Jackson Jambalaya

Just as there can be no resurrection without death, so there can be no peace without war. Peace is not the absence of war or conflict, but is the conquest of war and conflict. Just so, resurrection is more than life from the dead; resurrection conquers death forever. When we go through the worst times and experiences, we are drawn upward, away from suffering into a peace that passes understanding.

In December of 1863, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote about his journey through death and war and his emerging into a supernatural peace on earth and good-will to men. By this time in his life Longfellow had lost two wives, and was watching his oldest son, Charley, die at home from a gunshot wound in the war. Loss, death, and war wrung convulsions from wounded hearts in the midst of that Christmas season overwhelming promises of peace on earth and good-will to men.

And, as these thoughts and feelings swamped his own heart, Longfellow slowly began writing when he heard the bells ring.

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day


Their old, familiar carols play, 
and wild and sweet
 The words repeat Of peace on earth,

good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,


The belfries of all Christendom


Had rolled along
 The unbroken song 


Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
 A voice, a chime,


A chant sublime
 Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

But then his thoughts turned toward the terrible war that had divided the nation and pitted brother against brother over hateful causes. Any hope for peace on earth or good-will to men was surely lost forever.

“Then from each black, accursed mouth
 The cannon thundered in the South,


And with the sound
 The carols drowned
 Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
 The hearth-stones of a continent,
 And made forlorn
 The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
 “There is no peace on earth,” I said;


“For hate is strong,
 And mocks the song 
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

As he watched his oldest son slip away and his other children crying, Longfellow came to the end of his hope for peace on earth and good-will to men.

But God broke through the darkest gloom and His light filled the empty tomb as ringing heralded all hearts with hope that far surpassed any promises made before.

“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

‘God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men.””

As we transit our own space and time on earth filled with hate and mocking by those peddling fear and despair, God help us listen to louder and deeper bells than any human hands can mold. God Who conquered war, conflict, and death forevermore is certainly neither dead nor asleep. He causes wrong to fail and right to prevail bringing with Him peace on earth and good-will to men.

The human race’s only hope of deliverance from the curse we ourselves have birthed is from God Who alone can bring peace on earth and good-will to men.

Daniel L. Gardner is a columnist who lives in Starkville, MS. You may contact him at PJandMe2@gmail.com.