Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1855-01-12
Extraordinary blessing
n Cnifno of Bells fn New York.

n Chlfno % 8elfs in New York.
The re Rev. Bishop Bailey, on Tuesday,
81 Stephens day, blessed tine chime Of
bells for the Church Of the Most Holy Re,
dcemer, in Third street. Tho ceremony
was performed Immediately after the ten
o'clock Mass when that vast church was
crowded from the steps OF the Altar TO the
very door. Capt. Smith, with his compA-
ny Of Independent Rifles, was in attend.
ance rs guard Of honor. A number Of
the members Of the Congregation who had
been most active in procuring these bells
had their places Immediately by the bells
The bells are four in number, and are
the chime sent from Germanr to the Worlds
Fair in this city. Tho largest OF the four,
which weighs about 900 pound, was ded.
icated 10 honor Of ST. Michael. The sec.
ond was in honor Of st. Gabriel; the third
in size was dedicated 10 St. Raphael; and
the fourth to ST. Alphonsus. They arc Of
tho best metal, and Of the finest workman
ship. Each bell has sacred Inscriptions and
images cast in tho metal. The bells we're
conveniently hung. in obedience to the Pom
,iical, in the space in front of the Altar
railing The Bishop, in full Ponti6cals en-.
tered the church attended by the Priests
and Acolytes, with incense, lights, &C.
They chanted the Miserere, and the SO,
SO. GO, GO and s5 Psalms, with tho De
Profundis.
Then the Bishop blessed salt and water,
saying afterwards the prayer that when
the bells should be bathed there with, when
soever they should sound, the power Of dew
lie, the shades of pban,asms, the attack Of
mobs, the striking Of lightnings, the shock
Of .hundera, the ruin Of tempests and eve
ry spirit of the storms might be driven back
and that. when the children Of Christian
people should hear them ringing, the in
crease OF devotion might grow iu them, that
Fastening within the bosom Of their Moth
er Church they may sing 10 God in the
Church of the Saints the new song, COM
ing thither with the sound Of the trumpet,
the modulation of psaltery, the sweetness Of
the organ. the exultatiou Of the drum, the
gladness Of the cymbal so that in the lem.
pie Of His glory, by their pleadings and
prayers they may invite the multitude o
the army Of Angels.
Then the salt being mixed with the wa
ter. with the special prayers of :he PoDtifi
cal, the Bishop began to baihe the bells
Herewith. When this was done, the Bish
op with Priests chanted The Psalms, "Lau
de snima mea, Laundate Dominnm quoni
am bonus. Laudate Dominum de coelis
Cantate Domino, and Laudatc Dominum il
Sanctis suis."
Then the Bishop with the thumb Of hi:
right hand made the sign of the cross on
each bell with the holy oil infrmorun, and
said the prayer invoking the same super
natural effects of terror to the devil and bis
servants, and of comfort and good inspira
tions 10 the people Of God, wherever the
sound Of these bells should be heard
Then wiping off the oil with lint, he began
the aniphon, "Vox Domini super aquas
multas," and with the Priests cbanted the
2sth Psalm; meantime the Bishop made
seven crosses on the outside of each Bel
with the same oil of the infrm, and four
crosses with the chrism on the four sides o.
each, saying a! each time: "May this bel
o Lord, be sanctifed and consecrated il
the name Of the Father, and of the Son
and of the Holy Ghost. In honor Of st
Michael" for the first bell, and so in homo
of each patron of the other bells, respect
lively, in their turn. Then followed anoth
er prayer Of blessing for the communication
Of power against the spirits Of the air, from
the beautiful order Of the Pontifical, when
taking thyme, frankincense and myrrh, he
put it in censers, and placed these unde
each of the Bells.
The verses videruat ts dque Deus, dc.
we're sung from Ps. 76. and the Bishop SAT-
the closing prayer, that:-Like as the Ho
ly Ghost came down iu delight upon tn
harp Of David; and as while Samuel Offered
the sucking lamb holocaust to the KiDl
of eternal dominion, the thunder of tht
heavens repulsed the hosts of the enemy
90, while the sound Of these Bells shall pas
through the air the Angelic hand ma,
guard the congregation of the church, ant
perpetual protection keep the minds, the
bodies. and the possessions of believers.
Finally the Deacon sang the gospel. from
the 10th chapter Of St. Luke, Of Mary wh'
chose the one thing neeessary-as il giving
the constant mission to the bells of awak
ening the attention Of all while engrosset
in the cares of the world, to remember tha
their chief good is in the Church.