Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-04-11
tFrom our local contributor.)
Bells In the Country.

A recent discussion in the Philadel
fphia courts has brought the church
bells into some notice, but if they hat
been consulted in the matter, they pro
badly would have preferred TO remain
in the same elevated situation which
they have so long occupied, rather thar
be dragged to the level of the beings
over whom they have for 10! these
many years, ruled by a clapper and
terrific dins. The decision was
substantially as follows: shat the
peace, health. and convenience of a
whole neighborhood, should not sue.
cum to a useless, deafening, disagree.
able sound, though that sound pro.
ceeded from the bell of an edifice, de.
voted to the worship of God" There
it Is, in nutshell, and every kernel is
a truth.
What funny people we are in some
of our ways, to be sure. We make
our boast, sometimes, that we must
have almost reached the end in civlliza-
ton, intelligence and the like, and yet
how many relics of barbarism, we
laboliously drag along with us. 1t
should not astonish us, if another
Chinese Philosopher, Of the Goldsmith
type, landing on our own shores, should
exclaim 30! Meem Hum, what kind
of a people am l got amongst" In
none of our customs, do we more clear
ly exhibit this trait, than in the noise
we raise with bells, whenever anything
important is to be done. But we want
ed to say something about bells in the
country.
Ifcity people have rights, so have we.
We are just as sensitive to discordant
sounds, our hearing being equally good
as theirs And why could not the
courts, or some of the ''powers that be"
say in behalf ofvillage people, that they
need no longer suffer all annoyance of
the like nature?
People in the city feel justified in
making complaint, when one bell, or a
a chime, (so-called) is rung in their inn
mediate vicinity, and are people in a
village less justified, when over its
small area, three or four large bells are
struck, sometimes altogether, making
such volume Of sound, as almost to
drown conversation on the streets
ADd all this clatter, to let people know
it is the hour Of prayer? How different
this from the beautiful temple service
Of the Jew. who from his house top. at
this hour, looked for the ascending
Ismoke Of the evening sacrifice as a
silent reminder that his prayers should
now be offered. And on the other
hand, a similarity is found to the wor-
ship Of many who know not the gospel,
yet call worshipers to their temples,
By beating rude drums. dashing sym.
balls and the like, that they may arouse
the people. and call the attention OF
their Deity, that they are about to en-
gage in his worship.
In view Of the frequent affection peo-
pie must undergo who live in the I'M
mediate vicinity Of a church tower hold
ing a bell, we ourselves endured it
eight months: the torture to the sick,
the useless distress, occasioned by the
tolling Of one, it is said, much can be
said on both sides of the question.
Well. this may be true, but we never
theless cling to our side, made strong as
it is by experience and observation,
and are prepared to vote all the poetry
concerning the music CT the sweetly
ringing bells myth. 1t remained for
civilized people to discover harmony
here, for verify music alone, ''hath
power to soothe the savage heart"