When Brother Dick led the congregation in singing last week, he would never know how his selection of this song would bless me this year.
It is not one of the more popular Christmas Songs, but as I sang the song I did something I don’t always do I’m sorry to say.
I took note of the words.
This song, indeed, fits the times in which we live.
I looked at the bottom of the page and saw that the words had been written by the famous American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
I went home and did some research.
I discovered that hymn books remove two of the verses that were originally written by the famous poet.
The verses are removed because they have references to the American Civil War.
Mr. Longfellow wrote the poem on Christmas Day in 1864, when the war had affected nearly everyone in the country.
Unfortunately, the great poet was no exception.
Three months after the war had begun, in July of 1861, tragedy struck the Longfellow family.
On July 9, 1861, Fanny was attempting to preserve locks of her daughter’s hair in a packet using hot sealing wax near an open window.
Her lightweight dress suddenly caught fire and quickly engulfed her in flames.
Hearing her screams, Henry rushed in from the next room and tried desperately to smother the fire with his own body
Fanny suffered catastrophic burns and died the following day.
Henry was severely burned on his face, hands, and arms, leaving him with permanent scars that prevented him from shaving.
Deeply traumatized and grief-stricken, Henry poured his sorrow into his work years later. 
Henry had experienced a great loss earlier in his life.
In October 1835, while traveling in Europe, his first wife, Mary Potter Longfellow, suffered a miscarriage at six months.
She never recovered from the ordeal and died in Amsterdam a few weeks later in November 1835 at just 22 years old.
Years later Henry experienced another tragic event.
Charles, Henry’s oldest son, a lieutenant in the Army of the Potomac, was severely wounded in the Battle of New Hope Church.
Charles is best known for running away to fight in the American Civil War and for his extensive travels in Asia.
This happened the month before Christmas in 1863.
It is no surprise there is no entry in Mr. Longfellow’s journal for the Christmas of 1863.
Still grieving over the events of the past few years, Henry put his famous pen to paper on Christmas Day in 1864.
This poem is the result.
Jean Baptiste Calkin added the music in 1872.
Mr. Longfellow heard his words in music for a decade, until his death in 1882.
The words have inspired many, as they have me in 2010.
May God give you a peace that passes all understanding this Christmas season, just like He did to Mr. Longfellow on that Christmas day long ago.
Chris Reimers
(Composed on Christmas Day, 1864)
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.
I thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th’ unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men
And in despair I bowed my head: “ There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For Hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men
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!
————————————————————–
“I Heard the Bells” with commentary by Pastor Bill Mitchell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUdAo3N0iEA
“I Heard the Bells” by Rod Kim (Operation Christmas Child)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_IXSiHF4cU
The story behind “I Heard the Bells”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvJdmMG6VWk
Johnny Cash sings “I Heard the Bells”
This is Sarah McLachlan’s version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn_1-z0d7iQ
I HEARD THE BELLS
December 24, 2010When Brother Dick led the congregation in singing last week, he would never know how his selection of this song would bless me this year.
It is not one of the more popular Christmas Songs, but as I sang the song I did something I don’t always do I’m sorry to say.
I took note of the words.
This song, indeed, fits the times in which we live.
I looked at the bottom of the page and saw that the words had been written by the famous American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
I went home and did some research.
I discovered that hymn books remove two of the verses that were originally written by the famous poet.
The verses are removed because they have references to the American Civil War.
Mr. Longfellow wrote the poem on Christmas Day in 1864, when the war had affected nearly everyone in the country.
Unfortunately, the great poet was no exception.
Three months after the war had begun, in July of 1861, tragedy struck the Longfellow family.
On July 9, 1861, Fanny was attempting to preserve locks of her daughter’s hair in a packet using hot sealing wax near an open window.
Her lightweight dress suddenly caught fire and quickly engulfed her in flames.
Hearing her screams, Henry rushed in from the next room and tried desperately to smother the fire with his own body
Fanny suffered catastrophic burns and died the following day.
Henry was severely burned on his face, hands, and arms, leaving him with permanent scars that prevented him from shaving.
Deeply traumatized and grief-stricken, Henry poured his sorrow into his work years later.
Henry had experienced a great loss earlier in his life.
In October 1835, while traveling in Europe, his first wife, Mary Potter Longfellow, suffered a miscarriage at six months.
She never recovered from the ordeal and died in Amsterdam a few weeks later in November 1835 at just 22 years old.
Years later Henry experienced another tragic event.
Charles, Henry’s oldest son, a lieutenant in the Army of the Potomac, was severely wounded in the Battle of New Hope Church.
Charles is best known for running away to fight in the American Civil War and for his extensive travels in Asia.
This happened the month before Christmas in 1863.
It is no surprise there is no entry in Mr. Longfellow’s journal for the Christmas of 1863.
Still grieving over the events of the past few years, Henry put his famous pen to paper on Christmas Day in 1864.
This poem is the result.
Jean Baptiste Calkin added the music in 1872.
Mr. Longfellow heard his words in music for a decade, until his death in 1882.
The words have inspired many, as they have me in 2010.
May God give you a peace that passes all understanding this Christmas season, just like He did to Mr. Longfellow on that Christmas day long ago.
Chris Reimers
(Composed on Christmas Day, 1864)
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.
I thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th’ unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men
And in despair I bowed my head: “ There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For Hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men
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!
————————————————————–
“I Heard the Bells” with commentary by Pastor Bill Mitchell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUdAo3N0iEA
“I Heard the Bells” by Rod Kim (Operation Christmas Child)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_IXSiHF4cU
The story behind “I Heard the Bells”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvJdmMG6VWk
Johnny Cash sings “I Heard the Bells”
This is Sarah McLachlan’s version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn_1-z0d7iQ
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