KNEEL AT THE CROSS

 1924

Here’s a clear history of the hymn “Kneel at the Cross”—one of those classic Southern gospel hymns you might hear in small churches, revivals, or hymn-singing gatherings:

🕊️ Who wrote it?

• “Kneel at the Cross” was both written and composed by Charles Ernest Moody (October 8, 1891 – June 21, 1977), an American gospel songwriter and musician from Georgia.

🎼 About Charles E. Moody

• Moody grew up in Georgia, studied music in Georgia and North Carolina, and served as a music director at his local Methodist church.

• He also played with a popular secular string band called the Georgia Yellow Hammers in the late 1920s and early 1930s, and wrote more than a hundred gospel songs that became staples of Southern gospel music.

📜 When was it written and published?

• Most sources trace the song’s origins to the mid-1920s (around 1924).

• Some hymn sources list a 1948 publication date, which may reflect a widely circulated or re-published edition of the song rather than its first creation.

🎶 What’s the message?

• The hymn is an invitation and encouragement for people to kneel before Jesus’ sacrifice at the cross—a symbolic act of surrender, trust, and turning one’s life over to Christ.

• The repeated refrain—“Kneel at the cross, Jesus will meet you there”—reinforces the idea that at the cross, Christ meets us with forgiveness, comfort, and new life.

📖 How it spread

• “Kneel at the Cross” became popular in Southern gospel circles and was included in many hymnals used by churches throughout the 20th century and beyond.

• Over the years, different editors sometimes placed the hymn in various sections (e.g., invitation songs vs. prayer songs), but its central theme—submission to Christ and coming for help at the cross—remained the heart of it.