Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-05

~ ELLIS and the Christian religion have
X been intimately associated for some
- 1900 years, but never to the ex-
tent I'm this country that has been the
case in England. In the first place. the
wonderful chimes that mark the great
English churches were placed centuries
ago. when America was weakling. and
since which time religion has moved in
other directions than mere noisy show.
Then. again. there is a matter of tenn
permanent that counts largely. for the
English still hold to the old customs.
while Americans in their church work
are more progressive and count bell-ring-
ing 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 ex-
cept such as may be for mere ornament
and would not accommodate a bell that
could be heard q block distant. few
have great brazen-throated reminders OF
religious duty to be done. but this ad-
junct seems largely to have been left out
Of consideration now.
There never has been any legal distinc-
ton as to the right Of churches to use
bells. 1t is given to all Christian houses
OF worship to have them II they choose.
but England has gone farther In this re-
reverence for the old bells that has just
led to the rehanging of the famous chime
Of st. Giles at Cripplegate, London, set
almost as famous as those at st. Giles
to a date earlier than 1857, for the big
gest of the chimes bears an inscription
stating that il 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 res
toration that went SO far as to remove
all the oaken beams and substitute for
them heavy steel Orders from which the
bells now are suspended.
Two Of the other bells have been re-
cast and returned recently, together with
the carlton which produces the tri-hourly
tune and which dates back to the eight
zenith century. This term carlton"
from the French, really applies to the
tunes themselves, but the English have
limited it to the sets Of bells rather than
the tunes. The carlton Of ST. Giles is
neatly introduced In a sonnet that runs
as follows:
The chimes Of Cripplegate! Full we'll we know
At three. six. nine and twelve; and solemn, slow,
In seven days rotation changing chime
Each Sunday hear the Easter hymn divine:
Each Monday, 10, the nations anthem sounds:
Each Tuesday greets us all with Aud Lang
While wednesday with Hanover. resounds;
Each Thursday Caller Herrin'" 'frae" the
Each Friday Mariners" The tunes complete
When Saturday enchants with Home, Sweet
Home
No music sweeter. be It e'er 10 sweet.
Our chimes thus charm the world; for these are
sung
Ger all the earth. By every English tongue.
It Is the first occasion at st. Giles
that a bell-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 rehang1ng
OF the bells completes the restoration Of
the church.
1t is hoped to make a start early next
year with the work of building the west
ern towers and spires Of Truro Cathe-
dral in England and provide accommo-
cations for a peal of bells In the south
west tower.
shire, England. regarding some silver
bells which have been handed down most
persistently from one generation to an