O, Tolling Bells!

1 Oh, tolling bells! oh, tolling bells!
Deep, deep within your tones there wells
A wail of pain, a soul’s lament,
“Life past, in sin and folly spent.”

Refrain:
Oh, tolling bells!
Oh, tolling bells!
Ye ring and ring of sad farewells,
But over there where Jesus dwells,
We’ll hear the chime of heaven’s bells,
“No more farewells,” oh, tolling bells.

2 When ringing out a soul’s farewell,
Oh, tolling bells! what do you tell?
Of griefs and woes? so sobs and tears?
Of misspent hours and wasted years? [Refrain]

3 I seem to hear despairing moans,
A weeping, weeping in your tones;
“The door is closed” ye ring in swells,
“Forever closed,” oh, tolling bells! [Refrain]

4 In warning tones, in solemn knells,
Ring out, ring out, oh tolling bells!
Let dying souls the warning hear;
And seek the Lord while he is near. [Refrain]

5 Have ye no joyous notes to ring,
Oh, tolling bells! for me to sing?
In Jesus boundless mercy dwells,—
Ye ring of him, oh, tolling bells! [Refrain]

6 And when I die, oh, tolling bells!
Ring out “I’ve gone where Jesus dwells,”
Peal out ye bells in joyous tone,
“The battle o’er, the victory won.” [Refrain]

Source: The Finest of the Wheat: hymns new and old, for missionary and revival meetings, and sabbath-schools #126

• MIDI file from The Finest of the Wheat: hymns new and old, for missionary and revival meetings, and sabbath-schools #126