RING THE BELLS OF HEAVEN

The song “Glory! Glory! The Little Octoroon” was written by George F. Root, either during or right after the American Civil War in the 1860s. It is the story of a young part-black girl. She and her mother were listening to the sounds of the Northern troops marching nearby. The mother was a slave and she knew that the only hope her child had for freedom was for her to go to the Union Soldiers.

The words of the original song:

“Fly my precious darling to the Union camp;
I will keep the hounds and hunters here.
Go right through the forest though ’tis dark and damp,
God will keep you, dear one, never fear.”
“Glory! Glory! How the Freedmen Sang!
Glory! Glory! How the old woods rang!
‘Twas the loyal army sweeping to the sea,
Flinging out the banner of the Free!

William Cushing heard the song and wrote in his autobiography: “The melody ran in my head all day long, chiming and flowing in its sweet musical cadence. I wished greatly that I might secure the tune for use in Sunday school and for other Christian purposes. When I heard the bells of heaven ringing of some sinner that had returned…the words ‘Ring the Bells of Heaven’ at once flowed down into the waiting melody.”

RING THE BELLS OF HEAVEN

Ring the bells of Heaven! There is joy today,
For a soul, returning from the wild!
See, the Father meets him out upon the way,
Welcoming His weary, wandering child.
Glory! Glory! How the angels sing:
Glory! Glory! How the loud harps ring!
’Tis the ransomed army, like a mighty sea,
Pealing forth the anthem of the free.
Ring the bells of Heaven! There is joy today,
For the wanderer now is reconciled;
Yes, a soul is rescued from his sinful way,
And is born anew a ransomed child.
Ring the bells of Heaven! Spread the feast today!
Angels, swell the glad triumphant strain!
Tell the joyful tidings, bear it far away!
For a precious soul is born again.