Campfire Reunions

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 I’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 ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me. [Refrain]

To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he’ll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I’ll share. [Refrain]

United Methodist Hymnal

“The Old Rugged Cross” is a beloved 20th-century Christian hymn written and composed by George Bennard in 1912 and 1913. Inspired by the author’s deep reflection on the theological meaning of Christ’s suffering, the lyrics focus on the themes of sacrifice, redemption, and ultimate victory. The completed version of the hymn debuted publicly on June 7, 1913, in Pokagon, Michigan, where a five-person choir performed it accompanied by a guitar at the First Methodist Episcopal Church—a congregation meeting in a converted hops barn. Curiously, Bennard struggled for months to finish the lyrics after composing the melody, and he eventually sold the publishing rights for just $500 to a prominent evangelist who popularized it nationwide. Today, it remains a timeless country-gospel classic frequently performed at church services and memorials.