Seth Parker's Hymnal ‎#194

194. The Vacant Chair

1 We shall meet, but we shall miss him,
There will be one vacant chair;
We shall linger to caress him,
When we breathe our ev'ning pray'r.
When a year ago we gathered,
Joy was in his mild blue eye,
But a golden cord is severed.
And our hopes in ruin lie.

Chorus:
We shall meet, but we shall miss him,
There will be one vacant chair;
We shall linger to caress him,
When we breathe our ev'ning pray'r.

2 At our fireside sad and lonely,
Often will the bosom swell
At remembrance of the story
How our noble Willie fell;
How he strove to bear our banner
Thro' the thickest of the fight,
And uphold our country's honor
In the strength of manhood's might. [Chorus]

3 True, they tell us wreaths of glory
Evermore will deck his brow,
But this soothes the anguish only
Sweeping o'er our heart strings now.
Sleep today, O early fallen,
In thy green and narrow bed;
Dirges from the pine and cypress
Mingle with the tears we shed. [Chorus]

Text Information

• First Line: We shall meet, but we shall miss him
• Title: The Vacant Chair
• Author: H. S. Washburn
• Refrain First Line: We shall meet, but we shall miss him
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1930

Tune Information

• Name: [We shall meet, but we shall miss him]
• Composer: George F. Root
• Incipit: 55556 55155 55652
• Key: A♭ Major