John and Mercy's baby was sick. Only six weeks old, little Jane had a fever and was in the awful throws of a
bad cold. For an adult the common cold is irritating at worst; for a child the common cold can be
devastating -- even life-threatening. Baby Jane had been born prematurely, and was already diminutive
and sickly. The virus she had now threatened to do her in if the doctor could not be summoned.
The problem in this instance was that little Jane had the misfortune of being born into this world in the 19th
century, when medicine was in much a more primitive state than it is today. And at the time little Jane was
born many doctors were in fact not medical school trained. At the time in which Jane was born many
doctors learned their trade in much the same way as any other profession -- as an apprentice. Such was
the case with the physician who attended to little Jane on that fateful evening. Having diagnosed the
ailment, and having surmised the treatment, the doctor who attended to little baby Jane ordered a mustard
poultice be applied to the little baby's eyes. "This will keep down the infection," the doctor had proclaimed.
But what the doctor considered to be a barrier against serious damage to the baby's eyes resulted
unfortunately in the result that the poultice caused such damage that the little girl was to become blind.
Poor Jane. Life is hard enough in the late 1800's, but to be blind and have to live on this earth is a difficult
thing for any human. The fortunate ones who have close family and friends survive well enough, but
survive is about all that a blind person can do. Without one's eyes, life cannot be very productive, and a
blind person cannot expect to have much in the way of any quality of life.
There are the obvious exceptions to this, however. We recall the famous Helen Keller, born and raised not
far from where I live. Helen Keller might quite be the most famous of all blind people in history. Who has
not marvelled at the vast and productive life led by not only a blind person, but one who was both blind and
deaf! Amazing were the accomplishments of that great lady.
There was another: a young lad who injured his eyes at a very young age. Even though he lost eyesight in
both eyes, little Louis nevertheless persevered, and desiring to have the ability to read, Louis Brailles
figured out a way.
The great 18th century composer Johann Sebastian Bach was blind. We know in modern times of those
blind people who have achieved some manner of success. Two great entertainment artists, Ray Charles
and Stevie Wonder, were and are great singers and composers. Homer, the Greek poet, and John Milton,
the English poet, were both blind. Even the Apostle Paul complained of his infirmities of the eyes.
But those are the rare cases. Success is a rare and fleeting thing even for those of us who are whole.
What chance does a little girl born into a poor farm family, with little or no education among them -- what
chance has she to fulfill any dreams or aspirations to succeed in life beyond just living?
Ah, but Jane, although damaged in her eyes as a baby nevertheless possessed an enormous capacity to
think outside of herself. Whereas most of us are preoccupied with our own problems, Jane found that by
concentrating on the problems of others, her own seemed to fade away. In her musings and in her
mind-wanderings Jane found that she had the ability to put her thoughts to words, and to translate these to
paper. Even though she could not see she could think, and at the tender age of 15 enrolled in a school for
the blind, where she ultimately learned to read and to write.
Reading and writing -- these were Jane's means of escaping her own troubles. Reading and writing, and
others: others with their problems and their issues. If she could, Jane was determined to find a way to
help others. Jane was determined, and Jane had an enormous capacity to empathize with the plight of
others. Jane, although blind, was not in incapable. Not quite. To the contrary, Jane was more than
capable. With her usual but unordinary sense of urgency and determination, Jane set about to share with
others her strong sense of faith: faith in herself and faith in the God she so loved and served. Jane
became a minister of the gospel.
It is not too unusual to see a woman preacher. Women have been preaching form pulpits for many years.
For hundreds and even thousands of years women have often been found in positions of spiritual and
political leadership. They are rare to be sure, but they have done it nonetheless. There are those who
oppose a woman in the pulpit. There are those who deny that such a woman can truly be used of God.
There are those who would scoff at not only the reality, but also would scoff at the notion of a female
presuming to ascend the throne of God to expound to others her sense of urgency and her sense of belief.
Many and most religions have women ministers, and most of those women preachers have their detractors.
Never would such be caught allowing himself to be ministered to by a woman preacher -- what an
abomination unto God!
Yet, Jane has somehow managed to wiggle her way into the life of nearly everyone who claims belief in God
and especially in his son, Jesus. Yes. I said everyone. Even among the most ardent of those who oppose
women preachers, many a strong and burly man has been brought to his knees by the messages of Jane. I
would venture to say that there exists not a single solitary one among those who might read this story of
mine that has not shed tears upon hearing one of Jane's sermons. Even among the great opponents of
women preachers -- even those who loudly and adamantly claim that women should keep their silence in
the churches -- even among them I dare say there exists not a single one who has not fallen to his knees
and sobbed his eyeballs out upon hearing the words of one of Jane's Sermons! Not unless he himself is
some heartless and degraded retrobate!
What is that you ask? At what point and at what time have you ever heard one of Jane's sermons? I'm glad
you asked, because I shall be none but too glad to share. Like as not you hear one of Jane's sermons
nearly every time you go to church! It may be possible, but it is not likely if you go to church more than
once a week that you do not hear at least one of Jane's sermons. Here ..., I have some of the words from
one of her sermons here:
These would be words from another of Jane's sermons:
And another:
Not enough? How about this one:
I may be wrong, but it seems to me that Jane has had a hand in the conversion of nearly every single
person who has walked an aisle in a Gospel-preaching church since she began writing gospel hymns in the
late 1800's. And who knows? Perhaps Fanny Jane Crosby has touched more lives, and brought more
people to their knees, and led more blind people to the light with the words she penned than any human
being who ever lived!
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.
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Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain
Free to all, a healing stream
Flows from Calvary’s mountain.
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Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
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I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
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Oak in my journal, or email me one of your own stories.
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Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.
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