"The Old Rugged Cross"
Most popular and widely accepted Christian hymn "The Old Rugged Cross" completed by Rev. George Bennard during Evangelistic meetings here Dec. 29, 1912 - Jan. 12, 1913
First sung as a quartet in the Friends Church Parlors and as a duet at the last service from penciled words and notes
"The Old Rugged Cross"
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
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark 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.
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Chorus
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
Marker is at the intersection of West Maple Street and North Kendall Avenue, on the left when traveling east on West Maple Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
