Scripture Verse

Turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 1 Samuel 12:20

Introduction

Words: Ray­mond W. Dos­ter, in The Best Gos­pel Songs and Their Com­pos­ers (Dal­ton, Geor­gia: An­tho­ny J. Sho­wal­ter, 1904), num­ber 176.

Music: James M. Vines (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Dos­ter (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
James M. Vines (1866–1935)

Lyrics

Out from the hedg­es of this life,
And to the Lord your ser­vice give;
Out from the way of wrong
And go the way of hon­or;
Out from the way that is a strife,
And go the way that you should live,
Then the an­gels of the heav’ns will sing.

Refrain

Sing of His name with praise to Him,
Sing of His love and pow­er to save,
Sing of the love and glad­ness there,
Over in that home be­yond the grave.

Go ye among the ways of sin,
And throw a light to some poor soul,
Over the dark­ness of this life
’Twill shine the bright­est;
Into some heart a light with­in
Would be a lov­ing, kind pa­trol,
Leading him in­to the home of homes.

Refrain

Then your re­ward will be with Him
Whose light shall shine for­ev­er more,
Over the toils of life
You’ll say ’tis well for­ev­er;
Into a world that ne’er shall end,
And where you’ll walk the gold­en shore,
Singing prais­es with the an­gels fair.

Refrain