For a Smile

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In this world of sin and strife, In this cold and stormy life

Author: James Rowe
Tune: [In this world of sin and strife] (Marks)
Published in 14 hymnals

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 In this world of sin and strife,
In this cold and stormy life,
Where we see so much of trouble all the while;
There are those who, day by day,
Tread a lonely, friendless way,
Vainly waiting, vainly watching for a smile.

Refrain:
For a smile, for a smile,
They are waiting, they are watching for a smile;
For a smile, for a smile,
They are waiting, they are watching for a smile.

2 Friends to help them they have had,
Whose sweet voices made them glad,
As their music would the weary hours beguile;
One by one they all have gone,
Left alone to wander on,
Vainly waiting, vainly watching for a smile. [Refrain]

3 Heavy burdens press them down,
Stormy skies above them frown,
And the path seems growing darker ev'ry mile;
No one points them to the throne,
So they wander all alone,
Vainly waiting, vainly watching for a smile. [Refrain]

Coronation Hymns, 1910

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Author: James Rowe

Pseudonym: James S. Apple. James Rowe was born in England in 1865. He served four years in the Government Survey Office, Dublin Ireland as a young man. He came to America in 1890 where he worked for ten years for the New York Central & Hudson R.R. Co., then served for twelve years as superintendent of the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society. He began writing songs and hymns about 1896 and was a prolific writer of gospel verse with more than 9,000 published hymns, poems, recitations, and other works. Dianne Shapiro, from "The Singers and Their Songs: sketches of living gospel hymn writers" by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (Chicago: The Rodeheaver Company, 1916) Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	In this world of sin and strife, In this cold and stormy life
Title:	For a Smile
Author:	James Rowe
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	For a smile, for a smile
Copyright:	Public Domain