No cross for me, O bless­èd Lord and Sav­ior?
No cross for me, when Thou Thine own didst bear,
At mid­night hour with­in the gar­den kneel­ing,
While pi­ty­ing stars be­held Thy ang­uish there.

Refrain

There is a cross, and glad­ly I ac­cept it;
There is a war­fare with a host of sin;
But Thou has oped the gate of life eter­nal,
And Thou wilt let Thine own dear child­ren in.

No cross for me, when Thou the King of glo­ry,
The Well-Be­loved, the Fa­ther’s on­ly Son,
Didst with Thy blood atone for all trans­gress­ions?
For Thou hast tast­ed death for ev’ry one.

Refrain

No cross for me? shall I on Pis­gah’s mount­ain
Content abide, from care and tri­al free?
Ah, no, but thro’ the wil­der­ness of sor­row,
Tho’ pierced with thorns, my feet shall fol­low Thee!

Refrain

Take up the cross if thou art My dis­ci­ple!
Deep in my soul I hear Thy words of love:
Take up the cross, and when the war is ov­er,
Home, rest, and crown, with end­less joy above!

Refrain