The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-11-14
"Those evening belts .


There is n witchery about bell, as ia
great metal heart is heard .ihroblsing in ibe
belfry Of The church, The blood pulses more
rapidly through our veins. We 10 !cnger
wonder. that the great German poef; Schil-
Ter, should have composed Song ofthe
Bell, and that he should have score Of ifn-
i;ators. As we listened on "Wednesday eve
ming to the clear tones Of the bells III the
two brick churches, on the plain between
the upper aDdlower landing OF the re=7n,-
the one cast by Menerly of Troy, The ether
/ by Hanks Of Cincinnati, years were
crowded into minutes. Thoughts mcurn-
full and cheerful were mingled together in
strange confusion, like the globuIes Of diff
ferent metals, when melted, which now
compose the bells We write Of. There was
pictured in the mind, our Alma Mater, aud
the tolling of the bell startling US from onr
comfortable siurnber on a winter morning
long before day break, aud hurrying us un-
washed and almost uncIad into the college
chapel to save The black marx of the noai-
tor There too was the village church en-
the village green, and the venerable fathers
and the happy children vending their way
to the sound of the bell to divine service
There too was the dark and stormy day,
the trees coated with sleet, aad the old sex
ton toling the age Of some one whose spirit
had gone to another world. Historical rem
iniscences arose and we appreciate the ag-
itation of Napoleon .as he listened to HE
distant church bell of Rue, ana stood IN tie
forest and thought of his early days ard the
importance of cherishing early religious as
sociations. We thought too Of tbs feelings
Of the populace, when the bell sounded at
midnight in Paris, on the 18th of August
1879. Bells have always been acconpani.
nlents of true religion. They are first men
toned in history as attached to The High
Priests garment, and those of large szesuch
as are used in churches were invented
oy Paulinus. Let a traveller hear ihe
s9ni,d of Il church bell and he feel secure.
Dad knows that he is in a civilized lansi.--
Aswe gaZed on the other side of the river
and saw the smoke issue f,om the tents of
the Dakota we could bu, wonder what
their feelings were in relation 10 tbese
speaking machines; we could but feel tha,
in few years these sounds would he heard
winding along the the valley of the Mime
sofa, across the plains of Nebraska, and
echoins among the Rpeky mountains, aud
over the Pacific waves.
MIR. Meneely's bell was the first proper
church bell that was ever hung in Mnneso
ia, and to the editors ears,.i,s tones were
peculiarly sweet, rs it reminded him of the
fact that the said gentleman had patIonized
our paper by advertising, and by paying in
advance. Truly Andrew Meneely is as he
Frenchnan might say, belle-man. May
the bells that have just commence their
work, speak blessings spiritual and tempo
raj.
and let theirs be voices from heaven.
Joined with the starry hosts afar.
BY which high praise to God is given,
And which lead on the crowned year.
And be their metal mouths devoted
Only to grave and solemn things
They feel for none, yet shah their swiagteg
Accompany life's ciangefa. play,
And as away their music fdeth
That strikes so grandy on the ear,
SO may they teach that nought ubideth,
That all things earthly disappear"