A Bygone Year

A year

ano­ther year is fled;

Its is­sues who can tell?

Millions of voic­es of the dead

Reply from Heav’n or hell.

All these were liv­ing at the birth

Of the de­part­ed year;

They all have van­ished from the earth

We fill their plac­es here.

Though to the eye

the ear

the mind

Of man their speech is sealed

Th’eter­nal mean­ing each may find

In two plain words re­vealed.

Lost spir­its

from the dark ab­yss

Cry mourn­ful­ly Be­ware!

Spirits in glo­ry

and in bliss

Sing joy­ful­ly Pre­pare!

Thus time­ly warned

and moved with fear

Of wrath

let us be­ware;

For life or death

in this new year

For earth and Heav’n pre­pare.

Who then of those with us

this day

In child­hood

youth

or age

To love the Lord our God can say

We all our hearts en­gage.