Down at the Cross ~ Glory to His Name

As I have reflected upon before, some songs from childhood are specifically sweet to remember. Today’s hymn, known by two different names in various hymnals, stirs my heart. I remember singing this hymn many times as a child and teenager. My Uncle Henry would often lead this song right before the baptismal service. As a congregation, we would reflect on what had happened to us at the cross while bringing glory to Jesus’ name.

The music for this hymn moves quickly. In all three versions below from YouTube, you can sing along and enjoy how fast this song moves. This hymn helps get an old heart pumping in praise.

Down at the Cross ~ Glory to His Name Lyrics

The Theology

There are fewer things more enjoyable than singing about the cross of Jesus Christ and the benefits of the cross as they are applied to the believer. In this hymn, everything good about the cross is praised. The hymn begins with contemplation and concludes with invitation.

In the first verse, the cross is remembered as the place where salvation and cleansing from sin was sought. In the second verse, the resultant relationship with Jesus is lifted up – His presence and His salvation. As it transitions to the third, the hymn stresses the salvation that is offered through Jesus on the cross as the precious fountain that saves from sin. In the final verse, the invitation is given to everyone to come to the sweet fountain of salvation for all.

After each verse the refrain takes us from focusing on the cross to focusing on our Savior Jesus Christ who died there. “Glory to His Name!” At the cross the blood was applied to each person who has sought forgiveness through Jesus Christ. What more could we do than sing, “Glory to His Name!”?

The Author

Elisha Albright Hoffman, author

Elisha Hoffman (1839-1929) after graduating from Union Seminary in Pennsylvania was ordained in 1868. As a minister he was appointed to the circuit in Napoleon, Ohio in 1872. He worked with the Evangelical Association’s publishing arm in Cleveland for eleven years. He served in many chapels and churches in Cleveland and in Grafton in the 1880s, among them Bethel Home for Sailors and Seamen, Chestnut Ridge Union Chapel, Grace Congregational Church and Rockport Congregational Church. In his lifetime he wrote more than 2,000 gospel songs including “Leaning on the everlasting arms” (1894). The fifty song books he edited include Pentecostal Hymns No. 1 and The Evergreen, 1873.[2]

 

Enjoy This Media

Some groups singing the song from YouTube:

Here are the Gaither’s Homecoming Group singing an upbeat version of this song.

Here’s a version from Gospel Music Hymn Sing with Gerald Wolfe.

Classic congregational singing of all verses.

 

Here is the earliest published copy of the song from Spiritual Songs for Gospel Meetings and the Sunday School, song #70 from 1878 [4]:

 

Here is a more modern version from my childhood hymnbook Favorite Hymns of Praise #188 [6]:

 

---

Link to Other Blogs in this Series