The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-07-13
THE BELL RINGS.
Dedication Of st. Vinccnt's Church,
ut Elm Grove.
GREAT CONCOuRSE or PEOPLE.
Of Whom were from Wheeling,
Saw tho Impressive Service or u,s After.
noou-Ii,e Ola Custom or Hlc.slng tho
iioii Explained by bishop Donnhue.
Knights OF ". Gcorgo aud IIlbernlnns
Participate Procession 10 tho "Mount.,

Yesterday was n memorable day with
the Catholics of Wheeling and viclnlty,
and especially with those OF Elm Grove
and Pleasant Valley, for to them
tho exercises OF tho day were the most
Interesting. The bell OF their now church
was received by the bishop and the very
Interesting and impressive service OF
blessing It was witnessed BY about 1900
people. The service was d~cdlcatory TO
the church, also.
The day was warm, but on the hin
where the exercises took place there vas
a pleasant breeze blowing, and beneath
the Shndc Of apple trees tho large crowd
listened TO n most eloquent address de-
llvcrcd by Bishop Don0huc.
Tit knights OF ST. George and, the AM
Client Order Of liibernians attended In n
body. The former organization. headed
by Mayors band and under the COM
inand OF George j.. MnthiSon, went out
on n special motor about , o'clock, and
the .HlbernlanS, with lfaclett's band OF
Erllalrc, and under command of NJ. II,
bailey, went out on a special train on
the Baltimore & Ohio at $50. Upon the
arrival OF tho I~llbcrnluns, the process
sion formed and marched Ia the church
and to thu lawn which surrounds tho
girls o%rphanugc adjoining the church.
Here the crowd and the societies rested
until half paSt three. when they formed
In line again md led by Rev. Father l..
J. PaQuin. pnstor OF the new st. Vincent
de Paul church. marched 10 the top OF
the oun where the new bell rested un-
der n beautifully trimmed canopy, OPP
posltc which was an %improviscd pulpit
decorated with pines and bunting. Fol-
lowing the societies came Bishop Dono-
hue. Rev. Father Q. II. Moye. and the
altar boys. dressed In the garb OF their
respective offices. When the procession
reached the summit OF the hill. 1t halted
In front OF the bell and here Bishop
Donohue, exchanged his robes for those
used ut h altar, after which he as
cended Into the pulpit and opened the
exercises of the day.
The bishop began his remarks by ex-
planning the ceremonies to those present
who were not conversant with the doc
trine OF the Catholic church, saying that
services like these were OF such un un-
common nature. especially In this coun-
try. that the reason for the blessing OF
the bells was not familiar even to those
or his own faith and TO some non-Catho-
lies 1t may seem foolish or supersti-
tious. He llkencd the blessing of the
bell to the breaking OF the bottle Of wine
over the bow of the shin before she Is
launched. To some, said the bishop.
the flag Of the country may seem but an
ordinary piece OF linen or silk, or the
uniform OF the soldier or sailor worn In
ordinary life extremely absurd, and so
with the blessing Of the bell. What
large space In the gamut OF human
emotions Is filled with the ringing OF
bells! The memory of the bells heard
In youth has called some pleasant recol-
lectlons to all. He spoke eloquently OF
the bells Of old from curfcw down to thu
bell which led on over the country road
that future lord mayor OF London and
referred to the beautiful poem OF Edgar
Allen Poe on the ringing OF the bells al
twilight. -
He came lin the office of bishop OF
wheeling to bless this bell in the pres
ence OF the clergy and the people, those
whom It's ringing would summon r. ser.
vices. and to burn incense about IL and