Objects for Devotion:

The Dr. H. Neill McFarland Cross Collection

✥  Bridwell Library Foyer  ✥

 December 2008 — May 1, 2009   

"Crusader” pendant. Silver with amethyst, from Beirut, Lebanon.

The cross has been the universal symbol of the Christian community since at least the fifth century after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Over the centuries crosses of countless kinds and materials have served as church furnishings, ceremonial implements, ornaments to be worn, or personal keepsakes, but above all else they have shared a unifying purpose as focal objects for devotional reflections on the mystery of Christ.

Dr. H. Neill McFarland served on the faculty of Perkins School of Theology for thirty-four years, from 1954 to 1988. His collection of crosses, of which only a small selection is exhibited here, includes specimens ranging in date from the early Middle Ages to the end of the twentieth century. Their geographic scope encompasses the entire reach of Christianity, including the Middle East, Africa, Europe, North and South America, and the Far East. Dr. McFarland’s interest in collecting crosses developed while he was a graduate student in world religions at Columbia University. He made his first purchases in New York City antique shops in 1952, and during his distinguished career as a professor and administrator he was able to travel extensively, enhancing his collection along the way. Many of his favorite crosses were gifts from friends, colleagues, and acquaintances met during his travels.  

For years Dr. McFarland has shared his interest in crosses through lectures, presentations, and exhibitions. Portions of his collection have been displayed at the State Fair of Texas, the Dallas Museum of Art, and SMU. One of the collector’s most prized acquisitions is the ornate Irish cross carved with intertwining snakes in the Celtic tradition, and he is pleased to note that George López (1900–1993) of New Mexico, who carved two wooden crosses in his collection, was honored in 1982 as a National Heritage Fellow by the National Endowment for the Arts. This exhibition of crosses reflects Dr. McFarland’s sensibilities as a collector and a teacher. As he wrote in a recent essay about his collection, “Discovering and acquiring a distinctive cross is – as I can attest – a personally satisfying experience. Sharing one’s find with appreciative others is even more gratifying.”

The exhibition is free and open to the public during regular library hours. For tours and further information, please call 214-768-3483.

Highlights include:

A. Irish cross with snakes. Bog oak. Purchased in London, 1957.

B. Swedish folk cross. Wood and shavings. Purchased in Taos, New Mexico, 1959.

C. Christ on the Cross, carved by George López, Córdova, New Mexico. Wood. Gift of Jerry Bywaters, c. 1975.

D. Ethiopian processional cross. Bronze. Gift of Dr. Fred Wendorf, 1971.

E. Finnish folk cross. Birch bark. Gift of Margaret Deschner.

F. “Crusader” pendant. Silver with amethyst. Purchased in Beirut, Lebanon, by the collector’s brother, George McFarland, for their mother, 1964.

G. Byzantine pendant cross. Copper. Purchased in “Copper Valley,” Ankara, 1977.

H. Byzantine seal with cross, alpha, and omega in relief. Terracotta. Purchased in Athens, 1957.

I. “Cross,” formerly used as a form of currency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Copper. Gift of John Shryock, 1955.

J. Spanish double-armed cross, with the Virgin Mary standing above a cherub’s head. Silver. Purchased in Madrid, 1971.

K. “Early Christian” oil lamp, with Chi-Rho in relief. Terracotta. Purchased in Athens, 1957.

L. Cross with Buddha. Bronze. Purchased in Kobe, Japan, 1963.

M. Cross made from the wood of a pew in Wesley’s Chapel. Oak. Purchased in London, 1971.

N. Railroad spike cross. Iron. Purchased in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

O. Brazilian “Figo” (good luck gesture) cross. Wood. Purchased in Salvador, Brazil, 1953.

P. Greek processional cross with medallions of God, the Virgin Mary, St. John the Evangelist, and the bones of Golgotha. Brass. Purchased in Jerusalem, 1957.