COMFORT
Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine

The hymn, “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine" was written by Fanny Jane Crosby (b. March 24, 1820; d. February 12, 1915). At six weeks of age she was left blind after being treated by a questionable doctor. She received her education at the New York City School for the Blind. After graduation she taught at the school for several years, then married an instructor there named Alexander van Alstyne who was also a blind musician. Fanny was blessed with the gift of poetry. By the time she began to write hymns at age 44 she had already established herself as a poet, and a writer of numerous minstrel songs and cantatas.

During her 94 years she wrote between 8500 – 9000 texts. Many of her sacred texts were set to music by some of the most influential hymn composers of her day, such as William B. Bradbury, Robert Lowry, George Root, William Howard Doane, and Ira D. Sankey. Most of her hymn lyrics were published by Biglow and Main Company of Chicago. In 1922 Hope Publishing Company acquired Biglow and Main Company which held many of Crosby’s copyrights and owned her devotional texts as well. During her life she used more than 200 pseudonyms when signing her hymns.

“Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine” was copyrighted in 1873 by Fanny’s good friend, Mrs. Phoebe Palmer Knapp, the same year Fanny wrote the lyrics.

In Crosby’s 1906 book, Memories of Eighty Years, she documents the story of how the song came together. Phoebe played the tune for Fanny a couple of times and asked her, “What does that melody say to you?” Fanny answered with the very words of stanza one of the hymn. The other stanzas came a short time later. In the same year, 1873 the song was first published in John R Sweney’s song book, Gems of Praise. It was later included in several collections compiled by Ira D. Sankey. Since Sankey was Dwight L. Moody’s crusade music director, the song quickly achieved great popularity in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States. The song has also been used in the Billy Graham Crusades with great success.

The first appearances of the hymn in Baptist collections was in 1904 when it was included in, The Baptist Hymn and Praise Book and Glorious Praise published by Doane and Kirkpatrick. In 1956 the Baptist Hymnal committee named the tune ASSURANCE.

Fanny Crosby’s gravestone states, “She hath done what she could”, a reference to Mark 14:8.

1. Blessed assurance, Jesus in mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His Blood.

2. Perfect submission, perfect delight! Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above, echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

3. Perfect submission, all is at rest; I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above, filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.

Several scripture passages are the basis for, “Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine”.

Romans 8:37-39 (ESV)

37. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

38. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,

39. nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hebrews 10:22 & 23

22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

23. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Read the following scripture passages for further assurance of God’s salvation in your life:

Isaiah 12:2; Romans 8:16; 15:13; Titus 2:13; 1 John 5:13; Revelation 1:5 & 6

Everyone struggles with doubt at some point regarding their salvation. The seeds of doubt are planted by Satan. But God reminds us all throughout scripture that our salvation is secure in Christ, if we have accepted Him as our Savior. He has “freed us from, our sins by His Blood”(Rev.1:5)(ESV). Sing this hymn over and over so that you will be assured of your salvation and that you belong to Jesus.

In Christ,

Bro. Andy