The Old Rugged Cross Michigan

The church has been renovated beautifully and a garden established near it for a contemplative walk.

The old rugged cross michigan. The hymn the old rugged cross has stood the test of time being performed and recorded by numerous gospel and county music artists over the years since it was composed in 1913. George bennard in reed city may. The old rugged cross historical museum is an outgrowth of a memorial cross erected and dedicated on september 14 1954 north of reed city michigan near the home of reverend and mrs. Bennard retired to reed city michigan and the town maintains a museum dedicated to his life and ministry.

In 1913 the rev george bennard completed his hymn the old rugged cross while staying in pokagon mi. Reverend bennard was the author of well loved hymn the old rugged cross written in 1913. The hymn the old rugged cross has stood the test of time being performed and recorded by numerous gospel and county music artists over the years since it was composed in 1913. The old rugged cross historical museum is an outgrowth of a memorial cross erected and dedicated on september 14 1954 north of reed city at the home of rev.

George bennard in 1912. The old rugged cross lives on by molly tate shaffer is a 488 page pictorial and verbal history of the hymn and its author and gives a step by step account of the restoration of the building where it made its public debut. This song has touched millions. This is the location where the song the old rugged cross was first sung in its entirety.

Interesting piece of local and national history. The old rugged cross uses a sentimental popular song form with a verse chorus pattern in 6 8 time and it speaks of the writer s adoration of christ and his sacrifice at calvary. The story behind the old rugged cross. But a museum dedicated to the composer of the hymn the rev.

The museum presently contains mementos and relics not only from the bennard home but also from the. The old rugged cross was written by rev. Mieras from chicago to sturgeon bay wisconsin where they held evangelistic meetings at the friends church from december 29 1912. As a methodist evangelist george bennard wrote the first verse of the old rugged cross in albion michigan in the fall of 1912 as a response to ridicule that he had received at a revival meeting bennard traveled with ed e.

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