Читать книгу Best Loved Hymns and Readings - Martin Manser - Страница 20

Fanny Crosby wrote over 8000 hymns, of which this is one of the most celebrated. A native of Putnam County, New York, Fanny was bom blind and attended one of the first special schools for the blind in the USA. She overcame her blindness by composing her lines in her head and then dictating them to be written down by a friend or secretary, publishing her vast output under no fewer than 216 pseudonyms.

In the latter part of the twentieth century this particular hymn was adopted as a theme tune by celebrated US evangelist Billy Graham.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God;

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,Praising my Saviour all the day long;This is my story, this is my song,Praising my Saviour all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,

Visions of rapture burst on my sight;

Angels descending, bring from above

Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,

I in my Saviour am happy and blest;

Watching and waiting, looking above,

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Fanny Crosby (Frances van Alstyne; 1820-1915)