Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-07-13

The blessing OF the bell of the new Cath
Ollie Church at Elm Grove took place yes
terday, Afternoon, the exercises beginning
at about three o'clock. The crowd in at
tendance was indeed very large, Catholics
from all parts of this city and also from
neighbcring towns being in attendance in
large numbers. Bishop Donahue OBLIGATED,
ard the ceremonies were beautiful and i'm
pressive.
Benwood and Wheeling divisions A. o. II.
and the Knights CT ST. Csorge were the
Catholic societies present as we'll as the
Ladies Auxiliary A. o. II. Benwood d.
vision was accompanied by Hackert's full
band, of Bellaire, while Wheeling division
and the Knights of st. George marched to
music furnished by Mayors brass band
The marching column presented very
pretty spectacle as it moved TO the station
before leaving town. and marched to the
scene of the exercises after leaving the
train which carried it TO Elm Grove. The
new bell was placed in an arbor which was
tastefully decorated with flowers. The
usual religious rites performed on such oc-
casions were followed out. at the close of
the first part of which Bishop Donahue
delivered an exceedingly appropriate and
eloquent sermon, which is here given.
BISHOP DONAHUE'S REMARKS.
A ceremony so rare as the present, dearly
beloved brethren, would seem to justify
and even demand a few words of eXplana-
ton TO our Catholic and non-Catholic
friends alike. The blessing of a bell occurs
at such long intervals, especially in this
country, that even those of the household
of the faith may be excused if they fail to
grasp its full significance. Some Of our
Separated brethren among the spectators
and auditors may imagine they see in this
blessing a series of superstitious perform
ances and we may have to bear some crit
icism impaired with a superior smile; so
that 1t is well, if possible, to proclaim 10 all
the people the spiritual significance I'M
DERIVING these exterior acts.
The sacred volume informs us, what in
deed we know by the light of natural truth,
that the earth is the Lords and the full
nsss thereof. They are His by the double
Itle of creation and conservation. All
creatures in heaven and on earth praise and
bless Him. The children in the fiery fur
mace Danfel ill.,. V 80 call upon angels,
the waters above. the heavens, sun, moon
and stars, every shower and dew, cold and
heat, ice and snow, night and day, light
and darkness, lightnirgs and clouds. fount-
aims, seas and rivers, all things that spring
up in the earth. the fishes of the great deep.
the fowls of the air. beasts and cattle and
finally all the sors of men. the priests of
the Lord, TO praise and exalt the Lord for
ever But from this chorus OF universal
praise II has pleased Almighty God in the
Old and in the New Law that some special
persons should be in a particular manner
devoted 10 Him and should articulate more
or less intelliSently His glory. The heav-
ems are telling the glory OF God" day and
night, all those creatures mentioned in the
noble invocation of the children in, the fur
mace proclaim in their own way His glory.
This beautiful bell, the material of which
lay for ages in the depths of some unknown
mountain. is this day set apart for His
service; and. as the priests of the Old Law
blessed the fruits of the earth and anoint-
cd and consecrated the children OF men, so
we, in the newer and sweeter dispensation
of love. venture TO dedicate this herald to
be, to anoint it with holy oil and to invoke
upon it the benediction of heaven.
SIGNIFICANT SERVICES.
Call not these things mummery or SUI
perstition. What we here perform is
prompted by the deepest instincts of the
human heart ard flows directly from our
composite, corporal and spiritual being
If you array your brides in purest white
and shower rice upon the departed wedding
pair, if you break the bottle of wine upon
the bow of the good ship before she slides
down into the embrace or old Ocean, If
you lay the corner stones of even secular
edifices with flourish of trumpets and clash
Of cymbals, if We all salute our country's
flag with the reverence and enthusiasm
and love accorded TO some best loved living
creature, if, in a word. throughout our
lives, the symbol often receives the honors
due to the reality, marvel not at us when
we treat this bell as though endowed with
life and speech.
What a large range in the gamut of hui
man emotions is filled up by the sound of
bells. All cur early memories are perme-
ated by them. Some one bell rings out
still in the memory Of each of us from out
our childhood days. All literatures TEEN
with them. They clash in ponderous Cath
olic domes and airy minarets, they peal
through mist or sunshine across country
lanes and rolling fields. they divide the
watches on the vessels deck in storm and
calm, or swayed by the waves. they warn
the mariner from the rocky shoal; they peal
forth joy and wall forth sorrow, they count
the hours and chronicle the flight of time!
Tradition and history tell us of the bells
that called back the downcast boy in almost
human tones to be thrice Lord Mayor of
London; of the Curfew. the symbol of Nor
man domination, of the bell that called
Macbeth to his deed of blood, of the tocsin,
and the great Liberty Bell which. on that
ever memorable July 4th. 1776, rang out our
independence forevermore. Who can read
unmoved of those bells
Whose sounds so wild would
In days of childhood
Fling round my cradle
Their magic spells.'
Who is not thrilled by the Ring out wild
bells" Of EnglanGs great laureate? And
what deep spiritual sense and poetic fire
alike shine forth in our own immortal poets
lines on 1.-The BELLS" WhV they are so