Memories of the Past

Memories of the past come swell­ing

O’er the graves of by­gone years;

Scenes of joy and sor­row tell­ing

Sun and shadow

smiles and tears.

Merry shouts of joy and glad­ness

Ring out from the sha­dowy past

While the mourn­ful tones of sad­ness

Wail like win­ter’s shi­ver­ing blast.

Many a loved one fond­ly cher­ished

Calmly in the churc­hyard sleeps;

Many an or­ange flower has per­ished

Many a wil­low sad­ly weeps.

Many a voice has ceased its sing­ing

But in bright­er

fair­er skies

Where Heav­en’s har­mo­nies are ring­ing

Joins that song that nev­er dies.

Yet we feel that hov­er­ing near us

Spirits of the saint­ed dead

From the dim past come to cheer us

With their guard­ian wings out­spread.

Thus do me­mo­ries come press­ing

On the track of by­gone years:

And though sor­row came with bless­ing

Smiles are glist­en­ing through the skies.

Bless to us past mer­cies giv­en

Bless to us this fes­tal day

Show us all the road to Heav­en

Lead us in the shin­ing way.

Just be­yond death’s nar­row riv­er

Heav’n’s own glo­ries on us shine;

Father! grant that there

for­ev­er

We may sing of love di­vine.