To Miss Victoria Wilson
"The Old Church" (29 Dec 1847)
Words by Dr. John C. McCabe
Music by John Hill Hewitt, 1801-1890

Baltimore, MD: F. D. Benteen
Plate No. 1090
[Source: 431120@LoC]

1. 
’Tis sad to see thy crumbling walls, 
Where the lone ivy twineth; 
Where dusky bat to owlet calls, 
And ghostly moonlight shineth; 
Where night wind sighs to creaking  vane, 
And the cold lizard creepeth 
O’er fallen door and damp stone floor, 
Where toad and adder sleepeth. 

[Refrain] [repeat after each verse]
Old crumbling pile! 
Old crumbling pile!

2.
Two hundred years are past and gone,
Since first thy bell in gladness,
The forest thrill’d with silvery tone,
Or pealed its dirge of sadness.
Since holy Priest in snowy stole;
First told salvation’s story,
And weeping crowd, in prayer was bow’d.
And thou seemed’st filled with glory.

3.
They’re gone, they’re gone thou lonely one,
The loved, the fondly cherished!
Some wore the christian victor’s smile,
Some in their young pride perished.
The loved, and lost ones are at rest,
Beneath thy shaddow sleeping;
The turf be blest, above each breast,
Where thou thy watch art keeping!