The Old Rugged Cross Hymn Story

The story of the gospel song the old rugged cross the old rugged cross is a popular hymn written in 1912 by evangelist and song leader george bennard.

The old rugged cross hymn story.

The old rugged cross is a popular hymn written in 1912 by evangelist and song leader george bennard and it speaks of the writer s adoration of christ and his sacrifice at calvary. In that old rugged cross stained with blood so divine a wondrous beauty i see for twas on that old cross jesus suffered and died to pardon and sanctify me a. Refrain refrain to the old rugged cross i will ever be true its shame and reproach gladly bear then he ll call me someday to my home far away where his glory forever i ll share. The cross is important because it was stained with blood so.

Back in 1913 george bennard was struggling with a problem that caused him much suffering. Being a christian is not easy but we all need to cling to that old cross and bear the shame and ridicule we might face. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross the emblem of suffering and shame and i love that old cross where the dearest and best. And i love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain.

The old rugged cross soon came to the attention of homer rodeheaver the song leader for evangelist billy sunday and rodeheaver began using it in their evangelistic meetings. As a result the song quickly became a favorite. Chorus so i ll cherish the old. In the old rugged cross stained with blood so divine such a wonderful beauty i see for twas on that old cross jesus suffered and died to pardon and sanctify me.

The old rugged cross hymn history the old rugged cross is one of the most popular christian hymns in the english world. Story behind the hymn when polls are taken to determine the most popular american hymns invariably near the top of the list is the old rugged cross it has been the most favored of the approximate 300 songs written by george bennard. In the old rugged cross stained with blood so divine such a wonderful beauty i see for twas on that old cross jesus suffered and died to pardon and sanctify me. Mieras from chicago to sturgeon bay wisconsin where they held evangelistic meetings at the friends church from december 29 1912 to january 12 1913.

Refrain refrain to the old rugged cross i will ever be true its shame and reproach gladly bear then he ll call me someday to my home far away where his glory forever i ll share. Bennard was born into a very modest family in youngstown ohio in 1873. It is a hymn that leads us to focus on what christ did on the cross and make his sacrifice our own. As a methodist evangelist bennard wrote the first verse of the old rugged cross in albion michigan in the fall of 1912 as a response to ridicule that he had received at a revival meeting.