Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-05-07
BELLS In CHU CHEs.
FIRST USED BY PAuLlNUs, BISHOP
OF NoLA, ABOUT 400.

FIRST USED BY aPAUliNUSs BISHOP
. .y...5 OF NoLA, ABOUT 400.
The EARLY British Christians Uaed
Wooden RnttIes to Call the People
Together For worship - Bells and
Thunder and Lightning. ~
Church bells are of ancient origin.
The ancients had bells for both sacred
and profane purposes. Strabo says
that marketStime 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 in ancient
Rome by the sound OF a bell. The
night Waterman carried one, and it
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. Y :1
Paulinus, bishop Of Nola, is general
ly considered the first person who in.
troduced bells into ecclesiastical sery-
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 $50. Before that pc.
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 professions and were after
ward used by the seculars. The small
bells were not always held in the
hand. They were sometimes suspend
ed upon stake and struck with ham
mers. sz5 sss.. 5ts5 s =. ssS :s Ia vs.
The arrival Of kings and great per-
sonages was anciently greeted by ring
ing the church bells. Inguiohus, abbot
Of Croyland, who died about HOO,
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 he named Bartho lomeW 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. y - - ass r, szss
The bells used in the monasteries
were sometimes rung with ropes hav-
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. "a. ..*. 5s5t
The doctrine Of the Church OF Rome
concerning bells sathat they have mer-
1t and pray God for the living and the
dead; second, that they produce devo-
ton in the hearts Of the faithful. The
dislike Of evil spirits to bells is well
expressed by Wynken de Verde 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 q soul just depart
Ing and the other to drive away the
evil spirits who stood at the foot of the
bed Cor about the house. Such was the
general opinion respecting the efficacy
Of bells before the reformat ton, but
since that period sit 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 q passing bell, because the sick
person was passing hence to another
world, and when his breath was e1-
PRED the bell rung out that the neigh
bors might cease their prayers, for that
the party was dead. '' 1t 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 to
which it belonged, but because 1t was
always rung out when the priest came
to that part Of the service, sSanctus,
Sanctus. Sanctus, Domino Deus Sab
baOth, purposely that those persons
who could not come to church might
know In what solemn Office the con.
Igregation were at that instant engag.
led and SO, even in their absence, be
once, at least moved to- lift up their
hearts to him who made them. Bells
at one time were thought an effectual
charm against lightning. The frequent
firing of abbey churches BY lightning
confuted the proud motto commonly
written on their bells In the steeples
wherein each entitled itself to a six
fold efficacy Ss
Mems death I tell by doIeful kneli;;
Lightning and thunder break asunder;
On Sabbath all to church call
The sleepy head ! raise from bed
1 The winds so fierce I doat dispense;
/ Meas cruel rage do assuage. Il
1 1T has anciently been reported, OBJ
served Lord Bacon and Ii still re
ceiyed that extreme applause and
shouting OF people assembled in multi
tudes have SO rarefed and broken The
air that birds flying over have fallen
down, the air not being able to sup
II 1, nj 70 fc hry xsr,,,e