“When They Ring the Golden Bells”

"WHEN THEY RING THE GOLDEN BELLS"
"And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb" (Rev. 22.1)

     INTRO.: A song which pictures the Christian’s life as having the hope of dwelling in that land where there is the pure river of the water of life in the presence of God and the Lamb is "When They Ring The Golden Bells." The text was written and the tune (Golden Bells) was composed both by Daniel A. (Dion) de Marbelle, who was born on July 4, 1818, in Seville, Spain. In his early years, he worked on an Arctic whaling ship, then joined the American Navy, and in 1847 served as a drummer in a New York company during the Mexican War. Also, he was a military musician in the American Civil War, serving in the Sixth Michigan Infantry.  Afterwards, he toured the United States as a musician and actor with an opera company, later forming his own theatrical troupe. It is said that at the invitation of James A. Bailey, of Barnum and Bailey fame, he became the very first circus clown in Bailey’s circus.

     Later, when Bailey joined Barnum to form "The Greatest Show on Earth," De Marbelle organized his own circus but lost everything in a fire while touring Canada. Then, he assisted William "Buffalo Bill" Cody in setting up his famous Wild West Show. After settling in Elgin, IL, de Marbelle worked as a ventriloquist and magician, started a brass band, and sang in a Methodist Church choir. Also, he called the figures in local square dances and claimed that he could make an eloquent speech on any subject without preparation. De Marbelle could play almost any instrument and produced around 25 songs. Nearly all have been forgotten, but nearing his three score and ten years, he wanted to leave something lasting and gave us "When They Ring the Golden Bells," which was copyrighted in 1887 and owned by the John Church Co. The royalties from all of his songs were stolen from him, and he died penniless, near starvation, at Elgin on Dec. 18, 1903.

     Old soldiers of the Grand Army of the Republic buried De Marbelle, and the government placed a modest marker on his grave with the simple wording, "Drum Major D. A. De Marbelle, 6 Mich. Inf."  Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church for use in churches of Christ during the twentieth century, this song appeared in the 1927 Sweeter Than All Songs edited by C. M. Pullias; the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 edited by E. L. Jorgenson; the 1938 Spiritual Melodies and the 1965 Great Christian Hymnal No. 2; the 1940 Complete Christian Hymnal and the 1959 Hymnal both edited by Marion Davis; the 1948 Christian Hymns No. 2 edited by L. O. Sanderson; and the 1978 Hymns of Praise edited by Reuel Lemmons. Today it may be found in the 1971 Songs of the Church and the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed. edited by Alton H. Howard; and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand.

     The song helps to point our minds to the hope of heaven that awaits the Christian after this life.
I. Stanza 1 mentions the city that exists in heaven
"There’s a land beyond the river That we call the sweet forever,
And we only reach that shore by faith’s decree;
One by one we’ll gain the portals, There to dwell with the immortals,
When they ring the golden bells for you and me."
 A. "Beyond the river" here seems to imply the river of death, just as the promised land of Canaan was just beyond the Jordan River, over which Israel then had to cross: Josh. 3.14-17
 B. We can only reach the shore of that great city by faith’s decree, because it is by faith that we are justified and by which we walk: Rom. 5.1, 2 Cor. 5.7
 C. Those who truly live by faith will reach the portals, or gates, and enter into the city: Rev. 21.12-21, 22.14

II. Stanza 2 mentions the Father who dwells in heaven
"We shall know no sin nor sorrow In that haven of tomorrow,
When our barque shall sail across the silver sea;
We shall only know the blessing Of our Father’s sweet caressing,
When they ring the golden bells for you and me."
 A. We shall know no sin nor sorrow there because all such things will have their part in the lake the burns with fire and brimstone outside the city: Rev. 21.4-8, 22.15
 B. Therefore, we look forward to that time when our barque (bark, or boat, figuratively speaking of our lives) shall sail across the silver sea that is pictured as separating us from the presence of God: Rev. 4.6, 15.2
 C. Once we have achieved our hope, then we shall know our Father’s sweet caressing because we shall dwell in His presence forevermore: Rev. 21.23, 22.3-5

III. Stanz 3 mentions the peace that we shall have in heaven
"When our days shall know their number, When in death we sweetly slumber,
When the King commands the spirit to be free,
Never more with anguish laden We shall reach that lovely Aiden,
When they ring the golden bells for you and me."
 A. "When our days shall know their number" simply means that our lives here on earth are limited in time: Ps. 90.7-12
 B. When our days shall know their number, then we shall die because the King will command the spirit to depart the body and be free: Heb. 9.27, Jas. 2.26
 C. And after death, we shall "reach that lovely Aiden," a poetic reference to Eden which symbolizes heaven because it was the perfect paradise that God prepared for mankind: Gen. 2.8-9

     CONCL.: The chorus is evidently designed to create a longing in our hearts for that wonderful place.
"Don’t you hear the bells now ringing? Don’t you hear the angels singing?
‘Tis the glory hallelujah Jubilee,
In that far off sweet forever, Just beyond the shining river,
When they ring the golden bells for you and me."
My Grandmother Walker used to talk about a lady in the community where she grew up who was a well-known singer and said that when she sang this song it sounded as if the bells really were ringing. Some have objected to the concept of bells ringing in hymns because the Bible nowhere specifically says anything like that (and perhaps they are uncomfortable with the mention of some instrument of music, although it has nothing whatever to do with our worship here on earth). However, I believe that we can look upon the idea of the ringing of bells as simply symbolizing the great joy that the Christian can have, even in death, as he contemplates his eternal reward. With such a figurative understanding, I have no problem singing about looking forward to that time "When They Ring The Golden Bells."