The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-11-21
A TOUCHING sNl,,,oy.


uoII Ia A So an Church nj Washington.
Washington Post; Roy, DR.. Gregg,
pastor OF the Lafayette Avenue Prosby.
Ioriau church, in Brooklyn, created
worry decided sensation last Sunday
night week ago, WHOM no told his con.
sregation how he visited Warrington,
and while there climbed, into a staoplo
and rang church, bell. Tho sensation
expressed itself in very distinct and
herhRps irroverout applause, and those
who wore present say that Il would have
become tumultuoua but Tor the holy
day and place,
The doctor spoke OF his experiences
in tho Oeautilu, capital oil tho nation, Of
his ascent to tho roof OF tho Washing
ton Trust Company, OF tho gracious and
splendid aud inspiring panorama that
was stretched ont before him from that
dizzy altitude, 1t mado him proud that
he was an American citizen, lilo suw
tho stately public buildings, the capi'
tol, tho now congressional library, tho
whito wonder Of tho magnificent shaft
this free country has raised IN honor OF
George " Rshinglon, the grand sweep OF
the Potomac and the fair Virginia Mills
buyond, HIa bosom swo,lsd. lie f0lt
tho patriots ecstasy. lilo glnrled IN tho
land Of his birth, "But what Interested
mo more than anything else that day,"
SAID tho doctor was q little church
- the LETT, All Souls church,
1t is scarcely visible among tho
t,nnnatYNfN mi l,ntlltFttra nf
tha city, In tho tower Of that church
there hangs an historic bell, aud
IL Is this bell which makes the little
church an object OF interest. This bell
was cast in the foundry established by
Paul Revere Whan John Brown, Of
llarper's Ferry, was hanged, this bell
lollel his death knoll. All Washington
Heard it. ai il tolled. ltseoGmn sound.
announcing the fall OF tho champion OF
liberty, snt the people who walked tho
streets thlneing and asking question:
relative to the crime Of slavery inflicted
upon the black man. People all over
tho country were thinking, was u lad
that day in the preparatory school, aud
remember how We boyl talked over
the execution Of that gray.heaied old
man. The hour sat Tor his execution
was au hour OF hush In tho schoolroom.
lnGTo WAS stiffness in tho school
which every boy felt, and it told on our
after lives"
lie recalled the whole tragic episode,
the gloom aud the deep sadness OF tho
hour, and he made up his mind that ho
would go into All Souls belfry and
bless that bell aud ring ii Just once, II
never again, in honor and commemorn.
ton OF the stupendous work that John
Brown had given his liia to set in mo-
ton. And thus no tella tho story OF his
enterprise;
~ said to myseIi. ii Il do not SEQ an.
other thing in Washington, shall go
and see that bell, And go to see Ii |
did. There was not soul in the
church, but the church door was wide
open. 1t was noon. looked up into
tile beliry and saw it from the outside,
but that did not satisfy me, wanted
TO SEQ il from the inside. wanted to
lay my hands upOn It aud bless It En-
tering the church, climbed the stairs
10 the beIiry; but, alas! tine upner bel.
lrv door was shut aud locked. But there
was the bell rope reaching down TO the
floor Of tho lobby. Tho temptation was
irresistible. found myself saying; Old
he'll, there is not power enough in the
government OF the United States tos.
lcnce YOU to-day. You and have al.
ways been the friends OF John Brown
now, lot Us SAY SOL" Listen, nll Wash.
lngton Listen, and you shall hear tho
name OF one oil the grandest OF Ameri-
can heroes pronounced, just now, with
honor and affection!
Having made this little pathetic ad.
dress, / took hold OF tho bell rope and
pulled it with all my might, once, twice,
thrice. As looked up and listened.
between each HAl Of tho rome, heard
up thoro the grand old bell with It's
tongue OF eloquence pronounce in clear
tones which could DO heard at the
white house aud in the capitol, aud
away down the Potomac, the name OF
the long fallen leader OF liberty, whose
soul Ia marching on. There was no
mistake about 1t; as listened ! hoard II
call out the old mans name rs il swung
10 aud fro: John Brown' John
BIowng John Brownr Whom | had
made Washington city hear that hon
ored name once more, aud that from
the very bell which the United States
had once Flencod, iot that had done
my dnty for ono day, aud | turned and
Loft tho church.
"Tho sexton OF the church was down
gtroe: during my visit When tho bell
rang ont into tho air the namo OF tho
hero Of Harpcr's Ferry he recognized
ia familiar tonCa, and In alarm few up
70 ths church. lie reached it just as |
wa. leaving it. and all out OF breath he
greeted me: some one has been ring
inc the church bell
"'Yos,' | replied, Il rang 1t. and |
rang it In honor OF john Brown!
"'Good for you! was his response.
and said 'Amen' aud this closed tho
church service OF that day."
10 it any wonder that such sermon
touched tho hearts OF all his listeners
and almost made them, In their pro.
ionndlv stirred humanity, forget their
obligations OF sobornoss and dovout.
uc,s OF demoanor2 Verify, that was a
sermon to tho soul-a sermon worth
ton thousand roams OF dogma and Il
| million theological distractions.