The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-19

Few inanfmate things have been so closely associated with the religious and social progress of man as bells. They tangled on the war horses or the earlier armies, they tinkled through the ritual of Judaism, they sounded in the Greek garrisons aud camps and they announced the hour Of the bath to the Romans. Today they toll out warnings on lonely. treaeherous coasts; thsy warn us of the approaen of railway train and trolley car; tney call us to meet friend or collector af the front door, or to talk on the tele- phne. They clear the galleries of the Senate for executivs session. and amuse the baby when they decorate his rat tie. Bells have celebratd national ytc- tories and have tolled to signsiixe de- feats. Their marry peaIs have am nounced the holidy, the wedding, and the christening. The massacre of St. Bartholomew followed the signal of Q bell. Things solemn and things se- cred. things social and things com mercial things trivial and things use ful are all associated with the bell. yet around 1t gathers graceful senti- uaeut and old tradition.
 Bells are most closely associated with churches. During the days of psrse- cution. and until the church was firmly established. the Christians gathered together with as little ostentation as possible. Tradition credits the first use of bells in convokfng church con- gregations to Pauiinus. Bishop of Nola, in Campanie, about. 800 A. D.. though Jerome mentions one at an earlier date than this. Tn the time Of Pope Sa- bianus, early in the seventh century. their use in religious worship was well esta ablished. The venerable Bede tells us of their introduction into England in e7e A. D.. and the churches through out Switzerland. Germany and The Netherlands. especially Belgium, were soon using their bells in calling the faithful to worship. Ritual speedily surrounded the bells. Alcuin tells us they were annointed and biest. Mon srohs became their, sponsors and the highest officers of the church oficiated. Pope John XIII baptized bell with his own name. and In the eighteenth century the Bishop of Chalos baptized . peal speaking of 1t as a happy and holy family !"
 Except in scotland, the Reformation spared the bells. Even the passing belP' was retained. But while che preIata was merciful to the bells and preserved them, even though associated with a faith other than his own, the soldier was less mereifuI. There were few medieval peals which did not mourn the loss Of their great bells. many being used in the manufacture of cannon as were those from Rouen often explain the disappearance of others. Henry VIII lost a peal of bells that hung in Harrington with out, in a game of dice with Sir Miles Partridge. The knight himself was soon afterward hung. fitting retribu- ton. although his fate was due more to his having robbed the belfry.
 The first big bell brought to Amer lea was one purchased by New Haven, April. 1881. Trinity Church, New Haven. now has one of the largest chimes in this country, consisting of ten bells. from E flat to F, weighing s,0s0 pounds and, costing 35.25o. The chimes Of OId Trinity, New York, are undoubtedly the oldest, though noth- ing definite can. be learned of them exs cept that they came from England. Christ Church, Boston. has Q beauti- fui chime. and Christ Church, Phila- inteFest. During the Revolution they were taken down from the tower and sunk In. the Delaware to avoid danger of thsir capture by the English. At the close of the war they were re- stored to; the old belfry. Tradition says that the "MyrtillA" brought these bells from London and that afterward, whenever her sails whitened the har- Dor. the bells were rung In her honor. Philadelphia treasures also the famous Liberty Bell, which unverified tradi- ton declares was cracked when pro- claiming the adoption of the Declara- tion of Independence.
 old St John. at Portsmouth. N H.. has bell that was cast by Paul Revere. It was recast, from the fa- nous bell that had been brought there by the brave 'Pepperell after the sack ing of the Louisburg Cathedral in the French and Indian War, and was in- jured later in a fire, The bells of St. Michaeis. Charleston. are widely trav- eled. They were brought over from England and hung in the steeple in 176l. Twenty years later they were taken back to England by the British when they occupied the town, and were not restored until some time after peace was declared.
 Tn Vredryck Flypse's old brick church in Sleepy Hollow, in the Hud- son Valley, still hangs the bell with the date "1686" on its side. though It's psaling has long been stilled. Other church bells. not so still, are those that compose the chime in St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans. These are not only rung for ritualistic ceremo- nies, but are rung every Saturday night in memory of Don Andres AL monaster y Roxas, whose munihcence made the ediflce a possibility.