To Mr. & Mrs. William Courtney
"Watchman! What of the night?" (16 Feb 1884)
A Sacred Song
For Soprano or Tenor in F
and Contralto or Baritone in Db.
Composed by J. Remington Fairlamb

New York: William A. Pond & Co., 25 Union Sq.
Chicago: Chicago Music Co., 152 State St.
Plate No. 11107
Engraver: Hounslow of New York.
[Sources: 1884-02621@LoC & 1884-03438@LoC]

1. Say, Watchman! What of the night? 
Do the dews of the morning fall? 
Have the orient skies a border of light, 
Like the fringe of a fun’ral pall? 
[The Watchman answeres.]
“The night is fast waning on high, 
And soon shall the darkness flee; 
And the morn shall spread o’er the blushing sky, 
And bright shall its glories be, 
And bright shall its glories he.” 

2. But, Watchman! What of the night? 
When sorrow and pain are mine, 
And the pleasures of life so sweet and bright, 
No longer around me chine? 
[The Watchman answers.]
“That night of sorrow thy soul 
May surely prepare to meet, 
But away shall the clouds of thy heaviness roll, 
And the morning of joy be sweet, 
The morning of joy be sweet.” 

3. But, Watchman! What of the night? 
When the arrow of death is sped? 
And the grave, which no glim’mring star can light, 
Shall be my sleeping bed? 
[The Watchman answers.]
“That night is near, and the cheerless tomb 
Shall keep thy body in store, 
Till the morn of eternity rise on the gloom, 
And night shall be no more, 
Till the morn of eternity rise on the gloom 
And night shall be no more, shall be no more!”