The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-03-06
THE CATHEDRAL BELL.

The bell which for more than
sixty years summoned the people
| of the Cathedral parish to Mass,
announced the Angelus hour, and
tolled the departure Of the faith
full to Calvary, was lifted up this
week into one of the turrets of
the new Cathedral whence it will
I.continue to serve the cause of re-
ligion and send out it's musical
notes over the city that lies be-
meath it. 1t enters upon new
era in it's history. Before many
weeks it will ring out the glad
tidings of the opening of the new
Cathedral for divine service, and
bid devout worshippers hasten
within it's portals to adore the In
Icarnate God in the magnificent
temple which the zeal and gen
crosby Of the catholics Of the Do
cese Of st. Paul have erected to
His honor and glory.
How interesting a history this
old bell has! What memories it
recalls Of the scenes it witnessed
and the events it commemorated
since the day it was solemnly
blessed and dedicated to it's sacred
purpose by the first Bishop of St.
Paul! 1t was presented to Bishop
Cretin by Louis Robert and his
wife, pioneer residents of st. Paul,
and was hung i'll the brick Cathe-
dral OH the corner Of Wabasha
and Sixth Streets, the second in
the order of time, which was
opened for divine worship towards
the close of the year 1851. Shortly
afterwards, on March 6, 1852, it
pealed forth 'the merry chime of
victory" which announced the
passage of the "Maine Liquor
Law" as it was called, by the
Legislature for the purpose of re-
stricting the traffic in intoxicants
within the territory of Minnesota.
But there was one who heard it's
joyous notes with feelings of
chagrin and disgust. Louis Rob-
ert, the donor, did not look favor
ably ON the new law and he has
tened to call ON Bishop Cretin and
gave him scolding for showing
his sympathy with the movement
in that way.
When the brick church ceased
to be used as Cathedral, the old
bell was borne to the stone church
which replaced it, where it hung
until the building was demolished
last August.
If this old Cathedral bell could
speak what story it could tell
of those feeting years. How
many people listened to its call
and learned to love the music of
it's voice. How many of the faith
full hardened to its summons bid
ding them leone and adore. =
How oft at the close OF day the
stroke Of the Ange1us turned their
minds and hearts to Him Whose
incarnation it babe them recall.
How many bishops and priests
passed beneath it on their way to
the sanctuary to offer up the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass. It tolled
the death of the sanity Bishop
Cretin and that OF his distin-
guished successor, Archbishop
Grace, as well as of the thousands
who, during these three-score
years, were borne from the sane
tuary of the Cathedral to their
final resting place.
And how it will gladden. the
hearts of the old pioneers who are
still with us to hear that old Ca
thedral bell ring out once more
from its new abode and recall the
memories of the days that are
gone. Their children, too, will re-
joice and the rising generation
viii learn to love the music OF
| the. new Cathedral bell which, at
Intervals, will call to mind their
religious duties and bid them be