Scripture Verse

Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Introduction

Words & Mu­sic: J. How­ard Ent­wisle, in The Ser­vice of Praise, by J. Lin­coln Hall et al. (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Hall-Mack, 1900), num­ber 164 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

Ring out, ye bells, your mer­ry lay,
Ring sweet­ly on the ear;
Ring out with notes of glad­ness
That all the world may hear;
Tell the bless­èd sto­ry
Of how the brill­iant star
Arrayed the path in floods of light
For shep­herds from afar.

Refrain

Ring out the tid­ings,
The Sav­ior now is born,
Go swell the chor­us
This bright Christ­mas morn;
Joy bells are ring­ing
The glad ju­bi­lee,
Heav’n’s joy­ful mes­sage,
Sal­va­tion is free.

Ring out anew the an­gel’s song
Of Peace, good­will to men;
The song of heav’n­ly sweet­ness
That rang o’er Beth­le­hem.
Peal the joy­ous accents
The sacr­ed song of old,
While all the arch­es of the sky
Their beau­ties rare un­fold.

Refrain

Peal on, ye bells, up­on the ear
Your mu­sic floats to­day,
And wait­ing hearts re-ec­ho
Your song with mer­ry lay;
While the hills of Ju­dah
Send back the glad re­ply,
And greet with sac­red me­lo­dy
The Day­spring from on high.

Refrain