Bruton Church

And now, my friend of memories,I'll wake the echoes with refrain,The echoes known to every heart,"Never again! Never again."Echoes from the old Welsh mountains,Echoes from Great Britain's shore,Echoes from the land of Baldwin,The old time echo, "Never more."Echoes from Denbigh Plantation,Echoes from Point Comfort shore,Echoes from the Old James River,Echoes we seek to hear once more.Echoes from the Mississippi,Echoes from the Tappan Zee,Echoes from the Rappahannock,They call to you—they call to me.

Let us listen to the voices,In this our year of jubilee,The echo call to Founders kin,The echo of Eternity.From the Old James we answer back,Names we love "Over the River,"The friends of many memories.And render thanks to the Great GiverFor life and love of those who sleep,In Hollywood under the trees,The Holy City on the James,The Mecca Shrine of Memories.

"There is nowhere a land so fairAs old Virginia.So full of song, so free from careAs old Virginia.

And I believe that happy landThat God prepared for mortal manIs built exactly on the planOf old Virginia.

The roses nowhere bloom so white,As in Virginia,The sunshine nowhere seems so brightAs in Virginia,The birds sing nowhere quite so sweet,And nowhere hearts so lightly beat,For heaven and earth do seem to meetDown in Virginia.

The days are never quite so longAs in Virginia,Nor quite so filled with happy songAs in Virginia,And when my time shall come to die,Just take me back and let me lieClose where the James goes rolling byDown in Virginia."