Middletown transcript., 1869-07-03
The Bells OF Moscow.

At the foot of Ivan Tower in the Krcm-
lin of Moscow supported by a pedestal of
stone, is the largest bell that ever was in
the world; A piece is broken out of its
side, and the fragment is lying near. The
breadth Of the bell is so grcat-twenty feet
across-that the cavity underneath has
been used as a chapel, where as many peo-
pie can stand as in circle sixty feet
around.
In Russia the bell is am instrument of
music for the worship of God as truly and
really as the organ in any other country
This fact is mentioned in the accounts we
have of the wonderful, enormous and al
most incredible heavy bells that have been
cast in Moscow, but it is the key to what
it would otherwise be difficult to explain
1t appears to be bound to cast bells so
large as to be next to impossible for con-
venient use, in danger always of falling
and dragging others to ruin in their fall.
But when the bell is means Of commu-
nication with the Infinite, and the worship
of people and an empire finds expression
in the majestic tones of a bell, it ceases to
be wonder that bell should have
tongue which requires twenty four men to
move, and music should send a thrill of
praise into every house in the city, and
float away beyond the river in the plains
aflr.
Moscow is the holy city of the Greek
Church. Pilgrims come hithcr from thou
sands of miles off, and on foot and some
times without shoes. | have seen them,
with slaves in their hands and travel-worn
feet wound up in clothes, vending their
way to the sacred hills. And when they
draw nigh unto the city, and on the even
ing air the music of these holy bells is
borne to their ears, they fall upon their t;,-
ccs, PROSTATE, and worship God. If they
could so no further, they woull be con-
tent to die there, for they have heard the
bells of Moscow, and on their majestic
tones their souls have been taken up to
heaven! This is the sentiment of the su-
perstitious peasant, and it is Il beautiful
sentiment-idcal, indeed, but all the more
delicate and exalted.
As long as five hundred years ago, this
casting of bells was an art in Russia. 1t
is one of the fine arts now. Perhaps our
great bell founders, the Mencclys, will not
admit that the founders there have any
more skill in their manufacture than we
have, and | am not sure that their bells
have any tones more exquisite than ours
would have if we would put as much silver
and gold into our bell metals as they do
But as long as the precious metals are at
their present premiums, little or none of
them will find its way into our church
bells. We have not the mistaken idea of
the Russians as to the use of bell. We
use the bell to call the people to the house
of worship. They use the bell for wor-
ship. Our bells speak to us. Their bells
praise God. They cast their silver and
their gold into the molten mass, and it be-
comes an offering. as on an altar to Him
who is worshippcd with every silvcry note
and golden tone of the holy bell.
This one great bell is the growth of
centuries. In 1867 it was cast, and weigh
cd only S6, 900 pounds, 1t fell in fire,
was recast in 1864, being increased to the
astonishing weight of 22S.00 pounds.
This was too vast weight to be taken up
to the top of the tower, and it was sus-
tanned by frame at the foot of it. In
liVO IL lCll Ill dnOtHer HTc, anu WIS DrO-
ken into fragments, which lay there on
the ground about thirty years. 1t was re-
cast in 1889, and four years aftcrward a
piece was knocked out of the side of it,
and it has been standing here on the
ground more than half a century. 1t
weighs 444 900 pounds In the thickest
part it is two feet through. 1t has relief
pictures on it of the Emperor and Empress,
of the Saviour and the Virgin Mary and
the Evangelists.
Ascending the Ivan Tower, we find on
three successive stories bells to the num-
bcr of thirty-four Some of these arc of a
size to fill one with astonishment had he
not seen the giant below. The largest is
on the story above the chapel, and weighs
more than sixty tons. 1t swings freely
and easily. smote it with the palm of
my hand, supposing that such blow
could not produce the slightest vibration
in such mighty mass Of iron, but it rung
out as clear and startling as if spirit
within had responded to my knock with
out Two bells are of solid silver, and
their tones are .exquisitely soft, liquid and
qdrc. 1t was exciting to go from one to
another and strike them with their tongues
or with your hand, and catch the variety
and richness of their several melodies.
The chapel below is dedicated to the pa
tron saint of all ladies about to be married,
and it may readily be believed that the
bell that gives expression to their prayer