1 Back to the Bible, the true Living Word,
Sweetest old story that ever was heard;
Back to the joy-life my soul longs to know,
Bethel is calling, and I must go.
Chorus:
Back to Bethel I must go,
Back where the rivers of sweet waters flow,
Back to the true life my soul longs to know,
Bethel is calling, and I must go.
2 Back to the beautiful path I once trod,
Back to the church and the people of God.
Out of the cold world of sin and its woe,
Bethel is calling, and I must go. [Chorus]
3 Back to the giving of money and time,
Back to the life of contentment sublime,
Back to protection the world cannot know,
Bethel is calling, and I must go. [Chorus]
4 Back to the prayer-life in Christ I once knew,
Back to its beautiful life-cleansing dew,
Back to help others to conquer each foe,
Bethel is calling, and I must go. [Chorus]
Source: The Christian Hymnary. Bks. 1-4 #874
Pseudonyms--
Martha Annis (his mother’s maiden name was Martha Annis Heflin)
Otto Nellen
Gene Routh (his wife’s maiden name was Leila Irene Routh)
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Son of James Calvin McKinney and Martha Annis Heflin McKinney, B . B. attended Mount Lebanon Academy, Louisiana; Louisiana College, Pineville, Louisiana; the Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas; the Siegel-Myers Correspondence School of Music, Chicago, Illinois (BM.1922); and the Bush Conservatory of Music, Chicago. Oklahoma Baptist University awarded him an honorary MusD degree in 1942.
McKinney served as music editor at the Robert H. Coleman company in Dallas, Texas (1918–35). In 1919, after several months in the army, McKinney returned to Fort Wor… Go to person page >
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