Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-30
LOCAL CLERGYMEN TRYING
TO SAVE CHURCH BELLS

atics nrovoked the wrath Of the calf, he
ordered the bells, together with the ROOFS
of the churches to be taken down. There,
as in Germany and in some cases In Eng
land, the single bell Of which a church
boasted was suspended between two Pill
lars. built In the western gable emo, ana lo
running up to some little height above the
roof And when several bells began to be
desirable special belfries were built. hrst
merely above the crest of the roof, and
finally as separate structures. either apart
from the edifice, as in Italy, or in the
Gothic style. forming part OF the church
itself.
About the end of the ninth century bells
became general, not only in converts and
cities but especially in villages for the
purpose Of summoning distant parishioners
Then the bells made their way to the east.
Venetian duke presented Michael, En-
peror of Greece, with twlve handsome brass
bells, which were placed in belfry built
especially for them by the side of st. Sophia
Godfrey Of Bouillon introduced them IN
Jerusalem, but with the exception of iso-
lated cases the orient adhered tenaciously
to the ancient sounding board, and, after
the conquest of Constantinople, the strong
prejudice of Turks and Jews against bells
banished them almost entirely from the
east.
~
But however much the bells lost in for
eign lands, they found increasing reverence
in Christian countries. While only a few
small specimens survived in converts on
Mount Athos and on the Lebanon, west
ern Europe soon came to consider them
as indispensable church and convent.
When the ceremonies of the church were
more firmly established by Gregory the
Great, and all the implements of holy
edifice received a special conservation, bells
were also deemed to be fit for holy service
only after having been solemnly conse-
Grated to their religious purpose: They
must have even then been baptized as now
or the solemn prohibition could not nave
been promulgated by Charlemange that
bells should not be christened nor papers
hung upon poles for the purpose of Wardng
off hail" Both customs had seemingly be
come general. The liturgy of the Catholic
Church soon contained elaborate directions
about all formali:ies to be observed In bap-
thing bell, the majority OF which are in
use to this day in this country y, try o,,-,.,a,nn
or naming Of the bell which Is, however,
said to be by no means a purely Christian
custom, for the Chinese from time imme-
mortal have been in the habit Of christen-
ing their bells, as well as their Ships ex-
actly as is done by western nations The
oldest instances Of such christening
| known belong to the time OF Pope john
| Church after his patron saint, Johannes,
and to Abbot Turketul of Croyland, in
Lincolnshire, who bestowed upon par
ticularly large bell the name OF the patron
| fashionable to bestow exclusively female
rames upon bells, and gradually surnames
| crept into use Occasionally the old name
survives, at least in the popular mind, even
after some famous bell has been recast and
| then rechristened. An enormous bell IN
Erfurth, Germany, was named Maria
Gloriosa, but the populace called 1t Su-
| sauna, and loved to repeat an old saying
that big Susanna drives away the devil. y
In Spain the love of solemn ceremonies first
led to the regular appointment of god
fathers and godmothers on such occasions
| Witnesses were invited and guests request
| ed to attend the salemnity.
The reformation led to lively debates or
the propriety of bell christenings and
Protestant churches generally have ceased
to bestow any names upon their bells. DC
casionally prayers offered during the
process of casting bell. In America and
| ENGLAND all religious ceremonies have beer
! abandoned in this connection
There Is also much superstition connected
with bells, the Christians of the early mid
| ole ages even being disposed to look upor
| them as endowed III some mysterious man
ner with urernatural powers. Their LOFT,
| altitude gave them a strange charm in the
! minds of the credulous These effects are