Scripture Verse

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise. Matthew 21:16

Introduction

portrait
Fanny Crosby
1820–1915

Words: Fan­ny Cros­by, in Bright Me­lo­dies, ed­it­ed by John R. Swe­ney & How­ard Ent­wisle (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: John J. Hood, 1899), num­ber 188. Some hym­nals give the au­thor as Ida Scott Tay­lor, one of Fan­ny’s pseu­do­nyms. This song was ac­com­pa­nied by sug­gest­ed mo­tions for child­ren to make while sing­ing, shown in the foot­notes af­ter the text.

Music: Port­land J. How­ard Ent­wisle (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Ent­wisle (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Little bells of Easter, 1we will gently sway,
Ringing chimes for Jesus on this happy day;
2Nodding, gaily nodding, like the flowers we love,
Singing praise all our days for the King above.

Refrain

Bells of Easter gaily swinging to and fro,
Pealing out a gladsome lay as forth we go;
Jesus lives forever is the news we bring,
Blessèd tidings of salvation, Christ is king.

Little bells of Easter, 3swinging all in time,
4Round about together hear our echoes chime;
Giving out the sunshine as we pass you by,
Singing praise all our days to the King on high.

Refrain

Little bells of Easter, happy hearts have we,
In our master’s service faithful let us be;
Ever 5moving onward step by step we’ll go,
Singing praise all our days while on earth below.

Refrain

1Swaying motion

2Bowing

3Swinging arms

4Turning around

5Marching