Lift High the Cross | Arranged for congregation, choir, brass, timpani, percussion & organ

• Lift High the Cross
• Arranged for congregation, choir, brass quintet, timpani, percussion, and organ by PJ Janson
• St James’ Anglican Church, Vancouver, BC, Canada
• Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, 2017
• http://www.stjames.bc.ca


Lift High the Cross was originally written as a processional hymn for a festival service held in Winchester Cathedral (Hampshire, England) in 1887 by George William Kitchen. The hymn highlights a key feature of processionals, as in leading the procession the crucifer holds the cross high, showing the meaning of the Cross as a sign of victory as well as a sign of salvation that will draw us all to Christ.

The music for the hymn was written by Sir Sydney Nicholson in 1916 which, according to hymnologist JR Watson, shows ‘a fine sense of the potential of the words, the relatively subdued melody of the verses contrasting with the spectacular refrain.’ It captures the two images onto which the hymn is based, with the verses written in a minor key, and glorious refrain in a major key.

The first image of the hymn comes from a vision Constantine the Great had in 312. According to the Greek historian Eusebius, Constantine saw with his own eyes in the heavens a trophy of the cross arising from the light of the sun, carrying the message, In Hoc Signo Vinces or “with this sign, you will conquer.”

The second image is rooted in St John 12 : 32, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me,” which is wonderfully expressed in verse four of the hymn : “O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree, as thou hast promised, draw us all to thee.”

In this arrangement, composed specifically for the induction of The Revd Canon Kevin Hunt at St James' Anglican Church, the centrality of the cross is clearly reflected in its chiastic structure, meaning the verses are balanced around verse 4 with its core message and radiate outwards in mirrored form.

The significance of Lift High the Cross is well summarised by Tracy Moffatt : “We are a resurrection people, and we are not travelling this road alone. Jesus speaks the words ‘take up your cross and follow me’ to the disciples and the crowd — to all people. He speaks those words to us! In fact, the word ‘follow’ in Hebrew means ‘to take the same road as another does.’ It does not mean walk behind all alone but rather it means to walk alongside, to accompany another person. Or a whole congregation full of people.”