December 2
Suggested Goal: Reflect on your
testimony today, what can you do to make it brighter?
Story/Thought:
Longfellow's Christmas/Christmas Bells – Edward Herrman told this story at a Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. Here is the link for the concert video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXfzp296zhA
“Christmas Bells” is a minor, yet well known, poem written by a very melancholy Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Christmas Morning in 1863 during the midst of the Civil War. It is anti-slavery poem as well as a seasonal favorite.
The poem was written six months after the battle of Gettysburg, where 40,000 soldiers lost their lives. In addition to despairing over the bloody war, Henry was also mourning the death of his beloved wife Fanny Appleton Longfellow. Fanny died in a tragic fire the same year that the Civil War broke out.
In November on 1862 another personal tragedy added to his plan. His son, Union Lieutenant Charles Appleton, was wounded in the Army of the Potomac. On Christmas morning in 1883, while sitting at his desk at the Craigie House in Cambridge, MA, Henry was inspired to write a poem as he listened to the church bells pealing. Their constancy and joyous ringing inspired him to write “Christmas Bells”. In spite of his sadness, Longfellow expresses his belief in God and innate optimism that indeed:
God is not dead; nor doth he sleep
Longfellow's Christmas/Christmas Bells – Edward Herrman told this story at a Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. Here is the link for the concert video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXfzp296zhA
“Christmas Bells” is a minor, yet well known, poem written by a very melancholy Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Christmas Morning in 1863 during the midst of the Civil War. It is anti-slavery poem as well as a seasonal favorite.
The poem was written six months after the battle of Gettysburg, where 40,000 soldiers lost their lives. In addition to despairing over the bloody war, Henry was also mourning the death of his beloved wife Fanny Appleton Longfellow. Fanny died in a tragic fire the same year that the Civil War broke out.
In November on 1862 another personal tragedy added to his plan. His son, Union Lieutenant Charles Appleton, was wounded in the Army of the Potomac. On Christmas morning in 1883, while sitting at his desk at the Craigie House in Cambridge, MA, Henry was inspired to write a poem as he listened to the church bells pealing. Their constancy and joyous ringing inspired him to write “Christmas Bells”. In spite of his sadness, Longfellow expresses his belief in God and innate optimism that indeed:
God is not dead; nor doth he sleep
The Wrong shall fail;
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to
men!Sometime after 1872,
Longfellow's poem was adapted into a Christmas Carol. John B.
Caulkin (1827-1905) was a famous English composer who set the lyrics
to a gentle, melodic tune which is reminiscent of bells ringing. The
carol is entitled “I heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”
Alternative tunes have been written for the lyrics but Caulkin's
melody remains predominant.
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!"
"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!"
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!"
No comments:
Post a Comment