The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-09-27
gnetrwv.
CREEDS OF THE BELLS.
BY GEO. W. BUNGAY.

BY GEO. W. BUNGAf.
How sweet the chime OF Sabbath bells!
Each one in its creed in music tells,
In tones that float upon the air,
AS soft as song-as pure as prayer;
And will put in simple rhyme
The language Of the golden chime;
My happy heart with rapture swells,
Responsive to the bells-sweet bells.
In deeds OF love excel, excel!
Chimed out from ivied tower bell;
Thisis the church not built on sands,
Emblem of one not built with hands
It forms and sacred rites revere
Come worship here, come worship here!
In ritual and faith excel, excel!
Chimed out the Episcopalian bell.
oh heed the ancient landmarks well;
In solemn tones exclaimed bell
No progress made by mortal man
Can change the Just, eternal plan
With God there can be nothing new;
Ignore the false, embrace the true,
While all Is we'll, is well, is well!
Pealed out the good old Dutch Church bell.
To tell the truth we tell, we tell!
Shouted in ecstacies a bell;
Come aIkye weary wanderers, Sec
Our Lord has made salvation free;
Repent, believe, have faith, and then
Be saved and praise the Lord. Amen!
Salvation's free, we tell, we tell!
Shout ted the Methodist bell.
Ye purifying waters, SWELL
In mellowing tones rang out bell,
Though faith in Christ alone can save
Man must be plunged beneath the wave.
To show the world unfaItering faith
In what the sacred Scriptures saith.
Obi SWELL ye rising waters, swell
Pealed out the clear-toned Baptist bell.
Not faith alone, but works as well
Must test the soul! said soft bell,
Come here and cast aside your load.
And work your way along the road,
While faith in God and faith in man,
Andhope in Christ where hope began;
Do well, do well, do well, do well!
Pealed forth the Unitarian bell.
Farewell, farewell, base world, farewell
In warning notes exclaimed bell,
Life is q boon to mortsls given
To fit the soul for bliss in heavenj
DO not invoke the avenging rod;
Come here and learn the will of God.
Say to the world farewell, farewell
Pealed out the Presbyterian bell.
In after life there is no hell
In raptures rang cheering bell;
Look up to heaven this holy day,
Where angels wait to lead the way;
There are no fires, no fiends to blight
The future life be Just and right,
No hell, no hell, no hell, no hell!
Rang out the Universalist bell.
The pilgrim fathers needed well
Ny cheerful voice peeled forth a bell;
No letters here to clog the soul,
No arbitrary creeds control
The free heart and progressive mind
That leave the dusty past behind.
Speed we'll, speed we'll, speed we'll!
Peeled out the Independent bell.
No pope, no pope, to doom to hell
The protestant rang out a bell
Great Luther left his fiery zeal
Within the hearts that truly feel ..l t-I
That loyalty to God will be
The fcalty that makes men free.
No images where incense fell
Rang out old Martin Luther's bell
All hail |! ye saints in heaven that dwell
Close by the cross exclaimed bell;
Lean over the battlements of bliss
And deign to bless world like this;
Let mortals knee1 before this shine,
Adore the water and the wine. ----s
All hail, We saints in chorus swell!
! Chimed in the Roman Catholic bell.