Near The Cross

“Near The Cross” was written by none other than hymn-writing royal, “Fanny Crosby.” Published in 1869, it is one of over 8,000 gospel songs she would write in her lifetime.

Crosby is known for her unique hymn-writing ability, painting vivid word pictures despite being blind since she was 6 weeks old. This ability is supported by her incredible capacity for memory. By age 10, she was memorizing five chapters of the Bible each week. Five years later, she had committed to memory the Pentateuch, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, many of the Psalms, and all four Gospels. At this time, she enrolled in the New York Institute for the Blind, where she studied for 8 years. Following that, she became a teacher of English grammar, rhetoric, and history. Since Braille had just been developed, Crosby never used the system. Instead, she would dictate to various transcribers. One of them, an assistant teacher at the time, would later become known as President Grover Cleveland. This, however, wasn’t her first brush with politics. At the age of 23, she became the first woman to speak on the floor of the U.S. Senate, lobbying for education funding for the blind. Her desire to serve the poor and needy became her main focus later in life, despite her natural success in hymn writing.

This particular hymn began with a melody. This wasn’t necessarily an unknown way of writing for Crosby, but it certainly wasn’t common. She remarked upon hearing the tune that it reminded her of the cross. She began to write as she always did, with prayer. From there, the words flowed. It’s interesting to note that this hymn was written at the same time as another very popular hymn of hers, titled “Rescue The Perishing.” During this time in her life, she was deep into her mission work in New York.

Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain;
Free to all, a healing stream,
Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.

Refrain:
In the cross, in the cross
Be my glory ever,
Till my ransomed soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

The refrain gives us the powerful theme of the glory and centrality of the Cross of Christ. Christianity doesn’t exist without the cross. Of Christianity, C.S. Lewis writes, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” Paul writes in Galatians 2:20 (ESV), “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the Bright and Morning Star
Shed His beams around me. [Refrain]

Near the cross! O lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadow o’er me. [Refrain]

Near the cross! I’ll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever;
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river. [Refrain]

D.L. Moody recognized Crosby’s amazing talent in hymn writing and assisted in the publishing of her hymns throughout her life. He once asked her if she had been disappointed with God because of her blindness. She replied, “When I get to heaven, the first face that will ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior.”

We have more sight into the world than ever before in history. We can see nearly any point of God’s creation through the technology available at our fingertips. Even with that sight and the knowledge it brings, we are incomplete. Our completion is only possible through the cross.

Crosby puts it so beautifully in the fourth stanza.

Near the cross! I’ll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever;
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.