Charles Dent Bell › Texts

Bell, Charles Dent, D.D., son of Henry Humphrey Bell, born at Warwick Lodge, Magherafelt, Ireland, on 10th February, 1818, and educated at the Royal Academy, Edinburgh, and the Royal School, Dungannon, and Trinity College, Dublin, graduating B.A., 1842, M.A., 1852, and D.D., 1878. Having taken Holy Orders, he was successively Curate of Hampton in Arden, and St. Mary's Chapel, Reading, and of St. Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings, 1846; Incumbent of St. John's Chapel, Hampstead, 1854; Vicar of Ambleside, 1861; with Rydal, 1872; and Rector of Cheltenham, 1872. In 1869 he was also appointed Hon. Canon of Carlisle Cathedral. Dr. Bell's works include Night Scenes from the Bible, 1861; Hills that bring Peace, 1872; The Saintly Calling, 1873; Voices from the Lakes, 1877; Songs in the Twilight, 1881; Hymns for the Church and the Chamber, 1882; Songs in Many Keys, 1884; and for the Religious Tract Society, Angelic Beings, and their Nature and Ministry. He has also edited an Appendix to Dr. Walker's Cheltenham Psalms and Hymns, in 1873 (5th ed. 1878). To this Appendix were contributed:—
1. Another Sabbath closes. Sunday Evening.
2. Be near us, Triune God, we pray. Matrimony.
3. Be with us, gracious Lord, to-day. Consecration of a Church.
4. Christ ascends with songs exultant. Ascension.
5. Christ has risen! let the tidings. Easter.
6. Come, gracious Saviour, manifest Thy glory. Advent.
7. From the four winds, O living breath. Missions.
8. Good Lord, the valleys laugh and sing. Harvest.
9. Lord, at Thy mercy-seat we bow. Foundation Stone of Church.
10. O fill me with Thy Spirit, gracious Lord. Whitsuntide.
11. O Jesu, our salvation. Our Prophet, &c. General Praise.
12. On the sad night He was betrayed. Passiontide.
13. "Redeem the time," God only knows. Time.
14. The shadows lengthen, night will soon be here. Evening.
15. To God the Lord, I lift mine eyes. General.
16. With grateful heart and voice we raise. Grace after Meat.
These hymns being of recent date are not found, save in one or two instances, in any other collection than Dr. Bell's Appendix to Dr. Walker's Psalms & Hymns, and his Appendix to the Hymnal Companion noted below. With the exception of Nos. 14 and 16, the above were republished in Dr. Bell's Hymns for Church and Chamber, Lond., J. Nisbet & Co., 1882. This work also contains other hymns of merit, and should be consulted in preparing a Collection for congregational or private use. In 1884, Dr. Bell added an Appendix Selected for the Use of Cheltenham Churches to the Hymnal Companion, in which he embodied the hymns given in his former Appendix, and added thereto the fol¬lowing hymns from his Hymns for the Church & Chamber:—
17. Great God, Thy people's dwelling-place. The New Year.
18. He giveth His beloved sleep. Safety during Sleep.
19. O Lamb of God, Who died our souls to win. Peace with God desired.
20. O Saviour Christ, enthroned at God's light hand. Christ the Anointed One.
21. Rest in the Lord. Oh, words of love. Exhortation to trust in God.
In addition to these there were also given:—
22. For Erin plead we, God of love. Hymn for Ireland.
23. Jesu, our bright & Morning Star. Epiphany.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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Bell, Charles D. , p. 133, i. Another hymn by Dr. Bell, in his 1884 Appendix to the Hymnal Companion, is "Lord, at Thy throne we bend" (Divine Worship).

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

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Bell, C. D., p. 133, i. He died suddenly at the National Club, London, Nov. 11, 1898.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)