Imperial Valley press and the Imperial press., 1906-08-04
BELLS IN CHURCHES. s,
FIRST USED BY PAuLINUS, BISHOP
 OF koLA, ABOUT 400.

Thunder and Lightning.
 Church bells are of ancient origin. The ancients had bells for both sacred and prOfane purposes. Strabo says that market time was announced by 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 1n ancient Rome by the sound of a bell. The served to call up the servants in great houses. Sheep had them tied about their necks to frighten away wolves, or, rather, by way of amulet.
 Paulinus, bishop of Nola, is general ly considered the first person who in- troduced bells into ecclesiastical serv- ice about the year 400. Historians say that in 610 the bishop of Orleans, being at Seno, then in state of siege, fright ened away the besieging army by ring ing St. Stephens church bells, which is a clear proof that they were not at that time generally known in France. The first large bells are mentioned by Bede in the year 6S0. Before that pe- riod the early British Christians made use of wooden rattles to call the con- gregation of the faithful together Hand bells probably first appeared at religious processions and were after ward used by the seculars. The small bells were not always held in the hand. They were sometimes suspend ed upon a stake and struck with ham mers.
 The arrival of kings and great per sonages was anciently greeted by ring ing the church bells. Inguiohus, abbot of Croyland, who died about 11O9, speaks of them as being well known in his time and says that ''the first abbot of Croyland gave six bells to that mon astery-that is to say, two great ones, which be named Bartholomew and Bel adine; two of a medium size, called Turketulium and Bettrine; two small ones, denominated Pega and Bega. He also caused the great bell to be made called Gudla, which was tuned to the other bell and produced an admirable harmony not to be eQualed in Eng land"
 The bells used in the monasteries were sometimes rung with ropes hay ing brass or silver rings at the ends for the hand They were anciently rung by the priests themselves, after ward by 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 mer- 1t and pray God for the living and the dead; second, that they produce devO- tiOn in the hearts of the faithful. The dislike of evil spirits to bells is well expressed by Wynken de Worde in the ''Golden Legend" The passing bell was anciently rung for two good purposes, one to beSpeak the prayers of all good Christian people for a soul just depart ing and the other to 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 ''it has been the usual course in the Church of England that when any sick person lay dying a bell should toll to give notice to the neighbors that they might pray for the dying party, which was commonly called a passing bell. because the sick person was passing hence to another world. and when his breath was eX- pired the bell rung out that the neigh bors might cease their prayers, for that the party was dead" It is now only tOlled after death.
 The saints bell was not so called from the name of the saint that was inscribed on it or of the church tC which it belonged, but because it was always rung out when the priest came to that part of the service, 'Sanctus Sanctus. Sanctus, Domino Deus Sab baoth," purposely that those persons who could not come to church might know in what a solemn office the con gregation were at that instant engag ed and so. even in their absence, be once. at least, moved to lift up theil hearts to him who made them. Bells at one time were thought an efectua charm against lightning. The frequent firing of abbey churches Dy lightning