The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-09-09

ITO call the fold to Church in time
We chime,
When joy and mirth are on the wing
We ring,
When we lament departed soul
We toll.n
The name from the Anglo Saxon wort
bellan, to make hollow sound, is signif
cant of their early use.
We find bells among Jews, Greeks
Romans and Christians, variously applied
Among the Jews it was ordained that the
lower part of the blue tunic which the high
priest wore when he performed religious
ceremonies should be adorned with gold
bells. Among the Greeks the priest OF
Proserpine rung bell to call the people to
sacrifice. The Romans by bells announced
the time for bathing, ard the early Chris.
tians adopted the same signal for designat
ing the hour Ct prayer; which is kept up
by the Roman Catholics in the rim ging oil
tue Angelus at morning noon and night.
Among Christians Of to-day what strange
ly opposite emotions are awakened by the
sound of different bells When the bells
sweetly ring on Sabbath morning, Ginning
with the warbling of birds, filling our soul
with better aspirations, does it not seem
otis the music highest unto heaven?" At
times the sad mournful knell tells of the
grim despair that hangs ike dark cloud
over the heart when the sod covers the
earthly form Of our dearest treasure, and
hope hides Eer rainbow wing.
About the year 400, bells We're first used
for churches by St.Paulinus, bishop of Nola.
Russia exceeds all other nations in her
fondness for bells and the bells of Moscow
continue to ring during the whole of Easter
week, tinkling and tolling without harmony
or order, "Sweet bells tangled, out of time,
and harsh" The great bell cast by the
order of the Empress Anne in 1853 is esti-
mated at 443,172 pounds, and is known to
be the largest bell ever cast In 1881 the
Gar Nicholas caused it TO be taken out o!
the deep pit IN which it had slumbered nearly
two hundred years, and had it placed upon
granite pedestal, and consecrcated as a
chapel, the door being in the aperture
made by Il piece which fell out. This
favored bell contains a large portion of gold
and silver, and upon one side, over border
of flowers is seen figure of the Empress
Annie. The peculiar reverence for bells
existing among the anclents, which caused
the mobiles and people to cast in as votiYe
offerings their plate and money, has dissap-
peared, yet bells are still precious and
their music grand. IN some parts oil
Europe there are chimes of hundred bells,
played by keys similar to those of piano,
and when those soul enhancing tones thrill
the listener, may one not almost fancy
otis Angels music
Although the age is so practical that bells
have lost something of their strange, mag
power, yet even 10 America we have those
whose measured tones have first proclaimed
changes intimately connected with the
prosperity of our nation. Is there not G
feeling of awe and reverence connected
with that dear old bell upon Independence
Hall in Philadelphia, which on July 18th
l776, first announced by its peal the decla
ration then made; the most important
event in the history of our country. Who
does not feel the appropriateness of the
| inscription of this bell, "Proclaim libert,
throughout all the land, unto all the inhabi
tants thereof" When the bells rung on the
passage of the constitutional amendmen
abolishing slavery, every true heart coul(
join with Whittier in his Laus Dec:
Ring o. bells!
Every stroke exulting tells
OF the burial hour of crime,
Loud ana long, that all may hear.
Ring for every listening ear
OF Eternity and Time"
Bells are the ''poetry of steeples'' ani
various are the rhymes they chime. "llov
many a tale their music tells, OF youth an,
home, and that sweet time when first W
heard their soothing chime" In brigh
happy childhood thy ring cheerily, but a
years advance they seem to have forgotten
their old art of telling the fortune OF futur
days. The curfew bell that toIled the kne
Of parting day, spread gloom over chieftain
hall and peasants hut, as it was the we
known signal for covering the embers an
putting OFT the light. When from the din
church tower the sad, solemn requiem Q
the day ch,med out upon the night, n
welcome cottage lamp might longer glim
mer through the darkness. as star, t
guide the weary traveller to place of res
and shelter; no more might CLEAN th
pleasant blaze upon the lowly peasant
hearth, to cheer the evening meal; an
to tie anxious watcher by the couch {
pain, warning her of long weary hours be
fore the mornings dawn, with no cheerfl
lamp or bright frelighst glow to tighten tn
gloom Yet there is far sadder peal tba
, even the curfew knell The slow measure
tones that tell Of woe, such as those heart
only may know that have felt its blightln
power. Had they power to speak ho
/ many sad tales might those mystical bel
, life with willing heart, tired of sham
, and scorn, thankful for a resting placl
even il it be grave. OF what sad parting
, might they tell, when the anchor is weigl
: ed, the wheels revolve, the bell strikes an
. the last lingering farewell Is spoken as ii