" was given me by Mr. John R. Sweney and he requested that I write something "tender and pathetic." I prayed that appro-priate words might be given me for his music; and the train of thought then started finally brought me to the sweet consciousness that I will know my Saviour by the print of the nails in his hand. Then I wrote,

709  

"When my life-work 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."

710  

The following beautiful incident was sent me not long ago. There appeared in London a man who styled himself the Messiah; and for many weeks a large crowd was attracted to him. One night, however, as he was talking in one of the open squares in the city, a small band of the Salvation Army passed along singing,

711  

"I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
By the print of the nails in His hand."

712  

The great throng joined in the chorus. Finally someone pointed to the self-styled Christ and said, "Look at his bands and see if the print of the nails is there." They did as directed, but no print appeared; and they at once left off following him.

713  

In October, 1905, while I was at Leominster, Massa-chusetts, I told this incident as I have just given it; and after its conclusion, a gentleman from the audience said to me,

714  

"That story is true, every word of it; for I was there myself; and I'll never forget it."

715  

Shortly after my mother's death in 1890 John R. Sweney requested me to send him a poem, but he did not send any subject; and so I was free to make my own selection. A title came to me, "Over the River They Call Me" and I wrote,

716  

"Over the river they call me,
Friends that are dear to my heart,
Soon I shall meet them in glory,
Never, no never, to part.
Over the river they call me,
Hark 'tis their voices I hear,
Borne on the wings of the twilight,
Tenderly, softly and clear."

717  

"Beautiful Waters of Eden" was written after I heard Prof. Adam Geibel's beautiful melody.

718  

We were riding out one day, and Mr. Sankey said "There's sunshine on the hill, even though there are shadows in the valley," and his remark led me to write the hymn in which those words are used.

719  

The hymn beginning

720  

"Dark is the night, and cold the wind is blowing,
Nearer and nearer come the breakers' roar,"

721  

was written for Theodore E. Perkins. In one of my meetings during the autumn of 1905 a man came up to me, sang the first line of that hymn, and said,

722  

"Praise the Lord, that song was the means of my conversion, and I have been singing it for years."

723  

"Oh what are you going to do, brother,
Say what are you going to do;
You have thought of some useful employment,
But what is the end in view?"

724  

was written in 1867 for Philip Phillips, who came to me one afternoon and asked me if I could write something that would be appropriate for men of all ages, and par-ticularly for business men.

725  

I have already referred to my dear friend, Miss Mary E. Upham, now Mrs. R. B. Currier. For a number of years it was my good fortune to assist her as a gospel singer by contributing hymns, many of which were written after some incident. When Andrew Murray was holding evangelistic meetings in this country he was used by the Spirit to lead Mrs. Currier into deeper con-secration by giving up all secular songs and using her voice only for sacred hymns. The Scripture that Dr. Murray used was the fifteenth chapter of John's Gospel; and in telling me of her experience, under the Spirit's leading I was inspired to write the hymn "Ever Abiding, Thou Keepest My Heart." This hymn and others are published in Mrs. Currier's book "O Sing Unto the Lord," for which I have used also the pseudonyms, Zemira Wallace and C. U.

726  

"Faith" was written in response to Mrs. Currier's request to bring in all the Scripture I could bearing on that subject. "I'm Going Home to Father's House" was written and inscribed to Dr. Dixon after hearing one of his sermons about the Father's house. He had said that this world was not his home; that his home was where the Father is; and that his anchor was not cast but was lifted while he was sailing out to Father's house.

727  

"The anchor I have lifted now;
My sails are floating free,
Amid the breeze that wafts my soul
Beyond Life's troubled sea.
I'm going where my Lord has gone,
A mansion to prepare,
Where I through all eternity,
May dwell in glory there."

Previous Page   Next Page

Pages:  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  31  32  33  34  35  36  37  38  39  40  41  42  43  44  45  46  47  48  49  50  51  52  53  54  55  56  57  58  59  60    All Pages