George Bennard (1873–1958)

George Bennard, an Ohio-born Methodist evangelist, spent his life preaching Christ with a plainspoken earnestness shaped by revival ministry and personal burdens. He knew that crowds could be stirred by emotion yet remain unchanged, so he pressed for a deeper response: honest repentance, settled faith, and a willingness to follow Jesus when it costs.

Bennard’s growing meditation on Calvary formed the seed of a hymn. He was not trying to showcase musical skill; he was trying to place the cross back at the center, where pride is humbled and hope is restored.

Pokagon Revival, June 7, 1913

On June 7, 1913, Bennard introduced his new hymn “The Old Rugged Cross” at a revival meeting in Pokagon, Michigan. In a small-town setting where people carried ordinary struggles—sin that clings, grief that lingers, temptations that weary—the message of a crucified Savior was not abstract theology but urgent good news.

Revival meetings often called listeners to come forward, confess sin, and seek the Lord with fresh seriousness. Bennard’s offering fit that moment: not entertainment, but an invitation to look again at the One who suffered willingly.

A Hymn Offered as Testimony

Bennard was still shaping the song as he preached, letting Scripture and pastoral concern refine the lines. The hymn’s plain words and steadfast melody served a clear purpose: to lift hearts toward repentance, gratitude, and holy courage.

The cross is not a relic but a refuge. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame…” (Hebrews 12:2). In that endurance is true heroism: the sinless Son bearing shame so sinners can be forgiven.

Legacy: Cherishing the Cross

“The Old Rugged Cross” taught the church to cherish what the world despises. Bennard’s message echoes the apostle: “But as for me, may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Galatians 6:14).

For weary sinners, the hymn points to pardon bought by blood. For struggling believers, it calls for steady devotion—carrying the cross without flinching, loving Christ without apology, and trusting that suffering joined to Him will end in glory.