1 Sadness has departed, fear has fled away,
Free and happy hearted, I’m the Lord’s today;
Songs of praise I’m singing, facing yonder goal,
With the joy-bells ringing in my blood-bought soul.
Refrain:
Joy-bells, joy-bells, ringing in my soul;
Joy-bells, joy-bells, I am free and whole.
Jesus sought and found me,
Placed His arms around me,
Set the blessèd joy-bells ringing in my soul.
2 I have ceased to wander in the land of shame,
Time no more I squander, bless His holy name;
To His hand I’m clinging, trusting His control,
With the joy-bells ringing in my blood-bought soul. [Refrain]
3 Going home to glory, ever His to be,
Telling out the story of His love for me;
Praises I’ll be singing while the ages roll,
With the joy-bells ringing in my blood-bought soul. [Refrain]
Source: The Cyber Hymnal #12534
Pseudonym: James S. Apple.
James Rowe was born in England in 1865. He served four years in the Government Survey Office, Dublin Ireland as a young man. He came to America in 1890 where he worked for ten years for the New York Central & Hudson R.R. Co., then served for twelve years as superintendent of the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society. He began writing songs and hymns about 1896 and was a prolific writer of gospel verse with more than 9,000 published hymns, poems, recitations, and other works.
Dianne Shapiro, from "The Singers and Their Songs: sketches of living gospel hymn writers" by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (Chicago: The Rodeheaver Company, 1916) Go to person page >
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