Please help, Unable to rewire my fluorescent fixture.?

I am trying to do some wiring around the house but unfortunately this house does not have any colored wires. Almost all of the wires in the house, which is a very old house by the way, have the old corded material type insulation which makes it difficult to tell whether it's hot , neutral, or ground. I did puchase a voltage tester so that now I know which wire is hot and which is cold but when putting my fluorescent fixture back I did connect the house hot wire to the black wire on the fixture and I connected the house cold wire to the fixture's white wire and there is still no light. I am now wondering if maybe I might have blown the ballast with all my attempts and that is why the fluorescent light is not working. Please help. Thank you.