From the Lester S Levy Collection of Sheet Music:


GENTLY DOWN THE STREAM OF TIME
Words and music by Maj. J. Barton
Marshall, Mich: J. S. White & Co., 1870.

1. Gently down the stream of time floats our bark toward the sea;
Sweetly peals the ev'ning chime; hear it echo wild and free.
Friends have gone, ties have been broken, fears and doubts and hopes sublime,
Careless words, tho' idly spoken, lie sleeping 'neath the sea of time.
Careless words, tho' idly spoken, lie sleeping 'neath the sea of time.

CHORUS: Gently (gently down) the stream of time (the stream of time)
Floats our bark (floats our bark) toward the sea (toward the sea)
Sweetly peals (sweetly peals) the ev'ning chime (the evening chime)
Hear its echo (echo) wild and free (wild and free).

2. Yonder on the golden shore, forms unseen are chanting low,
Strains we loved in days of yore, memories of long ago.
Voices now are hush'd forever, tears and flowers strew their graves,
And this mighty rushing river buries all beneath its wave.
And this mighty rushing river buries all beneath its wave.