ON A HILL FAR AWAY
Penny For Your Thoughts By: Nancy Whitaker
If someone approached you, asking you to name America’s most popular hymn, no doubt many of you would respond with “The Old Rugged Cross.” It has been the most favored of the approximately 300 songs written by George Bennard. He also wrote many plays, pamphlets and books.
When I play piano at various places, I wind the show down with gospel music. One of the favorite melodies I play is “The Old Rugged Cross”. You can hear the voices ring out with this gospel hymn.
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame; seen as “the emblem of suffering and shame.
George Bennard was born into a very modest family in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1873. George Sr. (his father) was not very successful and lived on disability money. He passed away during George’s teen years leaving him to help provide for the family.
He became a coal miner, the same as his father before him. He held many jobs during those years. In 1912 he and his wife got saved at a Salvation Church and then worked for the Salvation’s Army. They changed to the Methodist faith and George served as an itinerant preacher.
George had a favorite scripture verse, John 3:16. The verse was, “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son so, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
George always seemed to always have a vision of a cross, an old crude Roman instrument of death.
It was stained with the blood of Christ, who gave his life in order that we might become Christians.
On one occasion, as he was thinking of Christ’s crucifixion, an original melody ran through his mind. Although it was a complete melody, very few words came with it. He struggled to write some good lyrics, but all that came was the passage, “I’ll cherish the old rugged cross.”
One night in Sturgis, Michigan there was a revival. George and his friend who traveled with him sang “The Old Rugged Cross”. The song became a hit song and was used by Billy Sunday in his revivals.
Many artists including Elvis Presley has recorded this gospel song. And it has been ranked as one of the top gospel songs. You just start the melody to “The Old Rugged Cross” and people will join in.
Do you sing any old gospel songs? Do you know the Old Rugged Cross? Wouldn’t you have loved to have been at Billy Sunday’s revival? Let me know and I will give you a Penny For Your Thoughts.
