Beneath the Cross of Jesus

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Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand

Author: Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane (1868)
Tune: ST. CHRISTOPHER (Maker)
Gospel Acclamation Songs
Published in 515 hymnals

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	Beneath the Cross of Jesus

Piano/Organ
	The Glory of the Cross

Choral
	BENEATH THE CROSS OF JESUS

Representative Text

1 Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand,
the shadow of a mighty Rock
within a weary land;
a home within the wilderness,
a rest upon the way,
from the burning of the noontide heat
and the burden of the day.

2 Upon the cross of Jesus
mine eye at times can see
the very dying form of One
who suffered there for me:
and from my stricken heart with tears
two wonders I confess,
the wonders of redeeming love
and my unworthiness.

3 I take, O cross, thy shadow
for my abiding place:
I ask no other sunshine than
the sunshine of his face;
content to let the world go by,
to know no gain nor loss;
my sinful self my only shame,
my glory all the cross.

Source: Trinity Psalter Hymnal #350

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Author: Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane

Clephane, Elizabeth Cecilia, third daughter of Andrew Clephane, Sheriff of Fife, was born at Edinburgh, June 18, 1830, and died at Bridgend House, near Melrose, Feb. 19, 1869. Her hymns appeared, almost all for the first time, in the Family Treasury, under the general title of Breathings on the Border. In publishing the first of these in the Treasury, the late Rev. W. Arnot, of Edinburgh, then editor, thus introduced them:— "These lines express the experiences, the hopes, and the longings of a young Christian lately released. Written on the very edge of this life, with the better land fully, in the view of faith, they seem to us footsteps printed on the sands of Time, where these sands touch the ocean of Eternity. These footprints of one… Go to person page >

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Related Texts

First Line:	Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand
Title:	Beneath the Cross of Jesus
Author:	Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane (1868)
Meter:	7.6.8.6.8.6.8.6
Place of Origin:	Scotland
Language:	English
Notes:	Spanish translations: See "Junto a la cruz de Cristo" by George Paul Simmonds, "Confío yo en Cristo"; Swahili translation: See "Nataka kusimama"
Copyright:	Public Domain
Liturgical Use:	Gospel Acclamation Songs
Article:	Old Testament Images of the Cross in "Beneath the Cross of Jesus" by Esther Rothenbusch (from The Hymn)

Chinese

生命聖詩 - Hymns of Life, 1986 #121

English

10 shown out of 386

Spanish

Santo, Santo, Santo: cantos para el pueblo de Dios = Holy, Holy, Holy: songs for the people of God #166

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Tune

ST. CHRISTOPHER (Maker)

All tunes published with 'Beneath the Cross of Jesus'^ top

For Leaders

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In the first stanza of this hymn, the cross is depicted as a desert oasis – a stop along the way where we can recover from the stress of life. The second stanza reminds us of the great cost of that oasis – Jesus suffered and died a tortuous death because of His great love for us – and how little we are worth in comparison. The last stanza echoes what Paul wrote to the Philippians: “whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:7-8a, ESV).

Text:

Elizabeth C. Clephane (1830-1869) wrote this hymn. Of the eight of her hymns that were published posthumously between 1872 and 1874 in Family Treasury, a Scottish Presbyterian magazine, this is one of the first group to appear.

The second line of the hymn contains an archaic expression that is rarely changed: “I fain would take my stand.” Worship and Rejoice has a modernized version of the line: “I gladly take my stand.” Another notable line is the fourth line of the third stanza, “Content to let the world go by,” which is often seen as escapist, but it could also be seen as an admission of the true worth of this world, which will pass away.

The first stanza describes the meaning of the cross, the second, the meaning of the One who died there, and the third, the great difference in worth between the two.

Tune:

This hymn is always sung to ST. CHRISTOPHER, which was written for this text by Frederick C. Maker for the 1881 Supplement to the Bristol Tune Book. The name of the tune is also the name of the patron saint of travelers, but it is not known if that connection was deliberate or accidental. The tune and its harmonization are very chromatic, and though the last phrase begins with an augmented fourth – a difficult interval for congregations to sing – its top note feels like a continuation of the ascending scale of the previous phrase. (Paul Westermeyer, Let the People Sing, p. 257)

When/Why/How:

This hymn is usually sung during Lent or Holy Week. It would also be a good choice for those occasions when a congregation is going through a difficult time, perhaps dealing with a tragedy to one of their members, because it reminds us where to find strength and rest.

A simple choral setting of this hymn suitable for small choirs can be found in "Hymns We Love to Sing", with an original refrain after the second and third stanzas. The collection "The Road to Redemption" includes an organ and piano duet setting of ST. CHRISTOPHER. For a trumpet solo based on this hymn, look in "Trumpet Stylings" by Jack Schrader. A moderately difficult violin solo, "Beneath the Cross/Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken" is expressive, but requires the frequent use of double stops.

Tiffany Shomsky,
Hymnary.org

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Arrangements

Store

Piano/Organ The Glory of the Cross Tell the Story (Ten Gospel Hymn Arrangements for Piano) No Stone Could Hold Him (A Dynamic Witness to the Living Rock of Our Salvation) More Piano/Organ...
Choral BENEATH THE CROSS OF JESUS No Stone Could Hold Him (A Dynamic Witness to the Living Rock of Our Salvation) Hymns We Love to Sing More Choral...
Instrumental Beneath the Cross of Jesus The Cross (A Hymn Medley for Orchestra) The Cross (A Hymn Medley for Orchestra) More Instrumental...
Handbells Beneath the Cross of Jesus Beneath the Cross of Jesus Hymns for the Church Year (Distinctive hymn settings for 2 or 3 octaves Handbells and optional Handchimes) More Handbells...
PowerPoint BENEATH THE CROSS OF JESUS (Lift Up Your Hearts 167) BENEATH THE CROSS OF JESUS (Baptist Hymnal 2008/Worship Hymnal 238) BENEATH THE CROSS OF JESUS (United Methodist 297) More PowerPoint...

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Baptist Hymnal 1991 #291

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Worship and Rejoice #255

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Trinity Psalter Hymnal (2018), p.607

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Instances

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Beneath the Cross of Jesus

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