Bennard's conversion at the age of 22 through the evangelistic ministry of the Salvation Army in Canton, Iowa, led to his ordination and commissioning as a traveling evangelist in 1898. He later became a Methodist evangelist.
In 1910, stepping out in faith, Bennard resigned and began his own itinerant ministry. During the early years of his ministry, Bennard was “praying for a full understanding of the cross and its plan in Christianity.”
Consequently, he spent many hours in study, prayer and meditation, until he could say, “I saw the Christ of the cross as if I were seeing John 3:16 leave the printed page, take form and act out the meaning of redemption.”
The first verse of “The Old Rugged Cross” was completed by Bennard during a series of meetings in Albion, Michigan. Several months later, the remaining three verses were completed in Pokagon, Michigan, where Bennard was leading meetings at a local church.
Sometime later, during a series of meetings, Bennard was heckled incessantly by several youth. Troubled by their disregard for the gospel, he again turned to Scripture to reflect on the work of Christ on the cross.
He returned home with a renewed meaning of the cross etched in his mind and heart. He took the song manuscript and placed it on the kitchen table. In a very short span of time, he was able to rewrite the stanzas with each word falling perfectly into place. He asked his wife to join him in the kitchen. She did so and he joyfully sang his new song. She was very pleased, expressing that the song was great.
He then sent the manuscript to Charles H. Gabriel, in Chicago, asking if he would write the proper chords with the melody line. Gabriel did so and returned the document with the message, “You will hear from this song.”
Bennard traveled with Ed. E. Mieras to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where they held evangelistic meetings at the Friends Church. He performed the song in its entirety for the sponsoring pastor and his wife, Rev. Leroy and Ruby Bostwick, in the living room of the parsonage. The Bostwicks were moved to tears and incorporated the song in the revival service on June 7, 1913. Bennard and Mieras performed it as a duet before a full house with Pearl Torstensen Berg, the organist for the meeting.
Today, that same church building, originally a hops barn, is owned by the non-profit “Old Rugged Cross Foundation” and welcomes thousands of visitors annually. The Friends Community Church in Sturgeon Bay has a garden with a cross on it to commemorate the first singing of the hymn.
The hymn quickly spread throughout the region and came to the attention of the evangelist Billy Sunday, who frequently utilized it in his meetings. Two years later, Bennard sold the copyright of the song for a payment of $500, forgoing future royalties. Upon the renewal of the copyright 28 years later, he received a final payment of $5,000.
Bennard said what I have since heard countless other songwriters say, “I really didn’t write it. I was merely the instrument God used.”
Bennard traveled throughout the Midwest, holding revivals until his retirement in Reed City, Michigan, more than 30 years later.
Loved for its lilting melody and words of personal trust in the cross of Christ, "The Old Rugged Cross" remains one of the most cherished hymns of the Christian faith. It has since been included in numerous hymnals and recordings by contemporary artists.
Biblestudytools.com, Clarence L. Haynes Jr: The demonstration of His love leads to this one great act, Christ dying for you and me. The greatest treasure of heaven was sacrificed to win back the worst sinners on earth. That’s why if you ever run into a place where you question just how much God loves you, simply remember the cross. This is the forever reminder and proof of how great God’s love is for you.
Bibleref.com: Christ took that judgment for our sin on Himself on the cross. He suffered and died in our place. Paul insists that we should take that act as evidence of God's great love for us . . . He died for us before we'd ever done anything to deserve that love. It takes love to die willingly for someone else, even if they're a "good" person. But we, those who have been saved, were still sinners, and we weren't going to improve. In truth, we had no hope of avoiding God's judgment before Jesus took it for us.
Enduringword.com, David Guzik: According to Roman custom Jesus carried His cross from the place of sentencing to the place of crucifixion, the Place of [the] Skull. Before the Romans put a man on a cross, they put the cross on the man, forcing him to carry it in a public procession intended to draw attention to the condemned, his crime, and his fate . . . one could say that the Romans perfected it and made it an institution. It was the form of execution reserved for the worst criminals and the lowest classes. Crucifixion was designed to make the victim die publicly, slowly, with great pain and humiliation. This was the form of death God ordained for Jesus to die, and the death that He submitted to in the will of God.
Biblehub.com, Benson Commentary: That is, there is no God like unto Thee . . . That pardons the offences of His people . . . Because it is His nature to delight in pardoning the penitent and communicating blessings . . . He will deliver us not only from the guilt, but also from the power of them, so that they shall not have dominion over us.
Biblehub.com, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary: All who find pardoning mercy, cannot but wonder at that mercy; we have reason to stand amazed, if we know what it is. When the Lord takes away the guilt of sin, that it may not condemn us, he will break the power of sin I will not have dominion over us.
Biblehub.com, Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible: Thus the Lord has taken the sins of his people off of them, and laid them on Christ, and he has bore them, and carried them away . . . never to be seen and remembered anymore.
Studylight.org, Clarke’s Commentary: That same God who is the author of peace, the giver of peace; and who has sent, for the redemption of the world, the Prince of peace; may that very God sanctify you wholly; leave no more evil in your hearts than His precepts tolerate evil in your conduct. The word wholly means precisely the same as our phrase, to all intents and purposes. May He sanctify you to the end and to the uttermost, that, as sin hath reigned unto death, even so may grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Enduringword.com, David Guzik: This coming glory will not only be revealed to us, but it will actually be revealed in us. God has put this glory into the believer right now. In heaven the glory will simply be revealed.
Studylight.org, Dr. Constable’s Expository Notes: In the light of eternity we should view the cost of suffering with Jesus Christ now as insignificant in view of the glory that lies ahead for us . . . Our glorification is the third and final aspect of our salvation in which God will deliver us from the presence of sin forever.
Workingpreacher.org, Mark Throntveit: The Lord will give Paul and other believers the crown of righteousness. This reward is not Paul’s to seize. He didn’t earn it, necessarily; but his faithful service buttresses his confidence that the Lord will prove faithful in providing it to all who faithfully await His appearance.
