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Advent Hymnals

SDA Hymnal 439

How Far From Home?

Words: Mary A. BakerMusic: TraditionalTune: HOW FAR FROM HOMEIrregular

Studio

1How far from home? I asked, as on I bent my steps the watchman spake:
"The long, dark night is almost gone, The morning soon will break."

2I asked the warrior on the field; This was his soul-inspiring song:
"With courage, bold, the sword I'll wield, The battle is not long."

3I asked again; earth, sea, and sun seemed, with one voice, to make me cheer:
"Which oft a healing balm has brought, And dried the mourner's tear."

4Not far from home! O blessed thought! The traveler's lonely break.
Then weep no more, but speed thy flight, With Hope's bright star thy guiding ray.
Till thou shalt reach the realms of light, In everlasting day."

Scripture
Hebrews 11:13-16; 2 Corinthians 5:6; Philippians 3:20

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
16.14
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 68% of beats fit
Rhyme
AA
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

How far from home? I asked, as on I bent my steps the watchman spake://˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘/˘/˘/16A
"The long, dark night is almost gone, The morning soon will break."˘///˘///˘/˘/˘/14A

Verse 2

I asked the warrior on the field; This was his soul-inspiring song:˘/˘/˘˘˘˘/˘˘˘????/17A
"With courage, bold, the sword I'll wield, The battle is not long."˘/˘/˘///˘/˘˘˘/14A

Verse 3

I asked again; earth, sea, and sun seemed, with one voice, to make me cheer:˘/˘///˘//˘//˘/˘/16A
"Which oft a healing balm has brought, And dried the mourner's tear."˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/14B

Verse 4

Not far from home! O blessed thought! The traveler's lonely break.˘/˘/˘//˘/˘˘/˘/14A
Then weep no more, but speed thy flight, With Hope's bright star thy guiding ray.//˘/˘///˘/////˘/16B
Till thou shalt reach the realms of light, In everlasting day."////˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/14B

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.