Countless New Bernians who are
no longer among the living, and
thousands of others who still re
main on this sphere we call the
earth, have had their hearts enrich
ed with the spiritual beauty of “The
Old Rugged Cross.”
Its composer, the Rev. George
Bennard, held evangelistic services
here in the not-s^istant past, at
the Tabernacle Baptist church and
the Salvation Army. His presence
didn’t create much of a stir, and
as preachers go, this inconspicious
little man could hardly be classed
as outstanding in the pulpit.
Comparatively few folks in our
historic first Stat^ Capital heard
his sermons, and fewer still were
emphatically impressed. This is a
statement of fact. Maybe, it should
have been different, but that is the
way it was.
Admittedly, Rev. Bennard was
well along in years when he visit
ed New Bern, and it might have
been that his ability as a deliverer
of the gospel had been more pro
nounced during his younger days.
One distinction he could certain
ly claim, right up to his obscure
death at Reed City, Michigan, on
October 11. He had written what
most Protestants for almost half a
century generally agreed was the
moved beloved of all hymns.
Millions were enriched religious
ly by its melody and its lyrics. If
ever words fitted music to master
ful perfection, such was the case
when the Youngstown, Ohio, native
penned his unforgettable hymn.
- Usually the hymns sung at fune-
rala are those that were considered
favorites of the departed. lii Vome
instances they are the favorites of
those who are left to -mourn. No
other hymn, perhaps, has been used
more universally in these times of
bereavement than “The Old Rugged
Cross.”
Protestants, almost without ex
ception, associate the hymn with
their acceptance of Christ as their
risen Savior. Their earliest remem
brance of it came, if they were
blessed with Christian parents, at
their mother’s knee.
Like their childhood prayer—
“Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep”—
and their first childhood hymn.—
“Jesus Loves Me, This I Know”—
the moving passages of “The Old
Rugged Cross” endured for a life
time.
Rev. Bennard was a Salvation
Army officer and soldier for 15
years before he wrote his master
piece for the ages. It was composed
two years after he gave up his com
mission as an adjutant in that
highly respected cause.
Boyhood was no frolic for him.
At the age of 15 he was working
in coal mines to help-support his
widowed mother and five brothers
and sisters. He joined the Salvation
Army in 1895, three years later
became an officer, and immediate
ly began travelling the Midwest to
conduct revival meetings.
Rev. Bennard’s inspiration for
his great hymn came from John
3:16, regarded by ministers and
laymen alike as the most beautiful
and most significant passage in the
Bible.
According to Bennard, he saw
Christ and the cross inseparable,
while praying for a full under
standing of the cross and its plan
in Christianity. He started the
words of his hymn while holding
evangelistic services in Michigan,
and completed the composition aft
er a series of revival meetings in
New York.
. Bennard, like the rest of us,
was not without human frailty.
This writer discovered that fact in
disturbing fashion while conduct
ing- a USD quiz show for service
men during World War II.
The hymn writer was in the au
dience. We introduced him, know
ing that these boys who were head
ed for Pacific action from which
(Continued on back page)
The NEW BERN
5^ Pei
VOLUME I
NEW BERN, N. C„ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1958
NUMBER 30
CHARM IN A STORM—High water along East Front Street,
like we had in recent days, has its advantages for those
who have a yen to go wading. These New Bern girls forgot
about glamour to make the most of their opportunity. Nat
urally, The Mirror had a camera on the scene.—Photo by
Billy Benners.
Birthday of United Nations
’This is United Nations Day, in
New Bern and around the world.
Governor Luther Hodges has so
proclaimed it for the State, and
Mayor Robert L. Stallings, Jr., has
issued a similar proclamation for
our city.
Various civic-clubs and religious
groups hereabouts are placing em
phasis on Mhe occasion, while
schools throughout New Bern and
Craven county are stresang inter
national brotherhood in classrooms
and assemblies.
Typical of the varied observances
is the United Nations’ birthday
party that the Methodist Youth Fel
lowship at Centenary Methodist
church will have tomorrow.
Planned by the Intermediates,
most of whom were born just
about the time that the United Na
tions came into being, the party
will have refreshments usually
served in foreign lands.
Today; at their noon luncheon
meeting, New Bern Civitans will be
treated to a talk on the United
Nations by one of its members,
Ken Margolis. Monday night the
Lions club, meeting in regular
weekly session, heard the observ
ance covered by a fellow Lion, Al
bert T. Willis, Jr.
Tonight, at 6:30, the New Bern
Rotary club will present a special
half-hour program on Radio Sta
tion WHIT, entitled “A Statement
of Account.” This feature will re
call the establishment of the world
orangization in 1945, during the
closing months of World War II.
Starring one of America’s most
distinguished actors, Ralph Bella
my, the documentary will review
some of the achievements of the
United Nations, and set forth those
things Which still have to be
achieved.
Whatever the failures and in
adequacies of the United Nations
have been in the past, thinking New
Bernians are unanimously agreed
on the urgent need for such a body.
And, here in our own communi
ty, there has been ample proof
for almost 250 years that people
of all nationalities can live to
gether in peace and understand
ing.
Certainly if they can live to
gether in harmony in a single Com
munity, they can find mutual re
spect and common freedom in the
world at large. Hence, any and all
(Continued on back page)
Centenary's Discarded Bell
Clings to a Forgotten Past
Time has long since claimed
old Centenary Methodist church,
a stately wooden structure that
stood on New street across from
the Academy green.
Abandoned when a new edifice
was erected by the congregation at
the corner of New and Middle
streets, a little less than half a
century ago, it became in its last'
unlamented days an unsightly and
partly dismantled storehouse for
cotton.
Old tinkers who brought their.,
babes there for christening, their
brides for marriage, and their dead
for last rites weren’t around to
gineve at its final passing. They too
had passed into oblivion.
One relic, undaunted by the ele
ments, remains however, and you’ll
find it at the rear of the Jim
Blades home on East Front street.
It’s the grand old bell that once
rang joyously and tolled mournful
ly from the steeple of 'a church
house that was doomed to die.
Church-goers of a new era were
n’t enthusiastic about steeples and
bells. The\ are even less enthusias
tic today, for that matter. Hence,
it took no great persuasion to ob
tain the Centenary beU for a little
Negro church that the late J. Ver
non Blades endowed in Bridgeton.
That place of worship is now
gone too, and the bell’s only ring
ing today is done by children of
the neighborhood, who occasionally
expend their energy to make it
give forth a startling peal.
Somewhere in this community,
or the world, there must be some-
onfb who want.' a church bell. Some-
vihere there must be a need of at
least a yearning for the clarion call
of a religious symbol such as this.
Until that day comes, an historic
bell that rang at the wedding of
many a leading New Bernian, and
gave ’'cnt to solemn tones at his
passing, will remain unwanted, un-
honorod and unsung.
—Photo by John R. Baxter.