The Old and the New

1 The Old, Old Year with its joys and its sorrows,
Its cloudy to-day and its sunny to-morrow,
The songs that we sung, and the tears that we shed,
The pleasant, the painful, like shadows have fled;
The pleasant, the painful, like shadows have fled.

Chorus:
Farewell, Old Year, thou canst no longer stay;
With silent tread we see thee pass away.
But as thou departest, our song shall be,
Father, mother, sister, brother,
A happy New Year to thee, to thee,
A happy New Year to thee.

2 The sweet Spring flow'rs, and the Summer's gay blooming,
Rejoicing the heart, and the wildwood perfuming,
The Autumn's ripe fruits, and the Winter so drear,
Were footprints of Love as it walk'd with the Year.
Were footprints of Love as it walk'd with the Year. [Chorus]

We'll grateful be for the care of the father,
As gladsome and gay in the dear home we gather;
And tendrills, the strongest that love ever knew,
Shall cling round the mother so tender and true;
Shall cling round the mother so tender and true. [Chorus]

4 We'll guard the heart-loving sister and brother,
Lest some jealous for our affection may smother;
Our pathway will yield both its thorns and its flowers,
But love burning brightly shall ever be ours.
But love burning brightly shall ever be ours.

5 Farewell, Old Year, with thy joys and thy sorrows,
Thy frowning to-days and thy smiling to-morrows;
Thy mission is ended, and empty thy throne,
We'll crown the New Year with its future unknown:
We'll crown the New Year with its future unknown.

Source: Light and Life: a collection of new hymns and tunes for sunday schools, prayer meetings, praise meetings and revival meetings #92