blb/hymns/hymns_html/htm_i_h_iheardtb.html

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<h2>I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY</h2>
<p align="center"><h3>&#8220;Suddenly there was with the angel a great company of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, &#8216;Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men.&#8217;&#8221; Luke 2:13-14</h3></p>
<center><b>Hymns Supplied Through the Gracious Generosity<br>of the </b><a href="http://www.hymntime.com/tch/" target = "_blank"><b>Cyber Hymnal Website</b></a><br><br><a href="./hymns/hymns_html/cyberhymnal_info.html" target = "_blank">Information about Cyber Hymnal Website</a></center>
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<td><img src="./hymns/hymns_img/img_l_o_longfellow_hw.jpg" alt="Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)" width="114" height="144"></td>
<td><em>Words:</em> Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1864; original title: &#8220;Christmas Bells.&#8221;
<p><em>Music:</em> &#8220;Waltham,&#8221; <a href="./hymns/hymns_bio/bio_c_a_calkin_jb.html" target="_blank">John Baptiste Calkin</a>, 1872 </p><p><table><tr><td><a href="./hymns/hymns_mid/mid_w_waltham.mid" target = "_blank"><img border=0 src="./hymns/hymns_img/notes.gif"><br><b>Play MIDI</b></a></td><td>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td><a href="./hymns/hymns_html/score_info.html" target = "_blank"><b>Link to obtain<br>musical score info</b></a></td></tr></table></p>
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<li>&#8220;Mainzer,&#8221; Joseph Mainzer, circa 1845 </p><p><table><tr><td><a href="./hymns/hymns_mid/mid_m_mainzer.mid" target = "_blank"><img border=0 src="./hymns/hymns_img/notes.gif"><br><b>Play MIDI</b></a></td><td>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td><a href="./hymns/hymns_html/score_info.html" target = "_blank"><b>Link to obtain<br>musical score info</b></a></td></tr></table></p>
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<td><img src="./hymns/hymns_img/img_c_a_calkin_jb.gif" alt="John Baptiste Calkin (1827-1905)" width="133.333333333333" height="190"></td>
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<p>I heard the bells on Christmas day<br>
Their old familiar carols play,<br>
And wild and sweet the words repeat<br>
Of peace on earth, good will to men.</p>
<p>And thought how, as the day had come,<br>
The belfries of all Christendom<br>
Had rolled along the unbroken song<br>
Of peace on earth, good will to men.</p>
<p>Till ringing, singing on its way<br>
The world revolved from night to day,<br>
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime<br>
Of peace on earth, good will to men.</p>
<p>And in despair I bowed my head<br>
&#8220;There is no peace on earth,&#8221; I said,<br>
&#8220;For hate is strong and mocks the song<br>
Of peace on earth, good will to men.&#8221;</p>
<p>Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:<br>
&#8220;God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;<br>
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail<br>
With peace on earth, good will to men.&#8221;</p>
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<p class="just"><em>Historical Note</em>: This hymn was written during the American Civil War, as reflected by the sense of despair in the next to last stanza. Stanzas 4-5 speak of the battle, and are usually omitted from hymnals:</p>
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<p>Then from each black, accursed mouth<br>
The cannon thundered in the South,<br>
And with the sound the carols drowned<br>
Of peace on earth, good will to men.</p>
<p>It was as if an earthquake rent<br>
The hearth-stones of a continent,<br>
And made forlorn, the households born<br>
Of peace on earth, good will to men.</p>
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