Let the Bells Ring!

One Christmas I found these angels in front of a house. I loved the display!

I love to hear church bells ring. I just have to stop and listen, enjoying the sound. YouTube has several videos if you want to take a moment and enjoy the sound.

Last Sunday we sang the carol "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," during the worship service. Before singing, we were told the story behind this song. I enjoy reading how a song is conceived. What circumstances brought the words to the hymnist. Tom Stewart shared these words of how this Carol came to be.

"I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet the words repeat

Of peace on earth, good will to men."

"One ofAmerica's best known poets, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow contributed to the wealth of carols sung each Christmasa season when he composed the words to "I Heard the Bells on Christ Day" on December 25th, 1864," Stewart wrote.

"The carol was originally a poem, 'Christmas Bells,' . . . and were penned when America was months away from Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court house. This poem reflected the prior years of the war's despair, while ending with a confident hope of triumphant.

" As with any composition that touches the heart . . . the words flowed not only from the tragedy of the war, but the personal experience of Longfellow--involving the tragic death of his wife Fanny and the crippling injury of his son, Charles from war.

" . . . The third and fourth verse could be said of us today when our nation is divided between good and bad."

"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

'God is not dead, nor doth he sleep,

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,

With peace on earth, good will to men"

Til, ringing, singing, on its way,

The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,

Of peace on earth, good will to men!"

God is not dead. He is alive. We can enjoy much peace in our hearts knowing He is in control of all things, and His goodwill will prevail in the end.