The story behind: "The Old Rugged Cross" hymn

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IN THE NORTH part of Reed City, Michigan, not far from where Routes I -10 and 131 merge, passing motorists will see a rough-hewn cross by the side of the road. It stands in front of the former home of hymnwriter George Bennard, which has now been turned into The Old Rugged Cross Museum.

Bennard's song was consistently named America's favorite gospel hymn in surveys between 1925 and 1960.

Gospel singer George Beverly Shea tells a story about two men show-ing up at his family's home one Saturday when he was five. They'd be singing a new song in church the next day, and since Mrs. Shea played the piano, would she be willing to practice this song "The Old Rugged Cross"-with them? "My parents would later tell how I stood by the piano, with mouth wide open, listening to the voices of these wonderful singers!" George relates.

Few things in life came easily to Bennard. His father was a coal miner, and his parents moved frequently. As a teenager, Bennard felt called to be an evangelist, but when his father died suddenly, George had to support his mother and sisters. After marrying, he finally became a preacher, first with the Salvation Army and later in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Then Bennard entered a time of spiritual struggle. He spent hours in Bible study and anguished prayer. Once, he said later, "I saw the Christ of the cross as if I were seeing John 3:16 leave the printed page, take form and act out the meaning of redemption. The more I contemplated these truths, the more convinced I became that the cross was far more than just a religious symbol but rather the very heart of the gospel."

The words and tune of"The Old Rugged Cross" began to come together in bits and pieces. Returning home from a trip one day, Bennard sat at his piano and put it together. It was introduced shortly afterward at a revival service in Pokagon, Michigan, and then at a large conference of evangelists in Chicago. From then on, it was only a matter of time until "The Old Rugged Cross" became one of the most beloved of hymns.