My new favourite Christmas carol

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This has been a quiet morning ... and so far, a quiet afternoon as well and I am thankful to God for this. It has enabled me to spend time correcting and working on my carol sheet chords as I am the sole guitarist for our carolling team (tonight and tomorrow afternoon / night). As I think of Christmas and our purpose for going carolling (to share the Christmas story via Scripture and song) to different groups on non Christians, I found myself wishing that we could add this carol onto our carol sheet. But it's not exactly a crowd favourite ...

Anyway this carol, "I heard the bells on Christmas Day" is fast becoming my favourite Christmas carol. The tune and lyrics have never failed to move me since I first took the time to sit down and listen to it (surprisingly only last year!). Last Sunday I closed my Advent sermon with this youtube clip of the song (below). Not my favourite version of the song as I like the traditional version but I liked the video adaption (images)

Here's a site that tells the story behind the carol

"Christmas Bells"
(The original poem, complete with all seven stanzas)

"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!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, 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!

Then from each black accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
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!"



Okay, back to work ... still need to put in more work on my Sunday sermon. And if I fail to blog for a while ... hope you have a blessed Christmas!!

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