Cross against evening clouds

Thursday
As I walked into church this evening for bell practice, the cross on top of our new sanctuary caught my eye set against the rose-tinted clouds, and it brought to mind the Easter hymn:

In the cross of Christ I glory,
Tow'ring o'er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.

When the woes of life o'er-take me,
Hopes deceive and fears annoy
Never shall the cross forsake me:
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.

When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds more luster to the day.

The cross is lit at night, and can be seen from quite a distance.

The words of the hymn were written by John Bowring who was born in Exeter, England in 1792. He was considered to be a remarkable man of his day, as well as one of the greatest linguists who ever lived. Before he was sixteen years old he had mastered five languages without the aid of a teacher. It is said that he could converse in over 100 languages before his death! Throughout his life he was noted as a biographer, naturalist, financier, statesman and philanthropist. He served two terms in the House of Commons and in 1854 was appointed governor of Hong Kong. Yet despite his many accomplishments, including thirty six volumes of published works, John Bowring is known today primarily as the author of this simply stated hymn text - the words are also inscribed on his tombstone.

In the States, the hymn is generally sung to the tune Rathbun by Ithamar Conkey, born in Massachusetts in 1815. Its composition provides another interesting story. One Sunday in 1849 Conkey walked out of the morning service at Central Baptist Church, Norwich, Connecticut, where he was choir director and organist, frustrated because only one choir member had come for the morning service, a faithful soprano by the name of Mrs. Beriah S. Rathbun. The next Sunday the minister preached a Lenten message on the words of Christ on the cross. One of the hymns to be sung was Bowring's "In the Cross of Christ I Glory." Later that day Conkey's discouragement changed to inspiration, and he composed a new tune for that text, which he named after that one faithful soprano.

One year ago: Meet Teddy, service dog!