Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Luke 2:14
Words: Frank L. Stanton, arranged by Charles Pollock in Songs of Grace and Glory, edited by Andrew L. Byers et al. (Anderson, Indiana: Gospel Trumpet Publishing, 1918), number 136.
Music: Charles E. Pollock (🔊 pdf nwc).
If you know where to get a good photo of Pollock (head-and-shoulders, at least 200×300 pixels),
Above all the roar of the cities,
And over the hills and the dells,
With a message of peace to the nations,
Ring the beautiful Bethlehem bells,
Bringing joy to the souls that are sighing
In hovels where poverty dwells—
There is life, there is life for the dying
In the beautiful Bethlehem bells.
Refrain
Beautiful Bethlehem bells;
Beautiful bells, beautiful bells,
Beautiful Bethlehem bells.
Far off in a land that is lovely,
For the tender, sweet story it tells,
In the light of a glorious morning,
Rang the beautiful Bethlehem bells;
And still in the hearts of creation
An anthem exultingly swells
At that memory sweet of the ringing
Of the beautiful Bethlehem bells.
Refrain
They rang o’er the hills and the valleys,
They summoned the glad world that day,
From the regions of night to the manger,
Where the beautiful Child Jesus lay;
And forever and ever and ever
A wonderful melody dwells
In the tender, sweet ringing and singing
Of the beautiful Bethlehem bells.
Refrain