The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-05-10
BELLS In CHURCHES.
FIRST USED BY PAULlNUs, BISHOP
OF NOLA, ABOUT 400.

Church bells nre Of ancient origin
The ancients had bells FOR both sacred
aud profane purposes Strabo says
that market time was announced 10y
their sound and pliny that the tomb
Of an ancient king Of Tuscany was
hung round with bells. The hour OF
bathing was made known IN ancient
Rome by the sound Of bell. The
nght watchman carried one. and Il
served 10 call up the servants in great
houses Sheep had them tied about
their necks TO frlghtcn away wolves.
or rather. by way OF amulet
Paullnus. bishop OF Nola. is general
~ considered the first person who in.
trOduced bells into ecclesiastical scrv-
lee about the year 400. Historians say
that ia GiO the bishop OF Orleans. being
at Scno, then In state Of siege. fright
cncd away the bcsieglng army 10y ring.
ing St. stephens church bells, which Is
n clear proof that they were not at that
time generally known In France. The
Bedc In the year ESQ Before that pc.
riod the early British Christians made
use of wooden rattlcs 90 call the con
grcgltion Of the faithful together
Hand bells probably first appeared nt
religious professions and were after.
ward used 10y the seculars. The small
bells were not always held In the
hand. They were sometimes suspend
cd upon IA stake aud struck with ham.
mers
The arrival of kings and great per.
sonlu3s was nucieutly greeted 10y ring
ing the church bells. luguiohus abbot
of Croyland, who died about 1lOg
speaks Of them as being we'll known In
his time and says that "thc first abbot
Of Croyllud gave six bells TO that mon
astcry that is 90 say, two great ones
which he named Bartholomew and Bel.
aduc: two OF medium size. called
Turkviulium aud Bcttriuc; two small
ones, donomiuatcd pcgn und Bcga. lie
also caused the great bell 10 be- made
called Gudla which was tuned TO the
other bell aud produced an admirable
harmony not to be clualcd In Eng
land"
The bells used In the monastcrics
were sometimes rung with ropes hav.
ing brass or silver rings nt the ends
for the hand. They were nnclcntly
rung hy the priests themselves. after
ward 10y the servants and sometimes
by those Incapable OF other duties, as
persons who were blind.
The doctrine OF the Church OF Rome
concerning bells Is that they have mcr.
II and pray God for the living aud the
dead; second, that they produce dcvo-
tion In the hearts of the faithful. The
dislike OF evil spirits to bells X well
expressed by Wynkcn de Wordc In the
Golden Legend" The passing bell was
anclcntly rung for two good purposes,
one TO bcspcak the prayers Of all good
Christian people for a soul Just depart.
Ing and the other 10 drive away the
evil spirits who stood at the foot Of the
bed or about the house. Such was the
general opinion respecting the efficacy
of bells before the reformation. but
since that period III has been the usual
course IN the Church OF England that
when any sick person lay dying
bell should toll 10 give notice 10 the
IeighbOrs that tEcy might pray FOR the
dying party, which was commonly
called a passing bell. because the sick
person was passing hence 10 another
world, ana when his breath was cX-
Iircl the bell ruug out That the neigh.
bors might ccusc their prayers, for that
the party was dead" II * now only
tollel after death.
The saints bell was not so called
from the name of the saint that was
Inscribed on Il or OF the church 10
which II belonged, but because II was
always rung ont when the priest came
10 that part OF the service, "Sauctus,
Sanctus. Sanctus, Domino Deus Sab.
baoth,' purposely that those persons
who could not come 20 church might
know In what a solemn Office the CON
were M that Instant cngug.
ed ana so, even IN their absence, be
once, at least, moved 10 lift up their
hearts % him who made them Bells
az one time were thought nn cffcctunl I.
charm against lightning The frequent
firing Of abbey churches by lightning
conrutod the proud motto commonly
written on their bells IN the stccplcs, .
wherein each entitled Itself to six. .
fold c!licacy-viz:
Mems death ! ten By doloful Encll;
Lightning ana thunder ! break sundeT; /
on Sabbath an 20 church ! cal;
Tho sleepy head / raise from bed;
Tho winds SO fierce / dost disperae;
Mon'a cruel rage / do ossuage.
II has nncicntly been reported. OBJ |
served Lord Bacon. and Is stll re- .
ceiyed that extreme applause ana I.
shouting OF people assembled IN mnlti- I.
tudcs have so rarehed and broken the .
air that birds flying over have fallen |
down, the air not being able TO sup .
port them, ana II Is believed by some |
that great ringing of bells IN DOpu-