Beneath the Cross of Jesus Elizabeth C. Clephane, 1872
3 verses, sung to St. Christopher (7.6.8.6.8.6.8.6), public domain, free to print and project.
The words
Verse 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.
Verse 2. Upon that cross of Jesus
Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One
Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart with tears
Two wonders I confess,—
The wonders of his glorious love
And my unworthiness.
Verse 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.
Words copied from New Baptist Hymnal (1926). They were published in 1872, so they are in the public domain in the United States, and your church may print them, show them and sing them without a license.
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The story behind Beneath the Cross of Jesus
Elizabeth C. Clephane wrote Beneath the Cross of Jesus in Scotland. Hymnary dates the text to 1868. She died on February 19, 1869, and her hymns appeared after her death in The Family Treasury, a Scottish Presbyterian magazine. The series ran from 1872 to 1874 under the title Breathings on the Border, and this hymn was in the first group. Discipleship Ministries says an anonymous person sent the lines in with a note describing the hopes of a young Christian lately released from this life. The hymnologist J. R. Watson recorded the note. Clephane was the third daughter of Andrew Clephane, Sheriff of Fife. She lived near Edinburgh in frail health and helped the poor and sick. Her neighbors in Melrose called her the Sunbeam. Ira Sankey printed the hymn in 1873 in Sacred Songs and Solos, alongside her poem about the ninety and nine. He also wrote a tune named CLEPHANE. Churches sing it to ST. CHRISTOPHER, which Frederick C. Maker of Bristol wrote in 1881 for the supplement to the Bristol Tune Book. Hymnary says the hymn is always sung to that tune. The words are quiet and personal, and churches use them most often in Lent and Holy Week.
Elizabeth C. Clephane
1830-06-18 to 1869-02-19
Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane was born in Edinburgh on June 18, 1830, the third daughter of Andrew Clephane, Sheriff of Fife. She died on February 19, 1869, at Bridgend House near Melrose. Her health was frail, and she spent her energy helping the poor and sick of her town. Her neighbors in Melrose called her the Sunbeam. Most of her hymns appeared after her death in the Scottish magazine The Family Treasury, from 1872 to 1874, under the title Breathings on the Border. Ira Sankey printed two of them in Sacred Songs and Solos in 1873, Beneath the Cross of Jesus and The Ninety and Nine.
Frederick C. Maker
1844 to 1927
Frederick C. Maker was born in Bristol, England, in 1844 and died in 1927. He trained as a chorister at Bristol Cathedral and spent most of his career as an organist and choirmaster in Methodist and Congregational churches in Bristol. His longest post was at Redland Park Congregational Church from 1882 to 1910. He conducted the Bristol Free Church Choir Association, served as a visiting professor of music at Clifton College, and wrote hymn tunes, anthems and a cantata, Moses in the Bulrushes. His tune ST. CHRISTOPHER, written for the 1881 Bristol Tune Book supplement, appears in about 500 hymnals.
- Hymnary.org, text Beneath the Cross of Jesus , read 2026-10-16
- History of Hymns: Beneath the Cross of Jesus (Discipleship Ministries) , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org, Elizabeth C. Clephane , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org, tune ST. CHRISTOPHER , read 2026-10-16
Scripture in Beneath the Cross of Jesus
The Bible passages behind the words, with the verse of the hymn that draws on each.
- Isaiah 32:1-2
- Psalm 91:1 In verse 1 of the hymn
- Galatians 6:14 In verse 14 of the hymn
- Matthew 11:28-30
Beneath the Cross of Jesus videos
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Beneath The Cross Of Jesus (Hymn 286) | Grace Community Church Congregation & Orchestra Hymns of Grace, Congregation
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Beneath the Cross of Jesus (Metropolitan Tabernacle) Martijn de Groot, Congregation
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Beneath the Cross of Jesus (The Hastings College Choir) HastingsCollege, Choir
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Beneath The Cross of Jesus | Piano Instrumental Hymn with Lyrics | Family Worship | Hymn Sing-Along O Sunshine, Piano
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Beneath the Cross of Jesus | Reawaken Hymns | Official Lyric Video Reawaken Hymns, Modern arrangement
Videos play from YouTube, and nothing loads from YouTube until you press play. A video may sing different verses from the ones printed on this page.
Downloads, printing and slides
Sheet music files
- Sheet music PDF 107 KB. Words and all four parts, ready to print.
- Lead sheet PDF 87 KB. Melody, words and chord symbols for piano or guitar.
- MusicXML score XML 77 KB. Opens in MuseScore, Finale, Sibelius and Dorico to change the key or print parts.
- MIDI, all parts MIDI 2 KB. Plays the four-part harmony in any MIDI player or notation app.
- MIDI, melody only MIDI 1 KB. The tune alone, for learning it.
Practice tracks for each voice part, as MIDI: Alto , Tenor , Bass .
Chords and keys
Hymnals print it in D♭, D or C.
Questions people ask
Who wrote Beneath the Cross of Jesus?
Elizabeth Clephane wrote the words, and Frederick Maker wrote the tune ST. CHRISTOPHER in 1881.
What is the story behind Beneath the Cross of Jesus?
Clephane died in 1869, and her hymns appeared after her death in The Family Treasury under the title Breathings on the Border. This hymn was in the first group, printed in 1872.
What tune is used for Beneath the Cross of Jesus?
Frederick Maker wrote the tune ST. CHRISTOPHER, and Hymnary says the hymn is always sung to it.
What key is Beneath the Cross of Jesus in?
Hymnary lists D-flat major for ST. CHRISTOPHER. The 2008 Baptist Hymnal prints it in C, and some hymnals use D or E-flat.
Is Beneath the Cross of Jesus in the public domain?
Yes. The words were first published in 1872 and the tune in 1881, and both are public domain in the United States. Modern arrangements may be copyrighted.
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