The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-06-15
(By "E. /. RI

gregation of the Church Of Saint
Anne, the Sisters of Mercy and their
students Of Saint Joseph's Academy,
Rev. Father Charles Dubois Wood.
rector of this church. per-, rmed the
impressive ceremony of blessing the
magnificent and sweet toned Saint
Anthony's Bell" which will summon
for many years 10 come the faithful
Of the flock of Saint Annes church
TO service and to PRAYER.
This was the first service held i'm
the new church now being erected.
The ceremony was in charge Of Mr..
IT. II. VanDeventer. as committee
man on church bell Mr.. John W. Nc
Kiever, as builder md Mr.. George w.
Reardon. as spCl o.. standing for Mr..
Walter \. Elr.>'. II New York city.
Master Tomn.i" Monaghan and John
Gallagher. of Sumter. served as Cross
and Candle bearers. Rev. Father
Kennedy was Deacon and assisted
Father Wood, the rector. who was au-
thOrized TO bless the bell by Right
Rev. Bishop Henry p Northrop, as
the bishop was unable to attend. The
vestrymen regular and acting and
building committee members who
participated were Messrs Neill O'Don-
nell, T. B. Jenkins. j. w. McKiever,
George F. Epperson. II. r.. Van De-
venter and Mr.. Charles A. McGrath,
secretary. The ceremonies occur
red in the unfinished new building.
where the new bell was placed for the
occasion. A number of the little girls
OF Saint Joseph's Academy wearing
long white wells and floral wreaths
were present. The rector read the
gospel and chanted the litany of the
church. He then annointed the exter-
ior OF the bell with the holy oil in
seven different places. emblematical
of the seven sacraments of the church,
making the sign of the Cross, the en-
blem Of Christianity at each place
| annointed. He then annointed the in
| terror of the bell four times in a SIM
liar manner emblematical of the four
| sacraments in which the holy oil of
snnointment is used: baptism, confirm
| alton, holy orders and extreme-unc-
4 ton.
At the conclusion of the ceremonies
Mr.. Van Deventer stepped forward
and taking hold of the big wheel
| which turned with the ease of q BIZ
cycle wheel, he tolled for the first
time the consecrated bell. The inton-
| ations were loud and reverberated
| through the stiffness Of the Sabbath
day, the vibrations shaking the sacred
| edifce and yet the tones were musical
and died away with a sweet, lingering,
mellow tone.
The congregation of Saint Anne's is
Justly very proud Of this beautiful
bell which was dc mated by Miss May
Murray Barrett of New York city.
The congregation then repaired to the
| chapel Of Saint JOseph's Academy on
| the lot adjoining the new church lot
and rectory where Rev. Father Wood
celebrated a special mass in honor
OF Saint Anthony, assisted by Rev.
| Father Kelly. Father Wood then de-
| livered short address which was
highly interesting and instruo tive, re-
plete with good advice and admoni-
tions as To observing THE Golden
| Rule" He spoke interestingly Of the
history Of Catholicity i'm Sumter. He
referred feelingly 10 the progress of
the church i'm Sumter during the past
'wo years I'm which the congregation
was blessed by God with such a beau
tiful editCe and rectory. and told of
how fortunate he was i'm meeting with
such liberality from the Catholics Of
Sumter Mission and outside Catholics
| in the erection Of such magnificent
| building so far ahead Of the building
| originally planned. He said that he
| felt that he would be pardoned in
| saying that when completed there will
ho no pretticr church building in this
state. and none better equipped or de-
signed with a view to the peculiar and
| purely Gothic architectural beauty,
and artistic taste. Father Wood told
| feellngly OF how he came to be sent
To Sumter Mission by Bishop North
rop. OF how grateful her feels for
| the hOspitablc and cordial welcome
| extended him not only by his own
| people but by Sumter citizens of ev-
| cry religious creed. His expressions
OF gratitude were fine tributes to the
| intelligence and religious tolerance Of
the citizenship Of the Gamecock City.
He had kind words for every one in
| the Sumter Catholic Mission and he