The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-29

St. Michaels at the Cross in Gloucester
has announced the curfew
The numerous churches of the city and
surrounding districts, which gave rise to
Gloucester" have all fine peals,
which chime TO each other and echo
and re-echo through the valleys and
nights of the Cotswolds, producing a mel
ody OF sound nowhere else to be heard in
England.
Strange is it that this universally estab-
hshed custom in Britain has not had any
following in America, and it may well
form an interesting subject Of discussion
as to the reason thereof. 1t cannot be
that Puritan influence was against such,
because even in Presbyterian, Calvanisic
Scotland bells are considered as necessary
in the proper ritual and service of a
church as pulpit and pews are.
This is notably the case in Aberdeen,
the City of Churches''-the very heart
and life of dissenting Presbyterian in
huence-which has a tell on every one of
Its numerous churches and a magnificent
peal on the old Cathedral church of ST.
Nicholas. When this church was burned
down several years ago the belfry was
destroyed, and "Old Lowrie" (St. Lau-
renee, which had called the people to
church from pre-reformation days,
cracked and fell. The silence and de-
preston was felt to be so great on the
| hrsC Sunday after the catastrophe that a
public meeting was called during the fol-
lowing week, handsome subscriptions
poured in and the damaged bells were sent
to be recast in Belgium and several fine
bells added. When the church was re-
stored the bells were ready to be hung
Who can say there is nothing in senti-
ment after this, for even in thrifty Scot
land the 'hard headed" Aberdeenian is
SO noted for his tight-fstedness and
love of money that common
saying goes: mo jew can live in Aber-
Geen."
In Scotland it is almost no bell; no
church; although l admit the bell is not
musical, for, unlike violins and pianos,
bells do not improve with age, nor. as |
have said before, is the demand for bells
confined to churches. All the fine pub
lie buildings are not considered com
plete without a peal, and in Birmingham
and Manchester, the busiest, dirtiest
most uninviting of English manufactur-
ing towns, the churches are remarkably
fine.
The town hall of Manchester with its
exquisite interior fittings, its marble mo-
sale toors, suites of frCscoed. mural
painted rooms, Illustrative of Scotch,
English, Welsh and Irish scenery, its
tapestries and carved furniture, its grand
Hall, filled with Burue Jones and Ford
Maddox Brownies bright mural work;
the carved ceiling and magnificent organ,
all make up perfect building wherein
tn e citizens meet and dine and wine and
dance on all fitting occasions. Here the
mayor can handsomely dispense the hos
pitality of the city. 1t verify belongs to
the people. Nor is the active business
life forgotten, for the necessary public
offices are all well appointed and com
forbably situated in the building Sur
mounting the whole is the tower and
bells which peal some merry old English
tune every hour, and on Sunday send
forth over the still and silent air the dear
familiar hymns of childhood.
Here in Philadelphia, with an area
equal to that of London, there are not as
many bells as in any comparatively small
provincial town in Britain. With an I'M
finished town hall, why can arrangements
not be made for a peal of bells, which
from their hight could ring out over the
Delaware fats and Jersey orchards the
messages of patriotism, which these old
world bells teach to the children?
The Liberty Bell is silent, and by its 81
lence may teach the deep, earnest lesson.
that its work is done, but the daily Chin
ing of such inspiriting airs as The Star
Spangled Banner" Marching Through
Georgia, - ''Tho Swanee River as an ed
ucating power would do much to foster
a love of country in the hearts of Young
America, and would be d daily lesson ana
reminder of those heroes who fought and
died so bravely, and were the makers of
| its history and the inspiring genins of its
national hymn My Country, IT'S of
Thee. :"
Space forbids me entering into the de-
tails of other bells-the Passing Bell"
the superstitions attached to bells, etc,
the great bells of the world-but in clio
singrthe subject of the lack of bells in
America, may tittingly quote the i'm
mortal bard
WHY ring the bells not out?"
The joints and muscles are so fabricated
by Hoods Sarsaparilla that all rhema-
tism and stiffness soon disappears. Get
only Hood sad