Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-08-19
: THE FIRST BELLS.
cHAPTEn 1.

THE FIRST BELLS.
CHAPTER 1.
FHERE are times whenI am melancholy.
when the sun seems to shine with sha.
dowy light, and the woods are filled with
notes Of sadness; when The up-springing
flowers seem blossoms strewed upon bier,
and every streamiet chants requiem.-
Have we all our trials? and though we
may bury the sad thoughts to which they
give birth in the dark recessss of our own
hearts, yet Memory and Sensibllity must
both be dead, if we can always be light
and mirthful. s a'sz @''- 3'zs.'a - 2
Once it was net SO. There was time
whom gaily viewed the dull clouds of a
rainy day, and could hear the voice Of re-.
joicing in the roarings Of the wintry storm,
when sorrow was an unineaning word, and
in things thatappear sacred, my thoughtless
mind could see the ludicrous.
These thoughts have been suggested by
the recollection of poor couple, to whom
in my careless girlhoodI | gave the name Of
t'the first bells.' And now, doubt not,
you are wondering what strange associa-
tion of ideas could have led me to fasten
this appellation upon poor old man and
woman. My answer must be The narra-
ton Of a few facts.
When was young, we all worshiped
in the great meeting house, which now
stands SO vacant and forlorn upon the brow
ofChurch Hill. 1t is never used but upon
town.meeting days-for those who once
went-up to the house Of God in company,
now worship in three separate buildings =
Yhere is discord between them--that worst
of all hatred, the animosity which arises
from difference of religious opinions.
am sorry for il; not that regret that they
cannot all think alike, but that they can.
not agree to differ. Because the heads
are not in unison, it needeth not that the
lheartss should be estranged; and "a differ
{ ence: ofIaith may be expressed in kindly
words. ! have my friends among them
nh, and they are noethe less dear to me
because upon some doctrinal points our
eopinions cannot be the same. A creed
which ilds not row believe, is hallowed by
recollections Of the Sabbath worship, the
Eeyening meetings. the religious feelings
in short, of tho faith, hope and trust of my
earlier days. =
. Irsmember now how still and beautiful
our Sunday mornings used to seem, after
Gthe toll and play of the busy week. |
would take ehism il my. hand, and
go and sitHpon large fiat stone, under
the shade oft chestnut tree; and looking
abroad would wonder if there was thing
awhich did not feel that it was the Sabbath.
The sun was as bright and warm as upon
otherd butts light seemed to fall more
softly on the fields, woods and hills; and
though the birds sung as loudly and Joy fol.
" 8as eyer,el thought the sweet voices
united in more sacred strain. heard q
zabbath-tone in the waving of the boughs
above me, and the hum of the bees around
nae, and even thsbleating Of the lambs and
lowing of the kline, seemed pitched upon
some softer key. Thus it is that the heart
sfashions the mantle with which it is wont
TO snrobe all nature, and give to its never.
! silent voices tone Of joy, or sorrow, or
holy peace. -'=
We had then no bell T; and when the
hour approached for the commencement of
religious services, each nook and dale sent
forth its worshipers in silence. But pre-
sisely half an hour before the rest of our
sneighbors started, the old man and woman,
gho lived upon Pine Hill, could be seen
vending their way to the meeting g-house.--
They walked side by side, with slow,
even step, such as was befiting the errand
which had brough them forth. Their ap-
pearance was always the signal for me. to
lay aside my Book, and prepare to follow
them to the house of God. And it was
because they were SO unyaring in their
early attendance, because was never
disappointed in the forms which first emerg-
cd from the pine trees upon the hill, that
Z gave them the name Of ssthe first bells"
sl Why they went thus regularly early
know no, but think it probable they wish lol
rest after their long walk. and then to pre-
pare their hearts to join in exercises which
were evidently more valued by them, thai
by most OF those around them. Yet il
must have been a deep interest which
brougt 50 large congregation from th'
scattered houses, and many far.off dwelling
Of our thinly y.peopled country town.
And every face was then familiar to me
Iknew each white. headed patriarch wh,
took bis seat by the door of his pew, On.
every aged woman who seated herself il
the low chair in the middle Of it an,
countenances Of the middle-aged and III,
q young were rendered familiar by the ex
change Of Sabbath glances as we met yea
8 sitter year in that humble temple.
]. But on none did look with more interes
: than upon the "first BELLS" There the
always were when took my aecustome
place-there upon the free seat at tn
right hand Of the pulpit. Their head
were always bowed in meditation, till tho
arose to join in morning prayer; On
when the choir sent forth their strain {
praise, they drew nearer to each othe
and looked upon the same book, as the
silently sent forth the spirits song to the