Authored by Fanny Crosby ,I have enjoyed singing Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross, as far back as I can remember. It’s a simple tune written by W. Doane and was a song requested of Ms. Crosby. 
Fanny Crosby was a prolific hymn writer with over 8,000 hymns to her credit. She became blind at a young age and was educated at the New York Institute for the Blind. Being taught to sing spurred on her interest in writing her own music. She was a friend of many presidents and worked hard to improve conditions for the blind. She is credited with saying that blindness was a gift, for if she could see, she might become distracted from writing hymns. She wrote hymns until about a year before she passed away. She was much influenced by the revivals sweeping the nation at the time. For more information on Fanny Crosby click here.
Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain
Free to all, a healing stream
Flows from Calvary’s mountain.
Refrain
In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.
Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the bright and morning star
Sheds its beams around me.
Refrain
Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day,
With its shadows o’er me.
Refrain
Near the cross I’ll watch and wait
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.
Refrain
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