“Never Alone”

"NEVER ALONE"
"…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Heb. 13:5)

     INTRO.: A song which reminds us that Jesus has promised never to leave us nor to forsake us is "Never Alone" (#488 in Sacred Selections for the Church). Most modern books identify the text as anonymous and the tune as as coming from an unknown source of the nineteenth century.  The Praise and Worship Hymnal of the Lillenas Publishing Co. has a song by Eliza Edmunds Hewitt copyrighted in 1898 with this title and the following first stanza:
"’Fear not, I am with thee’–Blessed golden ray,
Like a star of glory Lighting up my way!
Through the clouds of midnight This bright promise shown:
‘I will never leave thee, Never will leave thee alone."
The tune, which is practically identical to the one in modern books is attributed to C. F. O. and said to be arranged by William James Kirkpatrick.

     Cyberhymnal, citing Time Magazine (July 29, 1929) as it source, attributes the words that are in most modern books to Ludie Carrington Day Pickett, who was born on Mar. 31, 1867, at Bayou Tunica, LA. A teacher at Asbury College in Wilmore, KY, she was president of the Kentucky chapter of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. The date given for the song is 1897. Her other works include Careful Cullings for Children, co-authored with her husband L. L. Pickett, in 1903. She died, probably at Wilmore, KY, on Mar. 1, 1953. If the 1897 date for the song is correct, it may well be that Hewitt’s version was in imitation of Mrs. Pickett’s. Some sources identify the tune as an English melody.

     Many arrangements have been made of the song. Ira Hoffman arranged it for the Evangelical Publishing Co. of Chicago, IL, in Best Hymns No. 3. Baylus Benjamin McKinney arranged it for the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention in Broadman’s The Broadman Hymnal and Christian Praise, also in Benson’s All American Church Hymnal. Fred Jacky arranged it as found in Standard Publishing’s Favorite Hymns Revised, Tabernacle Publishing Co.’s Tabernacle Hymns, the Sword of the Lord’s Soul Stirring Songs and Hymns, and Aaron Weaver’s Zion’s Praises.  Eldon Burkwall arranged it for Singspiration’s Great Hymns of the Faith.  Uncredited arrangements appear in Tennessee Music’s 1951 Church Hymnal, Lexicon Music’s 1976 New Church Hymnal, Tempo Music’s 1996 Rejoice Hymnal, the Old School Hymnal‘s 1983 Eleventh Edition, and North Valley’s 1999 Songs and Hymns of Revival. Another version with words by V. A. White beginning, "Lonely? no, not lonely, While Jesus standeth by," and a similar tune, copyright in 1896 by George Elderkin, appeared in The Redeemer’s Praise published by Elderkin.

     As a result of all these arrangements, several variations in wording are found in different sources. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the song appeared in the 1917 Selected Revival Songs published by F. L. Rowe, in a 1900 arrangement of the words by Palmer Hartsough and the music by James Henry Fillmore; the 1940 Complete Christian Hymnal edited by Marion Davis, in an arrangement by J. E. Thomas; and the 1965 Christian Hymnsongs and the 1973 Great Inspirational Songs both edited by Albert E. Brumley. Today, it may be found in Sacred Selections in an arrangement by Vernie O. Fossett, copyrighted in 1949 by Stamps Baxter Music and Printing Co., which is also in the 2007 Sacred Songs of the Church edited by William D. Jeffcoat.

     The song seeks to bring comfort to the Christian’s mind with the knowledge that Jesus will never leave us.

I. Stanza 1 tells us that He will not leave us in life’s storms
"I’ve seen the lightning flashing, And heard the thunder roll;
I’ve felt sin’s breakers dashing, Trying to conquer my soul.
I’ve heard the voice of my Savior Telling me still to fight on;
He promised never to leave me, Never to leave me alone."
 A. The flash of lightning and the roll of thunder are often used to symbolize the trials and tribulations of life, as a ship would experience a storm upon the sea: Ps. 107:25-27
 B. Thus, the breakers dashing would represent Satan’s attempts to conquer our souls: 1 Pet. 5:8
 C. Yet, Jesus will remain with us telling us to fight on and not grow weary or lose heart: Gal. 6:9

II. Stanza 2 says that He will not leave us in times of temptation
"The world’s fierce winds are blowing Temptations sharp and keen;
I feel a peace in knowing My Savior stands between.
He stands to shield me from danger When earthly friends are gone;
He promised never to leave me, Never to leave me alone."
 A. As long as we live in this life there will be temptations sharp and keen: Jas. 1:14-15
 B. However, Jesus will stand between us and temptation to give us peace: Phil. 4:7
 C. His purpose in this is to shield us from danger and make a way of escape: 1 Cor. 10:13

III. Stanza 3 says that He will not leave us when in affliction
"When in affliction’s valley I’m treading the road of care,
My Savior helps me to carry My cross when heavy to bear.
My feet, entangled with briars, (Are) ready to cast me down;
My Savior whispers His promise, Never to leave me alone."
 A. Everyone experiences a certain amount of affliction in this life, including Christians: 1 Thess. 1:6
 B. However, Jesus will help us to carry the cross that He has commanded us to bear: Matt. 16:24
 C. Even when are feet are entangled with briars and ready to cast us down, He promises that He will be with us: Matt. 28:20

IV. Stanza 4 says that He will not leave us in sin
"He died for me on the mountain, For me they pierced His side;
For me He opened the fountain, The crimson, cleansing tide.
For me He’s waiting in glory, Seated upon His throne;
He promised never to leave me, Never to leave me alone."
 A. We know that He does not want to leave us in sin because He died for us on the mountain of Calvary: 1 Cor. 15:3
 B. As a result, He opened a fountain that is for our cleansing from sin: Zech. 13:1
 C. Thus, He is now waiting in glory, seated upon His throne to make intercession for us: Heb. 7:25

V. Stanza 5 says that He will not leave us in eternal punishment
"He gives me the sweet promise That He will come again.
And when He reigns in glory, And I to heaven attain,
I shall in that dear country Be numbered with His own,
And live with Him forever, Never, no, never alone."
 A. One way that Jesus is with us is through His sweet promise that He will come again: Jn. 14:1-3
 B. And He promises that just as He sat down with His Father on His throne, those who overcome will sit with Him on His throne: Rev. 3:21
 C. Therefore, we have the hope of escaping eternal punishment and being numbered with the righteous in that dear country: Rev. 22:1-5

     CONCL.: The chorus re-emphasizes the fact that Jesus has promised never to leave us as long as we serve Him faithfully to the best of our ability.
"No, never alone! No, never alone!
He promised never to leave me, Never to leave me alone.
No, never alone! No, never alone!
He promised never to leave me, Never to leave me alone."
All Christians face various trials, temptations, afflictions, and other difficulties in this life. However, it is a source of great comfort and strength to know that our Savior, who died to save us and wants us to go to heaven with Him, will leave us "Never Alone."