Fanny Crosby Writes "Blessed Assurance" - Timeline Event
Time Period
1873
Description
Fanny Crosby, a blind prolific hymn writer, wrote the lyrics to her most famous hymn, "Blessed Assurance," in 1873. Phoebe Knapp, a musical composer, played Crosby the melody of a new composition she wrote on a piano. When Knapp asked her what the music "said," Crosby replied, "Blessed assurance." The lyrics reflected Crosby’s religious journey and quickly became popular after first being printed in Phoebe Palmer’s Guide to Holiness and Revival Miscellany magazine in 1873. The song began circulating among Methodists and even spread to other Christian denominations, eventually becoming one of the most popular Christian hymns.
In memory of Crosby, a large memorial stone erected in 1955 engraved the first stanza of "Blessed Assurance":
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.
In memory of Crosby, a large memorial stone erected in 1955 engraved the first stanza of "Blessed Assurance":
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.
Interactive Timeline(s)
Browse Related Timeline Entries
Religious Groups
Methodist/Pietist Family: Other ARDA LinksMethodist/Pietist Family: Religious Family Tree
Biographies
Crosby, Frances "Fanny"Photographs
Blessed Assurance sheet music- Internet Archive- from Free Methodist Hymnal
Fanny Crosby with book- Hathi Trust- from Bells at Evening and Other Verses by Frances J. Crosby
Book/Journal Source(s)
Blumhofer, Edith Waldvogel, 2005. Her Heart Can See: The Life and Hymns of Fanny J. Crosby Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.Web Page Contributor
Benjamin T. GurrentzAffliated with: Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. in Sociology
