The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1867-12-28

are extensively used in our day for civil and religious pur
poses also. The first of bells in Christian churches to
call people prayer service of which have record
by ST. Paunus in Campana about the year 395 of the
Christian after which it gradually introduced into
all churches of every denomination in the world More
less sacredness superstition and importance attached to
them and their By the Roman Catholics they
soemny blessed they consecraed to their holy work
of summoning worshpers to their religious rites From
the circumstance of the bell receiving name, and being
washed with holy water the ceremony frequently called
the baptism of BELLS No form of baptism however, used
There something poetica the time playful in the
custom of giving the bell sponsors who usually persons
who have presented the bell the church, who contribute
handsomely to the expense of purchasing it, at the time OF
blessing Chrsm and oil used in the ceremony of bene
dicon and in all the solemn CONSIDERATIONS of utensils
employed in the divine service This conservation of bells
dates back to very early period In Charemagnes Cap
ituary of 1877 find the prohibition % cocce bnp&en
and in the old rgies of the Catholic Church is form of
directing the priests wash the bell with water
anont with oil and mark it with the sign of the cross
the of the Trinity The practice of naming bells
also early far back 96S, when John KILL
named the great bell of the Iaeran church. himself
John In Catholic churches is in what is
denomnated the Sancus BELL small instrument rung by
attendant just previous to the elevation of the Host in
order to fix the attention of the people 1t formerly
larger and hung in the outer urret Of the church, and
ng at the words onc sancte sdncte DeS Soo6od when
all the people within hearing in Or out OF church, were
enoned to bow in alteration The Ave Maria bell rung
at fixed hours remind all to offer supplication to the
Virgin and mark the hours of beginning and cessation of
labor. The Vesper BELL mmortazed by poets the call
to evening prayer the Compn bell summoned the people
to the last religious services of the day. The passing bell
rung among the ancient customs that those who heard
might pray for the soul that leaving this world and this
practice rise to the superstition which gives the bell
mysterious connection with departed spirits and the belief
has extensively prevailed that the evil spirits, waiting to
seize the stranger about entering their domain driven
off in terror at its sound aud leave the neophye
free and unrestricted to the world OF Spirits and at the gate
of his choosing From this old custom probably is
derived that of tong bells funerals pracced in day;
also that practced in many localities of tong the bell
Immediately after DEATH the number of times of striking it
indicating the in years of the deceased 1t is also rung
while the procession marching the grave and the corpse
is being lowered into the ground The bell also used in
Catholic churches during the ceremony of accommodation
There almost numberess superstons in connection
with the bell many centuries disconcertng evil spirits,
preventing ecses averng tempess preventing Infections
abang lightnngs and many other things equally absurd,
they supposed be caused by evil Spirits who would
be driven off by the sound of the bell.
Some historians tell that William the Conqueror intro
duced into England from France the custom of ringing the
Crfew BELL which "toed the hour of parting day. Others
say the good King Alfred introduced the 1t
sisted of ringing bell eight nine o'clock in the evening,
when everyone expected to exngush fire and lights in
the house and retire 1t called curfew from this latter
circumstance which is from the French words t,
fire. Hence when, later day. the "curfew tolled
the kne of parting day., there Why in it's
origin or associations should feel especially sad This
practice of ringing bell certain hour not peculiar
to England for it prevailed to considerable extent In all
the countries the continent the buildings were gen.
orally of wood it intended, at later PERIOD pre-
caution against res which common and the arbitrary
law of compelling all retire abolished or gradually
abandoned The passing and curfew bells are still repre-
sened in New England and New York villages the
funeral procession slowly wends its way to the
graveyard, and the other by the nine o'clock bell, which
hints to all the time for visiting cease and preparations
be made for retiringan hour later than in the time of
William the Conqueror it true, but yet in general
hour two too early for the quiet residents of New
England towns.
AS signal call people together join any concerted
action the bell has been used from times the feast
of Osiris announced by the ringing of BELLS and the
sound this day notifies hungry mortas the time to
join in satisfying their appetite The Romans announced
the time of bathing by ringing Of bes and the early Chris
practice kept by Roman Catholics in the ringing
of the Angeus at morn and night the sound of
which Catholics expected to join in this rite and by the
Protestant in the churchgoing bell which summons him
devotion In Britain, bells applied to church purposes
before the conclusion OF the seventh century the onaStc
societies OF Northumbria and as early the sixth in
those OF Caledonia They were therefore used from the
st erection OF parish churches Those of France and Eng
land to have been several bella In