In 1912, preacher George Bennard hosted several sermons in his state of Michigan after spending years traveling the Midwest with his wife preaching God’s word and becoming one of the region’s beloved pastors. He spoke eloquently of his Christian faith, and his sermons left people feeling spiritually rejuvenated. Because of his passion and ability to intimately connect with his fellow believers, he often preached to a packed house.
Bennard came from humble beginnings and his road to Christianity had its fair share of ups and downs. When his father passed while George was still a teen, he took on the noble role of caring for his family. He spent time as a coal miner, just as his father did. But after becoming involved with the efforts of the Salvation Army, his faith strengthened and he ultimately became a Methodist preacher.
A Towering Vision
During a series of sermons held in Michigan, he returned home one night and had a groundbreaking vision. In his mind, a towering cross appeared high in the sky, and he suddenly felt himself surrounded by the love of Jesus in an all-encompassing way he hadn’t felt before. Focusing on the vision, a soft melody came to his mind with the phrase, “I’ll cherish the old, rugged cross,” repeating over and over again.
George immediately began working through the melody and lyrics he heard. Later in life, when asked about how he wrote the song, he was quoted saying, “I really didn’t write it, I was merely the instrument God used.”
As he let the work of God flow through him, more lyrics flowed onto his paper, and before his series of sermons was finished, he completed the words to “The Old, Rugged Cross.”
He sent the lyrics off to Chicago, where his friend and musician Charles H. Gabriel smoothed out the melody and rhythm. When he sent the completed work back to Bennard, he sent along with it a foretelling message, “You will hear from this song.”
A Legendary Hymn
Early performances of “The Old, Rugged Cross,” featuring nothing but Bennard’s tender voice accompanied by simple acoustic guitar, moved congregations to tears. Just as his beautiful sermons had moved their spirit to joy and praise, so had his soul-stirring hymn.
Resounding applause showed Bennard he had been an instrument for something special. What he thought would be a one-off performance turned into an anchor for his sermons. As the song took shape in a live setting, he added in a choir, violin, and organ accompaniment to round out the tune’s uplifting feel.
The song quickly spread throughout the region, with fellow preachers featuring the inspirational hymn in their own church services.
Over the course of his life, George wrote approximately 300 compositions , but none moved people as much as “The Old, Rugged Cross.”
An adored treasure among people of faith in America, George Bennard’s “The Old, Rugged Cross” remains a symbol of hope with a comforting message centered around God’s everlasting love.
