Tell me the Story of Jesus
The Old Rugged Cross
By George Benard
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
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross (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
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true
It’s shame and reproach gladly bear
Then he’ll call me some day to my home far away
Where his glory forever I’ll share
And I’ll cherish the old rugged cross (rugged cross)
Till my trophies at last I lay down
And I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
Do you recall the first gospel hymn you ever memorized? I do. My twin sister and I memorized “The Old Rugged Cross” when we were nine years old. We had sung many hymns by that time in our young lives, but it was this song that grabbed our hearts and we sang it over and over while gently swaying on the front porch swing.
Music was always important in our family. Our grandparents sang “Farther Along” and “The Lifeboat.” We sat by our aunts in church and sang “Higher Ground” and “I’ll Fly Away.” There was something about those songs of our youth that just connected us with our God, and just as we learned these songs extolling the praises of our Creator and our Savior, we began to form our understanding of Who God was and who we were in Him. And just as we learned these great old hymns, we began to learn Scripture. At that time, the only translation of God’s Word was the King James Bible, so to this day when I quote Scripture from memory it is from that translation.
As I grew older and my faith developed and strengthened, my soul was stirred over and over again by the songs of the church—Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, and Great is Thy Faithfulness. I find myself wondering, Areany of the songs so dear to me still heard by little girls today? Will they memorize these songs, leading them to memorize Holy Scripture?
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Seeking Holiness 
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