Ira Stanphill was preaching in a revival meeting in Kansas City, Missouri.As was his custom, he asked the people to submit suggested song titles while the congregation sang. As the choir presented their favorite selections, he would proceed to write a gospel song, using as the title one of those submitted by the audience.
On this particular Sunday morning, the people submitted about fifty ideas. Stanphill quickly thumbed through the titles and saw the words, Room at the Cross for You. They struck a responsive chord and before the service was complete, he had given to the world a memorable song to fit that title.
There’s room at the cross for you,
There’s room at the cross for you;
Though millions have come,
There’s still room or one,
Yes, there’s room at the cross for you.
Some time later, a despairing young man, bent on taking his own life, found himself walking one day near a church where service was being conducted by evangelist Willard Cantelon.
That night, Al Garr was directing the music for the service. The troubled young man had a gun in his pocket and was making his way toward a high bridge, not too far from the church. His intention was to shoot himself near the edge of the bridge, letting his body fall into the water.
As he passed the church, he heard Al Garr singing There’s Room at the Cross for You. He was so gripped by its message that he made his way into the church, postponing his mission of horror.
There he found Christ as his Savior and was rescued from personal and spiritual disaster. He later studied for the ministry and became an evangelist. A motion picture has been made of his life since that notable day when ‘Room at the Cross’ pointed him to Christ.
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