![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.chimeworks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/d1ec36018d2c8b9f574dc4f7d6428954.image_.140x200-e1513797993740.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Bells are a familiar symbol of the Christmas season.\u00a0 From sugar cookies to holiday decorations, the recognizable shape resonates the joy of Christmas.\u00a0 For handbell and handchime ensembles, no season is busier as eager listeners revel in their festive sounds.<\/p>\n
The use of bells dates back to pagan times when they were used to ward off evil spirits.\u00a0 However, through the centuries, they have become closely associated with the Christian church. It was St. Patrick who initially used bells in the 5th<\/sup> century to gather people together in order to preach the Word of God.\u00a0 Irish missionaries continued the practice around the globe and by the 8th<\/sup> century, bells were closely associated with the Church.<\/p>\n Bells have multiple uses as their ringing reverberates various messages across the land:\u00a0 to call a gathering; to announce a festival; to warn of danger; to celebrate the living; to pause in our daily activities to pray; to remember a significant occurrence; and to mourn those we have lost to name a few. At Christmas, bells ring to announce the birth of Christ and His presence in the world!<\/p>\n One of the most famous examples of taking this glorious symbol and using it to ring a message so true is the poet, Henry Wordsworth Longfellow (1807 \u2013 1882), who penned his famous poem, Christmas Bells, during the American Civil War.<\/p>\n Christmas Bells<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u00a0Heard\u00a0the bells on Christmas Day And thought how, as the day had come, Till ringing, singing on its way, Then from each black, accursed mouth It was as if an earthquake rent And in despair I bowed my head; Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: Bells are a familiar symbol of the Christmas season.\u00a0 From sugar cookies to holiday decorations, the recognizable shape resonates the joy of Christmas.\u00a0 For handbell and handchime ensembles, no season is busier as eager listeners revel in their festive sounds. The use of bells dates back to pagan times when they were used to ward … Continue reading Why Bells at Christmas?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[46],"tags":[48,47,49],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chimeworks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chimeworks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chimeworks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chimeworks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chimeworks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=304"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.chimeworks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":310,"href":"https:\/\/www.chimeworks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304\/revisions\/310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chimeworks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=304"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chimeworks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=304"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chimeworks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=304"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nTheir old, familiar carols play,
\nAnd wild and sweet
\nThe words repeat
\nOf peace on earth, good-will to men!<\/p>\n
\nThe belfries of all Christendom
\nHad rolled along
\nThe unbroken song
\nOf peace on earth, good-will to men!<\/p>\n
\nThe world revolved from night to day,
\nA voice, a chime,
\nA chant sublime
\nOf peace on earth, good-will to men!<\/p>\n
\nThe cannon thundered in the South,
\nAnd with the sound
\nThe carols drowned
\nOf peace on earth, good-will to men!<\/p>\n
\nThe hearth-stones of a continent,
\nAnd made forlorn
\nThe households born
\nOf peace on earth, good-will to men!<\/p>\n
\n“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
\n“For hate is strong,
\nAnd mocks the song
\nOf peace on earth, good-will to men!”<\/p>\n
\n“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
\nThe Wrong shall fail,
\nThe Right prevail,
\nWith peace on earth, good-will to men!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"