Lake Park Cemetery Trustee Mark Luke, left, stands with Dr. Charles Wilkins, a newspaper letter writer who wrote about the Gospel hymn “The Old Rugged Cross” and its Youngstown native author ...

I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown.” George Bennard lived his retirement years in Reed City, Michigan, and passed away there in 1958.

The hymn "The Old Rugged Cross" has stood the test of time, being performed and recorded by numerous gospel and county music artists over the years since it was composed in 1913. But a museum ...

When polls are taken to determine the most popular American hymns, invariably near the top of the list is "The Old Rugged Cross." It has been the most favored of the approximate 300 songs written ...