Ring Out, Wild Bells

This hymn marks the joy and resolve of a new year.

It was written by Alfred Tennyson when his dear friend, the gifted Arthur H. Hallam died at the age of 22.  Tennyson worked through his grief by writing a series of poems called In Memoriam. "Ring Out, Wild Bells" is one of the poems from this long work.

Crawford Gates had loved the poem "Ring Out, Wild Bells" from childhood.  His aunt had read the works of Tennyson to him and he loved them.  He loved the line "Ring in the Christ that is to be" because it asks us to rise to the full stature of Christ within ourselves.

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud the frosty light.
The year is dying in the night,
Ring out, wild bells and let him die.

Ring out the old; ring in the new.
Ring happy bells across the snow.
The year is going, let him go
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring in the valiant men and free.
The larger heart, the kindlier hand,
Ring out the darkness of the land;
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

{For those of you that have a book on the history of LDS hymns - there is much more on this hymn.}