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There is a verse of poetry that is often shared on social media and attributed to B.B. Warfield. It comes from “The Dogmatic Spirit,” an article which first appeared in The Presbyterian Journal, October 11, 1894, and was reprinted in Selected Shorter Writings of Benjamin B. Warfield, Vol. 2, p. 667.
A Christless cross no refuge is for me;
A Crossless Christ my Savior may not be;
But, O Christ crucified! I rest in thee.
Apart from the center alignment, perhaps, Warfield did not indicate whether this was his poetry or that of another, but this poem had in fact been published before 1894 under a different name. In this writer’s attempt to trace the poem’s origins, it appears to have been attributed to two poets before Warfield.
In He Giveth Songs: A Collection of Religious Lyrics (1881) by W.M.L Jay (pseud.), A.E. Hamilton and Others, this verse appears under the title “The Cross.” It is attributed to A.E. Hamilton, who is Anna Elizabeth Hamilton, Irish poet (1843-1875 or 1876). The second edition of this work — under the title At the Evening Time and Other Poems (1892) — also credits A.E. Hamilton for this poem. Likewise, it is attributed to Hamilton in Edward D. Boylston’s The Cross of Christ: A Poem (1882). In The Pilgrim’s Staff or Daily Steps Heavenward by The Pathway of Faith (1897) by Rose Porter, the same poem is attributed to C.M. Noel, who is Caroline Maria Noel, English poet (1817-1877). Noel was one of the poets included in He Giveth Songs. Therefore, the likely author of these verses appears to be Anna Elizabeth Hamilton.
The words as she appears to have written them are:
A CHRISTLESS cross no refuge were for me;
A crossless Christ my Saviour might not be;
But, O Christ crucified, I rest in Thee!
These beautiful lines fit Warfield’s Christocentric thought perfectly, and they are worthy to be remembered. It is clear, though, that this poem predates Warfield’s use of it in “The Dogmatic Spirit.” Warfield himself was an accomplished poet, as we have seen before. Many of his poems are available to read at Log College Press. So it is worth remembering who actually wrote these verses, and the poet appears to be Anna Elizabeth Hamilton. If further research leads to a different assessment, please feel free to comment and share any additional information. In the meantime, let us meditate on the message of the poem: rest in Christ alone!
