The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-05
NO BELLS IN THE CHURCHES Modern Churches Differ
 From Old. THE FINE ENGLISH BELLS Bells and Religion Are Closely
 Associated. Some of the Poetr5 which sprans from the sessiment That cIus- ser. About the Bells.
 runes were Played for
 Eaeh Day. ! f

Bells and the Christian religion have been intimately associated for some 1,500 years, but never to the extent in this country that has been the case in England. Tn the first place, the wcn- derful chimes that mark the great Eng fish churches were placed centuries ago. when America was a weakiing and since. which time religion has moved in other directions than mere noisy show. Then. again. there is q matter of temperament that counts largely, for the EngIish still hold to the old customs. while Americans in their church work are more progress sive and count beii-ringing as one of the least of the necessities.
 Few of the church architects today plan belfry large enough for the chimes which mark the oldest of the English churches Many buildings now, in fact. are not even provided with towers except such as may be for mere ornament and would not accon1o- date a bell that could be heard block distant. A few have great brazen- throated reminders of religious duty to be done. but this adjunct seems largely to have been left out of con- alteration now.
 There never has been any legal dis- tincticn as to the right of churches to use bells. It is given to all Christian houses of worship to have them tf they choose. but England has gone farther in this respect than any other country. It is this reverence for the old bells that has Just led to the rehanRinR of the famous chime of St. Giles at Grip plegate, London, set almost as fa- nous as those at St. Giles. in Edin- hurgh Cripplegrat's bells go back to a date earlier than 1Ts7, for the biggest of the chimes bears an inscription that it was successfully recast in that year. The twelve weigh seven tons. which led to a dangerous condition in the tower of the structure and caused a restoration that went so far as to re- move all the baker beams and substi- tute for them heavy steel girders from which the bells now are suspended.
 Tune For Each Day.
 Two of the other bells have been re- cast and returned recently. together with the cariiion which produces the trf-houriy tune and which dates back to the eighteenth century. This term "carilion." from the French. really ap- plies to the tunes themselves but the English have limited it to the sets of bells rather than the tunes. The earil- ion of St. Giles Is neatly introduced in a sonnet that runs as follows:
 The Chimes of Cripplegatel full we'll
 Theirs famous music. daily marking At three. six. nine and twelve: ana
 solemn, slow, tf
 Tn seven days rotation changing Each Sunday hear the Easter Hymn
 divide;
 Each Monday. lol the Nations An Each Tuesday greets us all with "AuId
 Lang Syne:'
 while wednesday with Hanover.
 aAAA q ts- Eaeh Thussasy "cailer rrerrin@, ts,ftes's
 the foam; A k when Saturday enchants with ;"Home
 Sweet Home"
 No sweeter, be 1t e'er so sweet. Our chimes thus charm the world: for
 these are sung
 Der all the earth, by every English
 It is the first occasion at St. Giles that a beli-founder has been called in since the first merry peal rang out from the church. The number of bells is the exceptional one of twelve, and they are placed in a steeple which was raised very considerably some time after the church itself was built. The rehangfng of the bells completes the restoration of the church.
 It is hoped to make start early next year with the work of building inc western towers and spires of Trt,ro Cathedral in England and provide ae. couodations for q peal of bells in fha southwest tower.
 There are two legends in worccster. shire. England. regarding some silver