October 16, 2005

Have faith in God –
Christ commanded you and me;
Have faith in God –
Only then can we be free;
Have faith in God –
Wondrous things are yet to be.
Have faith, dear friend, in God.

Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone?

Stanza 1:  Thomas Shepherd, 1665-1739
Stanza 2:  From a Missionary Collection
Stanza 3 and Music:  George Nelson Allen
Stanzas 4 & 5:  Henry Ward Beecher, 1813-1887

    Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Mark 8:34.

    The text for this hymn was the work of several different authors through the centuries.
    Thomas Shepherd, the author, used this hymn after preaching about Simon Peter, who was believed to have been crucified upside down. Later, the hymn was altered to refer to Jesus. Thomas Shepherd, a 17th Century English dissenter preacher, published a volume of poems in 1693 titled Penitential Cries. A year later, Shepherd made his own decision to take up the cross and follow Jesus. He left the Church of England, where he was pastor in a beautiful church building and became an independent preacher in Nottingham barn. He felt he could proclaim the true gospel of Christ.
    The original stanzas from the above work reads as follows:

"Shall Simon bear the Cross alone,
And other Saints be free?
Each Saint of Thine shall find his own--
And there is one for me."

    Stanza 1:  Thomas Shepherd, Penitential Cries, 1693, alt. Stanza 2:  Apparently from a missionary collection published in Norwich, England, early 19th Century. Stanza 3:  The Oberlin Social and Sabbath School Hymn Book, by George N. Allen, 1844. Stanzas 4-5:  From the Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes, by Henry Ward Beecher.
    George Nelson Allen, music teacher at Oberlin College, collected the verses and composed the music for the text in 1844 for inclusion in his collection, Oberlin Social and Sabbath School Hymn Book. Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone? has since challenged Christians in their commitment to Christ and His service with the realization that an earthly cross always precedes a heavenly crown.

Must Jesus bear the cross alone,
And all the world go free?
No, there’s a cross for everyone,
And there’s a cross for me.

How happy are the saints above,
Who once went sorrowing here!
But now they taste unmingled love,
And joy without a tear.

The consecrated cross I’ll bear
Till death shall set me free;
And then go home my crown to wear,
For there’s a crown for me.

Upon the crystal pavement down
At Jesus’ piercèd feet,
Joyful I’ll cast my golden crown
And His dear Name repeat.

O precious cross! O glorious crown!
O resurrection day!
When Christ the Lord from heav’n comes down
And bears my soul away.

Have Faith in God by H.M.S. Richards, Used by Permission