Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1869-01-09
The Bells or Moscow.

The i0TeIgn correspondent oil me new
York Observer has The following article
on "The Bells Of Moscow ~
At the foot OF the Ivan Tower, in the
Kremlin OF Moscow. supported by the
pedestal Of stone, is the largest bell in the
world, and PROBABLY the largest that ever
was in the world. piece is broken out
OF lis side, and The fragment is lying near.
The breadth of the bell is so greats is
twenty feet across-,hsI The cavity UNDER
nes,h has been used as chapel. where as
many people can stand as in a circle sixty
feet around.
In Russia the BELLS an instrument Of
music for The worship OF God as uuly and
resIIy as the organ in any other country.
This fact is not mentioned in the accounts
we have. OF The wonderful. enormous. and
almost incredibly heavy bells that have
been cast in Moscow, but it is the key 10
what would Otherwise be difficult to cx.
plain. ltsppesrs to be stupid to cast
bells so large as TO be next 10 Impossible
for convenient use, in danger always Of
falling and dragging Others to ruin in
their fall. But when the bell Is medi-
um of communication with the Infinite,
and the worship Of people and an EN-.
pire finds expression in the ma jestIc tones
of a bell, il ceases TO be a wonder thsI 3
bell should have a tongue which requires
twenty -four men 10 move, and whose mu
sic should send thrill OF prsi'e into eve
ry house in the city and float away beyond
tie river into the plains afsr.
Moscow is the holy city Of the Greek
church. Pilgrims come hllher from IhOus-
ands OF miles Of. and on foot, and some
times without shoes. have seen them.
with slaves in their hands. and lhelr usv-
el.worn feet wound up in cloths, vending
their way TO the sacred hill. And wh"n
they draw nigh unto the city, and on the
evening air the music Of these holy bells
is first borne 10 their ears, they isIl upon
their faces, PROSTATE, and worship God.
If they could GO no further, they would
be content 70 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 supersliIious peasant, and 1t IS beau
llful sentiment, ideal indeed, but ail the
more delicate and exalted.
As long as FIVE hundred years ago this
casting OF bells was an ART IN Russla 1t
is one of the fine arts now. Perhaps our
crest bell founders, the Meneelys, 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 il we would put as much sill
yer and gold into our belI-me!al as they
do. But so long as these precIous metals
are al the present premium little or none
of them will find lis way into our church
bells. We have not lhe mistaken. idea o.
the Russians as to The use OF bell. We
use it to call tie people 10 the house o
worship. They use lhe bell for worship
Our bells speak 10 US. Their bells praise
God. They cast their silver and then
gold into the molten mass. and il becomes
an offering, as on an altar. to Him who Is
worshipped with every siivery note and
golden tone Of the holy bell.
This one great bell is the growth OF Gen.
iuries. Ia 1853 il was cast, and weighed
only 10000 pounds. III fell in fire, and
was recasi in 1854. being increased 10 the
astonishing weight Of 2Ss,OO0 pounds
This was 10 vast weight 10 be taken up
TO the top Of The tower, and it was sus'
ianed by frame al the foot OF it. In
1905 it fell into another FIRE, and was bro
ken into fragments. which lay there on the
ground about thirty years. Ii was recssI
in 1896, and four years afterward piece
was knocked oul OF the side Of it, end IL
has been standing here on the ground
more than century. Ii weighs 444 600
pounds In the ihickest part il is two
feet through. II has relief pictures on IL
OF the Emperor and Empress, Of the Sa-
viour and the Virgin Mary, and the Evan
geli:t.
Ascending the Ivan tower We find on
three successive stories bells 10 the num-
Der OF thirly-four. Some Of these are Of
a size TO Ill one with asionishment had he
not seen the giant below. The Srgesl is
on The first story above the chapel, and
weighs more than sixty tons. II swings
freely and is easily rung. ! smote il with
The palm OF my hand. supposing that such
a blow could not produce the slightest vi
brsIion in such a mighty mass OF iron, ,bu!
il rung out as clear and startling as II a
spirit within had responded 10 my knock
without. Two bells are Of solid silver,
and their tones are exquisilely soft, liquid
and pure. Ii vas exciting TO 60 from oLe
10 another and strike them with their
tongues, or with your hand, and catch the
variety and richness Of their several mel
odies.
The chapel below is dedicated 10 The
patton saint Of all ladies about to be mar
ried, and may be readily believed that The
bell that gives expression TO their prayers
will have, al least 10 their ears, the sweet
est tone Of al the bells in Moscow.
Ihsd come down from the Kremlin 10
my lodgings al Billot's. and, wesried with
The wsnderings Of Ibe day, was lying on
The bed and looking out on the city. II is
jusi before sunset, and the day has been
oppressivtly warm. A delicious glow
from The gorgeous ives! is bathing all the
domes and roofs with splendid colors. and
silence is stealing in with the setting Sun
upon The crowded Town. Ii is The eve OF