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Old Rugged Cross Lyrics

Artist: Jan Howard
Album: Singing His Praise

â‚¬Å“The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.â‚¬? Galatians 6:14

Courtesy of Old Rugged Cross Historical Museum
Words & Music: George Bennard, 1913 (MIDI, score).

The Old Rugged Cross was written in Albion, Michigan. Or Pokagon, Michigan. Or Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. All three towns claim to be the birthplace of this hymn.

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.

Refrain

So Iâ‚¬â„¢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.

O 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.

Refrain

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For â‚¬â„¢twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

Refrain

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then Heâ‚¬â„¢ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever Iâ‚¬â„¢ll share.

Refrain

Comments/Interpretations

by Harvey W. Bane/Blanchard on 12/3/2011 4:28pm
I would like to get this corrected in the book.Rev. George Bennard wrote this on the wallpaper in a very,very small music room.I have seen the the wall it was cut out of,as a child.The old two story dwelling was the parsonage,where the Bennard family lived...My family lived in the old house behind the church to the East where four sweet maple trees stood in the curve of Kansas street.Hope helps to finally have it in the history...