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Advent Hymnals

Christ in Song 403

NEVER TURN BACK

Words: F. E. BeldenMusic: F. E. Belden

Studio

1Fleeing from the gloom there's where I would so safely dwell,
Designing the path between not where we dwell the Cross;
Choosing the darkest way, for that way leads to hell,
With a distance here's a message from the Lord to loss.

RefrainNever turn back, never turn back, never turn back,
Never turn back, never turn back, never turn back,
Never turn back, never turn back, trust God ev - er ry...

2Why should I turn back, give up the Crown,
Cast, Climbing worn and weary, till He - fore - tell try Hill;
Hey! Fighting the dread way, trust my God to own,
Hey! Looking for the blood-stained footprints on the way.

Used by permission of Review & Herald Pub. Co.

The verse

Meter
13.13.12.13
Foot
trochaic (DUM-da) · 44% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABAB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

Fleeing from the gloom there's where I would so safely dwell,/˘˘˘///˘˘˘/˘/13A
Designing the path between not where we dwell the Cross;˘/˘˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/13B
Choosing the darkest way, for that way leads to hell,/˘˘/˘/˘˘//˘/12A
With a distance here's a message from the Lord to loss.˘˘/˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘/13B

Verse 2

Why should I turn back, give up the Crown,/˘˘///˘˘/9A
Cast, Climbing worn and weary, till He - fore - tell try Hill;//˘/˘/˘/????//14B
Hey! Fighting the dread way, trust my God to own,//˘˘///˘/˘/11C
Hey! Looking for the blood-stained footprints on the way.//˘˘˘////˘˘/12D

Refrain

Never turn back, never turn back, never turn back,/˘///˘///˘//12A
Never turn back, never turn back, never turn back,/˘///˘///˘//12A
Never turn back, never turn back, trust God ev - er ry.../˘///˘/////˘?13B

Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.