1. Reading Lesson

Christmas Bells

I heard the bells on Christmas Day 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!

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 !

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!

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!

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!"

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!"

- Henry W. Longfellow.

2. Study

carols, songs of praise; Christendom, all Christian lands; hearthstones, homes; chant, a solemn song.

What is the Christmas thought in the first stanza?

What did the poet think of, as he listened to the bells? Read the second and third stanzas.

What happened to break the time of peace? When was it that cannon thundered in the South?

In the fifth stanza, to what does the poet compare the war?

In the sixth stanza, what sad thought does he say came to him?

How did the bells reply to this thought?

What do the third and fourth lines of the last stanza mean? How does the poet say they may be true? What does the last line of each stanza mean?

Do you know of any wars that are going on during this Christmas season?

See if you can learn of any efforts that are being made to prevent wars.

3. Word Study

repeat chime.

despair pealed.

forlorn doth.

Write sentences containing these words. Then rewrite each sentence, changing the word from this list into one which gives nearly the same meaning.

4. Memory Work

Copy and learn the first and last stanzas.