The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-06-11

Re0ssffftsE Bells.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE GREAT BELLS OF
Moscow-THEIR MusIc-TowERs, &C.
A very interesting account of the Bells of
Moscow is given by a correspondent at that
place. He says;
At the foot of Ivan Tower in the Krem-
a9at M5offfasY largest be that ever Vas in
the world. A piece is broken out of its
side, and the fragment is lying near. The
breadth of the bell is SO great-twenty feet
across-that the cavity underneath has been
used as chapel, where as many people can
stand as in circle sixty feet around
In Russia the bell is an 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 ex-
plain. 1t appears to be bound to cast bells
so large as to be next to impossible for
convenient use, in danger always of falling
and dragging Others to ruin in their fall.
When the bell is means of communication
with the Infinite and the worship ola people
and an empire finds expression in the ma
jestic tones of a bell, it ceases to be won.
der that bell should have tongue which
requires twerty-four men to move, and
music should send thrill Of praise into
every house in the city, and float away
beyond the river in the plains afar.
Moscow is the holy city of the Greek
Church. Pilgrims come hither from thou
sands of miles off, and ON foot, and some
7 hn.
with slaves In their hands and travel-worn
feet wound up in cloths, 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
faces, PROSTATE, and worship God. If they
could go no further, they would 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 SUI
perstitious peasant, and it is q beautiful
sentiment-ideal, 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 Meneeleys, will not
admit that 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 Rus
SLAMS as to the use ola bell. We use the
bell to call the people to the house of
worship. They use the bell for worship.
Our bells speak to us, Their bells praise
God. They cast their silverand their gold
into the molten mass, and it becomes an
altar to Him who is worshiped with every
silyery note and golden tone of the holy
bell.
This one great bell. is the growth of CEN
turtles In 1868 it was cast, and weighed
only $4,000 pounds, 1t fell in fire, was
recasted in 1854, being increased to the
astonishing weight of 22s,O00 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 oft. In 100
it fell in another fire, and was broken into
fragments, which lay there on the ground
about thirty years. 1t was recast in 1889,
and four years afterward piece was
knocked out of the side of it, and it has
been standing here on the ground more
than half century. 1t weighs $4,000
poundsl In the thickest part it is two feet
through. 1t has relief pictures on it ofthe
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-
Der of thirty-tour. Some of these are of a
size to fill one with establishment had he
not seen the giant below. The largest is
on the story above the chapel, and weighs