Beneath the Cross of Jesus by Elizabeth C.

Clephane

427
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.

Upon the cross of Jesus,

Mine eyes 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 own worthlessness.

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 or loss;
My sinful self my only shame,
My glory all the cross.

This meaningful hymn was written by a frail Scottish, Presbyterian woman,

who, despite her physical frailties, was known throughout her community
for her helpful, cheery nature. Elizabeth Cecilia Douglas Clephane, one of
the few women hymn writers of Scotland, was born in Edinburgh but grew
up in Melrose.

Her father was a county sheriff and her mother a descendant of the famous
Douglas family. Elizabeth was one of the sisters, but she was known as the
delicate, retiring member of the family. Yet within the limits of her strength
she served the poor and sick of the community, and she and her sisters
gave to charity all they did not require for their daily needs. Throughoutthe
Melrose area, Elizabeth was affectionately known to the townspeople as
“the sun beam”. Elizabeth enjoyed writing poems and had several
published in a Scottish Presbyterian Magazine entitled The Family
Treasury.

“Beneath the Cross of Jesus” was written by Miss Clephane in 1868, one
year before her death. It is obvious that Elizabeth, like most Scottish
Presbyterians of her day, was an ardent Bible student for her hymn is
replete with Biblical symbolism and imagery. For example, in stanza one:

For example in stanza one, the reference to:

“The Mighty Rock” is taken from Isaiah 32:2
“The weary land” is taken from Psalm 63:1
“Home within the wilderness” is taken from Jeremiah 9:2
“Rest upon the way” is taken from Isaiah 28:12
“Noontide heat” is taken from Isaiah 4:6
“Burden of the day” is taken from Matthew 11:30.

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who
are being saved it is the power of God.”
-1 Corinthians 1:18