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Chaplain’s Corner: Christmas Bells

  • Published
  • By Chaplain (Capt.) Ken Thornton
  • Tinker Chapel
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., --  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) is one of America's best remembered poets of the past. He composed the words to one of my favorite Christmas carols, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," on Dec. 25, 1864. This carol was originally entitled, "Christmas Bells," which contained seven verses, two of which referred to the American Civil War, and were later omitted from the carol. The remaining five verses were slightly rearranged in 1872, and make up what we now know as "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day."

"Christmas Bells" was Longfellow's heartfelt response to his own personal tragedies of the horrible death of his wife, Fanny, and the critical war injury of his son, Charles. Longfellow married Frances Appleton on July 13, 1843, and Charles was born June 9, 1844. The couple eventually had five children. Interestingly, the Longfellows' third child was delivered while Fanny was under the influence of ether, an early use of this anesthetic.

On April 12, 1861, Confederate Gen. Pierre G. T. Beauregard fired the first salvos of the American Civil War at Fort Sumter. Shortly thereafter, on July 10, Fanny Longfellow was fatally burned in an accident. It is said that, after trimming some of her seven year old daughter's curls, Fanny decided to preserve the clippings in sealing wax. A few drops of the sealing wax fell on her dress. A strong breeze caused the hot wax on Fanny's dress to catch fire, wrapping her in flames. She ran to the next room, where Henry tried desperately to put out the flames. Finally, he threw his arms around his wife, attempting to smother the fire. His own face, arms and hands were burned in his heroic attempt to save his wife's life. Fanny died the next day.

Longfellow wrote on the first Christmas after Fanny's death, "How inexpressibly sad are all holidays." A year later, he wrote, "I can make no record of these days. Better leave them wrapped in silence. Perhaps someday God will give me peace." Longfellow's journal entry for Dec. 25, 1862, reads: "'A merry Christmas' say the children, but that is no more for me."

Almost a year later, Longfellow received word that his oldest son Charles, now a lieutenant in the Army of the Potomac, had been severely wounded in the battle of New Hope Church, Virginia, a part of the Mine Run Campaign. Lieutenant Charles Longfellow was shot through the left shoulder, the bullet traveling across his back, nicking his spine, and exiting under his right shoulder. He missed being paralyzed by less than an inch. On Dec. 1, 1863, Longfellow received word of Charles' serious injury. The Christmas of 1863 had no entry in Longfellow's journal.

A year later, on Christmas Day in 1864, Longfellow penned the poem, "Christmas Bells." Charles did not die the previous Christmas, but died of pneumonia many years later on April 13, 1893. The writing of "Christmas Bells" took place as Longfellow sat nursing Charles back to health and giving thanks for his survival.

As we sing or read the carol, we are reminded, as was Longfellow, that, "God is not dead, nor does He sleep." The Psalmist writes in Psalm 121:4, "Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." (Psalm 121:4). Longfellow, in the midst of his grief, loss and misery affirms that "The wrong shall fail, the right prevail."

The song is a message of hope that the living God is a God of peace, in which Longfellow proclaims at the end of the carol, "Of peace on Earth, good will to men."

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!
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!" 

Merry Christmas and a safe and happy holidays to all. And, may the Prince of Peace grant you His peace! "Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14).