Why This Doleful Wail?

Why this dole­ful wail of sad­ness

Every year

ev­ery year?

Undertoning all our glad­ness

Every year

ev­ery year?

Why at fleet­ing years so fret­ful

Of the dead past so re­gret­ful

Of the liv­ing now for­get­ful

Every year

ev­ery year?

Is not God in wis­dom guid­ing

Every year

ev­ery year?

Though to us His pur­pose hid­ing

Every year

ev­ery year?

Joy there is for ev­ery sor­row

For each night a bright to­mor­row

From the past fresh strength we bor­row

Every year

ev­ery year!

Faith and hope are grow­ing strong­er

Every year

ev­ery year.

As the trod­den way grows long­er

Every year

ev­ery year.

Left be­hind the paths most drea­ry

Passed the doubts that vex and wea­ry

Brighter gleams the sun­shine cheery

Every year

ev­ery year!

Fewer cares and light­er bur­dens

Every year

ev­ery year.

Brighter hopes and tru­er guer­dons

Every year

ev­ery year.

Earthly joys may fade for­ev­er

Earthly ties to friends may sev­er

One there is more dear than ev­er

Every year

ev­ery year!

And the Fa­ther’s house is dear­er

Every year

ev­ery year.

And our lost ones com­ing near­er

Every year

ev­ery year.

Less is there be­low to charm us

Less in grow­ing old to harm us

Less do un­known days al­arm us

Every year

ev­ery year!

Let us cease then our re­pin­ing

Every year

ev­ery year.

And be­lieve the Love o’er­shin­ing

Every year

ev­ery year.

Nights be­hind us now for­get­ting

Onward press with­out re­gret­ting

To the morn that knows no set­ting

Blest New Year! Blest New Year!