I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" Resonates with Personal Tragedy

The Story Behind Longfellow's Christmas Carol and Its Message of Peace

Dec 18, 2024

Recently, our daughter-in-law, Andria, and our granddaughter, Hannah, sang the Christmas carol, "I heard the bells on Christmas Day,"1 as a special music in our church service. The words touched me

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet their songs repeat
Of peace on Earth, good will to men

And the bells are ringing (peace on Earth)
Like a choir they're singing (peace on Earth)
In my heart I hear them (peace on Earth)
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

But the bells are ringing (peace on Earth)
Like a choir singing (peace on Earth)
Does anybody hear them? (Peace on Earth)
Peace on Earth, good will to men

Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep
(Peace on Earth)
(Peace on Earth)
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on Earth, good will to men

Then 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

And the bells, they're ringing (peace on Earth)
Like a choir they're singing (peace on Earth)
And with our hearts, we'll hear them (peace on Earth)
Peace on Earth, good will to men

Do you hear the bells, they're ringing? (Peace on Earth)
The light, the angels singing (peace on Earth)
Open up your heart and hear them (peace on Earth)
Peace on Earth, good will to men

Peace on Earth
Peace on Earth
Peace on Earth,
good will to men

What touched me the most was that Andria shared the story of how the carol was written.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow experienced a great deal of personal tragedy during the Civil War. He wrote the poem on Christmas Day, 1864, in the heart of the Conflict.

His wife Fanny died after her dress caught fire on July 9, 1861.
Longfellow was also severely burned on his face and hands as he tried to put out the fire and save his wife.
Grief-stricken, Longfellow was so severely burned that he was unable to attend his wife's funeral.
He grew a white beard because the scaring from the burns made it almost impossible to shave.
His 18-year-old son Charles was seriously wounded in battle and nearly paralyzed.
Longfellow was a widowed father of six children.
Longfellow was severely torn as a strong abolitionist, wanting slavery to end. when he wrote the poem just six months after Gettysburg.
The words shift from doubt to faith.
Don't forget that about 750,000 soldiers died before the war was over.

There can only be peace on earth when the Prince of Peace comes to rule and reign because men constantly seek to be the best and the strongest. There seems always to be a war between people and nations, each fighting to put the other down and be number one.

But peace is coming through Jesus Christ and is available today if you trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior. The peace of God can rule in your heart today while we await the coming of the Prince of Peace.

I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day Lyrics: Casting Crowns - Absolute Lyrics. http://www.absolutelyrics.com/lyrics/view/casting_crowns/i_heard_the_bells_on_christmas_day