The famous tune was most probably composed by a Garo Christian (a tribe of reputed headhunters in the North-Eastern part of the state of Meghalaya, India, formerly part of the state of Assam until the early 1970's) during the early part of the tribe's conversion to Christianity when Protestant missionaries from America were involved with them in the late 1800's. The traditional story concerning this song is of a family of early converts who were told that if they did not denounce Christ, the local rulers would take their lives. They refused to renounce their Faith, and were martyred seriatim in front of each other before the community. The father, who was the last to die, recited a stanza of the song before each killing. I have decided to follow Jesus, Tho' none go with me, still I will follow, The world behind me, the cross before me, No turning back, no turning back.
