It never fails. I get the eye roll from my colleagues at school. Students walk by my room, some in disbelief, some in childlike amusement, and others in sheer annoyance. I am talking about November 1st. What is so special about that date? It is the date that I begin playing Christmas music in my classroom. For the last 5 days, we have explored the sights of Christmas, the iconic images that makes Christmas elicit such warm and happy feelings. Now, it’s time to move on to our next segment. For the next five days, I want to spend a few minutes with you as we look at the sounds of Christmas and how this has spawned itself into its own genre of music. We will take a backstage look at the sounds that elicit that Christmas spirit in all of us. 
It is very hard to think of Christmas and especially Christmas music without thinking about the bells. Bells have been the hallmark of the Christmas season. Almost anywhere you go, you hear the sounds of bells ringing, whether it is in the local church or one of the fine people who ring for the Salvation Army. Bells have solidified their position as a Christmas fixture. Bells have a long standing tradition dating back to pagan times during the winter solstice and other pagan festivals. These bells were originally used to ward off evil spirits. Bells, however, didn’t get tied to the Christian church until the 5th century with none other than St. Patrick. As one of the stories go, St. Patrick, on a missionary trip to Emerald Island, would use it to signal the people to gather for the Gospel lesson. The use of this bell became synonymous with God’s work and the tradition has spread to churches all over the world who still ring bells to signal a specific time or the start of a service. In fact, the word clock comes from the Medieval Latin word clocca, which means bell.
So, as I was thinking about the sounds of Christmas and what I might use to incorporate bells into this grouping of posts, I came across a story that intersects with a time period of history of which I am very familiar- the American Civil War. What I came across was actually a poem written in 1863 titled Christmas Bells. The poem tells of the despair felt by the writer as he hears the bells ring on Christmas day.
“And in despair I bowed my head; “There is no peace on earth,” I said; “For hate is strong, And mocks the song”
Those words are not from someone who is enjoying the moment. The truth is, those words came from a man who had recently lost his wife in a freak fire accident in 1861, only to find that his son had joined the Union Army against his wishes. This despair was only perpetuated when he learned his son was severely wounded at the Battle of New Hope Church, Virginia, in late 1863. Through that despair, however, it gave us one of the greatest Christmas poems of all time, and eventually, one of the classic Christmas carols of all time. You see, the author of Christmas Bells is none other than the famous poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It was Longfellow who lost his wife after her dress caught fire, and it was Longfellow who’s son was severely wounded in battle. Why haven’t you heard of it before? Oh you have. Longfellow’s poem was set to music in 1872 and became the classic Christmas Carol I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. So, tonight, I will leave you with the great lyrics of this magnificent song of despair turned to hope turned to the realization that God is not dead, even amidst the American Civil War:
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.”
In Christ Alone,
Rev. Bro. Coach
Sources:
Angie Mosteller: http://www.celebratingholidays.com/?page_id=1524.
Lyrics to I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day accessed through http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Heard_the_Bells_on_Christmas_Day
RBC 