The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-01-19
SOMETHING MORE ABOUT BELLS,

century and it is supposed that they gave
rise TO that feature of ecclesiastical archi>
lecture known as the Bell Tower.
Bells are often baptised and christened
with great pomp and ceremony, and in
the middle ages were (and still are, the
writer might have added, much used as a
part of the ceremonial of the church. The
Sanctus bell which is a small bell still
used by one Of the attendants of the priest
OF the Catholic churches just before the
elevation of the Host, was formerly q
larger bell hung in the outer turret of the
church, at the sound of which all who
heard it bowed 10 alteration. The Ave
Marie bell announces the hour for Offering
supplication to the Virgin, and for begin
ming and ceasing labor. The Vesper bell,
the calling to evening prayer. The Pass
ing bell was SO named by being toled when
any one was passing from life, and it was
ordered that all within hearing should
pray for the soul of the dying one. From
this custom is doubtless derived that OF
tolling the church bells at funerals, and
also that which is practised in some local
tiles of toiliug the bell Immediately after
death, and indicating the age of The de-
ceased by the number of strokes.
The ringing of tue Curfew bell was
introduced into England from France, by
William, the Conqueror. 1t was called
the cOuUre feu (coSer fire) bell, and when
rung at eight or nine O'Clock in the even-
ing it was expected that all fire and light
would be extinguished. 1t is to be re-
membered that at the early period houses
were mostly built of infamabe materials,
and the law of the Conqueror,' though
arbitrary, was intended to prevent confla-
grations. The custom was enforced for
less than fifty years, but there are many
localities in England where, even now.
the curfew tolls the knel! of parting day
In olden times it was superstitiousIy
believed that the ringing Of bells would
disperse evil spirits, check tempests, drive
away infections and avert the lightnings.
The most common of the old inscriptions
upon the Latin bells were to this effect.
The use of bells to sound alarm in the
event of danger from fire, flood, and the
enemy dates from an early period. 1t is
related that i'll The year 6lO, when Sens
was beseiged, the Bishop of Orleans or
dered the bells of ST Stephens TO be rung,
and the sound 50 frightened the assailants
that they abandoned the siege.
When Macbeth shut himself in the for
est of .DuHsinane, and it was announced
10 him that Birnam Wood was moving
on the castle, be cried out in his despera-
tion
Ring the alarm belli Blow wind! Come wrack.
At least we'll die with harness on our backs.
In later years. the use of bells has be-
come so systematized as not only to sound
the alarm of fire, but to indicate the local
ity of the danger, and there are cities in
the United States III which by means of
electricity, every fire bell may at once an
nounce this fact Perhaps the most per-
feet operation of the system is to be seen
In New York.
The largest bell in the world is In Mos
cow-the City of Bells. 1t was cast by
order of the Empress Anne, in 1868 is
twenty-one feet five and one half inches
in height, twenty-five feet five and half
inches in diameter where the clapper
100000 to 440,00 pounds. Historians
are IN doubt whether this giant among
bells was ever hung. DIR. Clark, who
saw it about the year 1901, says, in his
s'Travels'': ''The Russians might as
we'll have attempted to suspend a line of
battle ship with all lis stores and guns.
Bayard Taylor. on the other hand, main-
tains that it was both hung and. ''it being
struck by the clapper," as Korb says in
his diary, Fifty men pulled upon it, one
half upon each side" In. 1887, the Gar
Nicholas caused it to be disinterred from
its bed of sand, where it is supposed it
was lodged during the confagration OF
1877, and placed on the granite pedestal
where it now rests. 1t was then conse>
Grated as chapel. the entrance TO the m
terror being through large fracture near
the mouth, the cause of which is a subject
of controversy.
1t is recorded that at the casting of this
bell, mobiles were present from all parts of
Europe, who We'd with eachother in the
value of the gold and silver plate, !jewelry
and other votive offerings which they cast
into the furnace. 1t is doubtless owing
TO this practice, which prevailed in olden
times, that the existing notion is derived
that ancient bells are of better material
than the modern ones, on account of the
silver composition. 1t may be added,
however that the idea is incorrect, since
recent experiments have shown that its
introduction causes positive deterioration
IL e I'll
Whoever has been in Russia recalls as
chief among his memories, tho sound of
the great bells which form part of reli>
gious worship, and are regarded by the
Russians with superstitious veDeration.
In Moscow also there are five thousand,
and when they unite on festive occasions
in one mighty chime, the effect, especially
at distance, is said to be maJestically
grand.
rrhare "a novy susDended iu the tow or