The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-04-17
EASTER BELLS.
Continued from first page.

tinker which did duty In the monastery.
But this was easily accomplished. The
next problem that vexed the worthy prel-
ate's mind was where to place his new
continuance, so that it's voice could be
heard from afar.
There was, however, on the roof of the
basilica of st. Felix "a sort of cupola known
as a lantern. 1t was open on all sides, its
principal purpose being, as it's name inn
plies, to give light to the interior of the
structure on which 1t rested. 1t was in
this lantern that the bishop Of Nola yoked
the first church bell.
Most probably it was of the inter class
and looked for all the world like a good
sized metal bowl with a clapper inside.
Nor was it a large affair. The fifteenth
century was well advanced before bells of
any considerable dimensions were fash
Toned.
At any rate the worthy bishops bell
was set up in its place, and right royalty
did it serve its purpose. One can easily
imagine the flutter of excitement 1t caused
among the good people of Nola in those
placid times and fancy the congregation
of st. Felix, in picturesque garb and san
daled feet, vending their way to their
church, guided by the changing reverba-
tions of that wondrous bell, which rang
out its Easter ~roundelay on the plains Of
Campania nearly 900 years ago. In those
days 1t must have seemed as marvellous to
them as the telephone did to us.
Truly that was a momentous Easter,
and the excellent ~prelate's new departure
was destined to have farreaching conse-
quences, of which his sincere and single
minded soul could never have had the re-
hottest conception. Without specially in
tending it he had developed the best meth
cd yet discovered for signaling by sound
for long distances, a discovery that could
be applied to all manner of uses in the
practical affairs of life. From Nola the
use of church bells soon spread over Chris
tendon, and at the beginning of the sew
enth century Pope Sabinius, by some err
~roneously supposed to have been the in.
ventor thereof, did all he could to encour.
age their adoption.
1t was probably not a great while there
after that the custom of baptizing church
bells originated. This process, according
to a high authority, includes ''naming,
amounting, sprinkling, robing, sponsorial
engagements and every initiative accom-.
paniment which marks the admission OF
rational beings into the gospel. Not that
bells, say the advocates of this system, are
baptized for the remission of sins, but that
they receive power to act as preservativei
against thunder and lightning, and hail
and wind, and storms of every kind, and
that they may drive away evil spirits"
Other important innovations in church
affairs were also effected by Paulinus' first
church bell. 1t changed the entire char
acter of church architecture. That the
bells might be heard for a long distance
1t was necessary that they be hung at {
high elevation. Hence bell towers were
constructed, and every high tower in tn,
Christian world owes its erection to thu
bishop of Nola and his bell.
At first the towers were merely an en-
largement of the lantern already described
This was subsequently heightened and FIRE
quently finished with a cOnical roof. IL
extend this roof to a tapering spire was al
easy transition, and thus the church stee
pie originated, it's belfry being know
among architects as the lantern to thi
day.
So runs the story of Paulinus and hi
godly work and the first Easter bell
Though it rests largely on oral tradition
there is much strong p~resumptive evidenc
to support 1t. The name of his city, Nola
for example, is the name given to a small
bell attached to the neck of a dog, the foo
Of a bird or the housings of a horse. TIL
word campan Is the Italian and Spanisl
name for q bell, the Italian, as we hav
seen, designating "a bell tower as a cam
panile, both words being clearly derive
from the saniE lOcality.
Many episodes, commonly accepted a
historical facts, rest upon no better author
ity than that which proclaims Bisho
Paulinus the discoverer of the church bel
In these days of research and close invest
cation it is more than likely that evi
dence such as will place his fame upon a
unassailable foundation will be unearthe
In the near future. r. W. POTTER.