Take Up Thy Cross, the Savior Said

Keeping up my tradition of posting a hymn on Good Friday, here's today's:

"Take up thy cross," the Saviour said,
"If thou wouldst My disciple be;
Take up thy cross with willing heart,
And humbly follow after Me."

Take up thy cross; let not its weight
Fill thy weak soul with vain alarm;
His strength shall bear thy spirit up,
And brace thy heart and nerve thine arm.

Take up thy cross; nor heed the shame,
And let thy foolish pride be still;
Thy Lord refused not e'en to die
Upon a cross, on Calvary's hill.

Take up thy cross, then, in His strength,
And calmly sin's wild deluge brave;
'Twill guide thee to a better home,
It points to glory o'er the grave.

Take up thy cross, and follow on,
Nor think till death to lay it down;
For only he who bears the cross
May hope to wear the glorious crown.