The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1869-06-19

OAAHAICA LAC IOlAON HI al llC1C Oti
''The Bells of Moscow to that
iournal:--
cat the foot Of the Ivan Tower,
IN the Kremlin of Moscow, sup
ported by pedestal of stone, is
the largest bell now in the world,
and probably the largest that ever
was made since the creation of
man. A piece is broken out of
its side, and the fragment is lying
near. The breadth of the bell is
so great-lt is twenty feet across
that the cavity underneath has
been used as a chapel, where as
many people can stand as in a
circle sixty feet around.
"In Russia the bell is an instru-
ment of music for the worship of
God as truly and really as the or
gan in any other country. This
fact is not mentioned in the ac-
counts we have of the wonderful,
enormous, and almost incredibly
heavy bells that have been cast in
Moscow; but it is the key to what
would otherwise be difficult to ex-
plain. 1t appears to be stupid to
cast bells so large as to be next to
impossible for convenient use, In
danger always Of falling and drag
ging others to ruin in their fall
But when the bell is a medium of
communication with tie Infinite,
and the worship Of a people and
an empire fiHds expression in tue
majestic tones Of a bell, it ceases
TO be a wonder that q bell should
have a tongue which requires "A
men to move and whose music
sends a thrill of praise into every
house in the city, and floats away
beyond the river into the plains
afar. :.
"Moscow is the 'holy city Of
the Greek Church. Pilgrims come
hither from thousands of miles off,
and on foot, and sometimes with
out shoes. | have seen them with
slaves in their hands, and their
travel-worn feet wound up in
cloths, vending their way to the
sacred hill. When they draw nigh
unto the city, and on the evening
air the music Of these holy bells is
first borne to their ears, they fall
upon their faces PROSTATE and
worship God. If they could go
no farther, they would be content
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 superstitious
peasant, and it is beautiful sen.
timent-idea indeed, but all the
more delicate and exalted.
"As long as 500 years ago this
casting Of bells was an art in Rus,
STA. 1t is one Of the fine arts now.
Perhaps our great bell-fOunders,
the Meneelys, win not admit that
the founders there have any more
skill in their manufacture than we
have; and | am not sure that theil
bells have any tones more exquis
lite than ours would have, ii we
would put as much silver and gold
into our bell-metal as they d.
But so long as these precious met
ais are at the present premium lit
tie or none of them viii find It's
way into our church bells. We
have not the mistaken idea of the
Russians as to the use of BELL
We use it to call the people to the
house Of worship. Our bells
speak to MS; their bells praise God
They cast their silver and theil
gold into the molten mass, and il
becomes an offering, as on al
altar, to Him who is wcrshipe6
with every silvery note and gold
en- tone Of the holy bell.
"The great bell Of the Kremlir
is the growth of centuries. Ii
1858 it was cast, and weighed
only $4,000 pounds. 1t fell in {
fire, and was recast in 1864, being
increased to the astonishing weigh
Of 2S8,000 pounds. This was tot
vast q weight to be taken up tt
the topof the tower, and it was sus
tanned by a frame at the foot of it
In 1706 it fell in another fire, anC
was broken into fragments, whicl
lay there on the ground about 81
years. It was recast in 1888, bu
four years afterward a piece wa
knocked out of the side of it, AM
it has been standing here on tn,
ground more than a century. /
how weighs 444,009 pounds! L
the thickest part it is two fee
through. 1t has relief pictures OF