Is this the way this is usually done?  I am more familiar with double stemming, or using  small notes to show differences of this kind. If you are innovating, be aware that there might be confusion and questions to be answered, 

I’m with John on this. As a choral director, I get too many scores nowadays where I look and say, “What the hell was this arranger thinking?” Then I have to explain such nonsense to my singers. 

It’s ok to leave a blank space under a note for additional verses and let the singers understand there is a rest. People have been doing this for hundreds of years without being confused. In Finale, this is done with a hard space.

What would Elaine Gould say?

Not exactlymsure what you want. An eighth test in the lyrics themselves? Or, how to set up the,notation to indicate a difference in the lyric verses? 

… I do not want to place the rest in the staff, but just in the lyrics …

Inserting the rest character in the lyrics has its own problems - since the Lyrics Tool is not designed for that.

One problem is the rest character’s baseline which may not work well with the Lyrics baseline.

Instead I would add the rest with the Expression Tool.

In that way you have full control over everything: font, size, positioning (vertically and horizontally).

I’ll agree with Peter, adding that the font size you choose may make the expression character too small to see. Insert a hard space, and add the expression rest later. 

I appreciate the input, but what you are really saying is that Finale cannot insert an eighth rest into the lyrics. I have seen a few rare hymns that included it, so I know it can be done, just not with Finale. The reason for the insertion in the second stanza is for an effect in the message conveyed. Thanks for your consideration in this matter.

No, we are not saying that. We are questioning the use.

This is exactly what I want to do. Can you show me how?

I inserted a hard space in the lyric. Then, I selected the hard space, and in the Text menu, I selected the font Finale Maestro Text. Again in the text menu, Insert Symbol... will open the Symbol Selection. Locate and select the eighth rest. It will show in the score as a question mark in a box. Select that, go back to the text menu, and change the font to Finale Maestro Text. You may have to fool with the size.

Is this the way you want it sung, or would you want the syllable "can" to be held for the two, eighth note duration?

If I had my druthers, I would do it this way:

Mike, I did exactly as you said, but it does not show a box with a question mark; it shows nothing. The result I am looking for is found in your post from three hours ago.

I am working with Finale 27.0.0.782. Would that make a difference?

It shouldn’t. I used 27.3 for my example, but I don’t think that would matter.

Drop me an email, and maybe we can do a zoom. My email is encoded in my signature.

I would definitely update to 27.3 before exploring what Finale can and can-not do. You are three bug fixes behind.

If you are working with a publishing house, chances are really good that an editor would dismiss MikeR's first example out of hand. Just because one can do something doesn't mean that one should. The rest, if required, goes in the music and it's ok to make it small. You can even surround it with parentheses to announce that it doesn't always apply (if the house editor will let you get away with that) but it is redundant.

Frankly, I don't like his second example, either. With the melisma, the dotted tie is redundant. There is no singer who will get it wrong with the melisma only.

Mike, my purpose of the dashed slur is really meant to represent a tie. That would indicate a single pitch, either sung as two, eighth notes or one quarter, but not an eighth and a rest.

Okay, my friends, I updated to 27.3 and came up with the same results. But I think I know why we can't get on the same page: Did I tell you that I am using a Mac as opposed to a PC? I bet that's the problem...

Nope. I’m on a Mac, as well. Like I said, if you contact me, I’ll try to help you out.

Thanks so much for all the time you invested in my dilemma! Andrew G. was able to give me the answer with this link: 

https://www.loom.com/share/465208949049460a922c902cbb0b056f

You guys are the best!

I want to keep the score the same, as it will be used for the other stanzas. I only want to use the eighth rest in the second of the four stanzas. Therefore, I do not want to place the rest in the staff, but just in the lyrics. As an example, in Word for Windows, you can change the font for a single character. Can that be done in Finale?