Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-07-07
BURLINGTON's CHURCH BELLS.
Thoir Age mud thin q
About HeIIs In General.


Nosound is more familiar to every one than
that OF the church bells, and yet, strange US
1t may seem, very few persons are coguizant
oil their history, and to the Seeker after
truth, regarding these historical facts, the
well-informed persons in this regard seem
few and fur between. In this connection
few words regarding the origin and history
OF bells in general may not be inopportune.
From remote antiquity bells have been
used in religious ceremonies the introduce.
ton of them into the Christian church dat
ing from the fifth century. They first mp
peared in Campanin, 10 which province they
were mostly confined for about seven
hundred years, not appearing in what Ia
now known as Great Britain and other
European countries until the fifteenth CEN
fury. Hand bells were the first in existence
and were made Of thin plates Of hammered
iron, bent into four.sided form, fastened
with rvets and brazed or bronzed. Several
examples OF these are still preserved, the most
remarkable being "Thc Bell of ST. Patrick's
WHIP (now at Belfast, Ireland, made bet ween
the years 1901 and ll05. In this latter CEN
tury were manufactured the first church
bells, among which was one considered at
the time as II wonder, presented 10 the
church OF Orleans, by king, weighing $500
pounds. From this time on the size of bells
gradually Increased. AT the present day the
largest bell Is the one known as the "rhe
Monarch of Moscow" at st Petersburg, Rus
STA (cast in l734), above 81 feet in diameter
and weighing 1913 tons Other celebrated
bells are The Great Bell of Pekin," Ia
feet high, IL feet in diameter, weighing 53I
tons that at the Roman Catholic cathedral
at Montreal, weighing, 13l tons "The Great
Bell OF st. PauHs" London, weight, lilo
tons; and the chime at st. Mary lie. Bow,
Cheapsidc, London, the famous Bow bells,
that every Englishman thinks ii an honor to
have been born within sound of.
Tho Bells Of Burlington.
Oldest of all bells in our city is the one on
the Unitarian or First Congregational church.
which was purchased and placed in the bel.
fry at the time of the erection of the church,
in 1916, together with clock that re-
gulated the diurna revolutions of our
citizens for fifty years. Its weight is about
l5OO pounds. No inscription marks its sur
face, save the stamp of time, but Its tones are
us clear and resonant as when on that memo
rable day sixty-six years ago, it rang for the
first church service.
Next in age is the bell of ST. Paul's Eps-
copal church, placed In position at the time
that edifice was erected, in 1882, Bishop
Hopkins being rector at that time Its
weight is about 1000 pounds
The bell on the Church of st. Joseph was
purchased in 1856, and weighs about one
Thousand pounds. It is the smallest of all
the bells except that on st. Mary's school,
which weighs $50 pounds.
The bell on st. Mary's Cathedral was got
n mi Hrat nj h,i liz,
now known AS st. Mary's School, then the
Roman Catholic House OF Worship. When
the Cathedral was erected some years later
the bell was removed to its tower, where it
has since remained The bell is inscribed
Burlington, VI.
A. d. los.
1t is from the Meneeley mandatory at
West Troy, n. Y. The last two bells were
Intended as part vi peal of three, the third
TO he purchased as soon US circumstances will
permit.
Sixth in point of age is the bell on the
Winooski Avenue Congregational church.
1t was purchased in 1860, for the new
church erected on the site of the one burned
in 1886, is from the Mcnccy mandatory,
and weighs 23OO pounds The bell of the old
church was destroyed al the time of the
fire.
The Baptist society procured bell,
weighing 34G1 pounds, in July, 1864, but in
1870 1t was found To be cracked, and return
ed to the manufacturers, Messrs Jones L Co.
OF Troy, n. y. Another bell, weighing
5000 pounds was purchased, which proved
unsatisfactory in the tone, and was also re-
turned in exchange for the present bell, the
weight of tie latter being 1856 pounds.
The bell on the College Street church was
placed in position in March, 1878. 1t was
made by Neneely " Kimberly, and weighs
1900 pounds costing between $500 and 5000.
The first Sunday after the arrival OF this bell
an incident occurred which created at the
time considerable amusement. During the
then customary prayer-meeiing before the
regular service, just after the hymn begin.
ming "liow happy are our ears, that hear
this joyful sound, had been given out, and the
congregation were preparing to render it, the
first strokes OF the new bell filled the build
ing with its full rich tone, causing an almost
audible smile which sadly nterfered with
the singing of the hymn. The clock in the
church was purchased at the same time as the
bell, from Howard y Co. of Boston. 1t has
an illuminating apparatus in connection with
ii.
The Methodist church-bell, though the
youngest" of all, is by far the largest. 1t
was purchased in 1879 and weighs 1900
pounds. II is Inscribed as follows:
METHODIST EPISCOPAL cuuRcu,
burlington, VI.
A. ID. 1879.
And let him that heareth say Come"
On the opposite side Is the name Of the
founders, Meneeley Il Kimberly
These are the principal bells of the city.
though there are other small ones, such as e
one on the Sisters OF Providence Orphan
Asylum and the one on the Nazareth school,
an excellent bell for its size.
Aud these old bells of what have they
been the silent witnesses; That at the
Unitarian Church has seen the growth of
Burlington from the small village of long
ago to the beautiful city of to-day. And
could others but speak, what tales they
could unfold of the departure of the boys in
blue in the stirring days of o. and the home
coming, four years later, with decimated
ranks, but with victory perched on their stand
ards. These, and other matters Of equal in
teres, can not hut inspire feeling of venera-
ton for the church bells of our city and the
hope that they may continue 10 sound their
weekly call TO worship for many years to
come.