New Britain herald., 1916-05-30
OLDEST BELL IN
 THE WHOLE WORLD
Interesting Story Told by F. N.
 Andrews, Once Of This City

inc IOIOWl1B interesting story
 from the Birmingham, Ala, News, re-
 garding the oldest bell in the world
 is reprinted for it's local interest:
 F. N. Andrews, formerly of New 1 Britain, Conn.,, but now living in
 Birmingham, Ala, tells the story of
 the oldest bell in the world. bell
 cast more than HOO years ago, and
 which has a wond erfully fascinating 1 history.
 As you may have passed down the ] Connecticut river, by the little town of East Haddam, some one probably | pointed out to you the little old log built church in whose belfry hung the oldest bell in the, world If you have ever heard of the old probably; if not, you might ask about it with curiosity. There is no more picturesque stream in America than the beautiful Conn necticut river. Centered about it's banks are many of the tra ditions of American history, the stories of American heroes, the romances of New England. But it is hard to think of the relic of long-done centuries finding it's resting place anywhere in this New World. The prior who made the bell little dreamed of such continent.
 But here it now hangs. ringing each day, calling the people of a new land to worship, and even in it's cracked voice, for age has robbed it Of it's sweet tone, it says-"Pea e. efully let me lie in my great age in this new .and.'
 But how did it come to America What is it's real origin, and how has it been preserved through all the cen- turies?
 One prior, being the most Rev. Father Miguel, Villa Murva, the Procurator, the Most Reverend Father Josef Els Stivan Croales made me. Made in the year S15."
 This, in Spanish, is the inscription on the side of the old bell. But the bell tells nothing of it's maker but his name, nothing of the place of the making.
 The bell may tell you, in it's cracked old voice, that was once so sweet that it was made not long after the conquest of Spain by the Moors. It may tell you it tolled the death of thousands of it's beloved Spanish people who perished in >the destruc- tbon of the Spanish Armanda. It may tell you how it witnessed the in- cursions of the Moore and Arabs across the Straits of Gibra ltar. It saw them lay waste the fair vine- yards of Castle, and for 400 years Knew no other than Moorish rule.
 It may tell Of the note it sung in the chimes that rang out the mar rage of Ferdinand and Isabel in the town of Aragon. It may tell how for ooo years 1t called to the rich and the poor Tor joy and for sorrow, ringing out the bridal procession and tolling Tor the dead. Then, when the great Napoleon sacked Spain in the early l9'n century and the Dukt of Well hnston overthrow him, this little bell was removed, it's home was razed, and In sad Company with many others 1t was taken away.
 The sweet-toned bell of Araoon tells not of it's suffering, but for twenty years It lay unnoticed in some deserted corner. In 1885 shin1oad or bells that once hung in Spanish churches which Napoleon had de- stroyed was sent to Amerio. Jon. the bells were to be recast and b,ne in the churches of the New World
 The little bell, even then too old to travel. a veteran in the wor1d,r battles and a singer of great worth was shipped along in this motley throng. O., the misery of the iour- ney; to be forced into new environ ments, to witness new scenes, to- crv and laugh with a new people, and. worst of all, to be mo1ded anew. it's rich copper to be cast with baser metal.
 Now one hears of it's life in a new world.
 At this time in East Haddam, Conn.,, lived William Willys Pratt, a. New York ship chandler His wife was daughter of the late Captain Oliver Atwood of this little city. whose family was closely identified with St. Stephens Episcopal society which had erected a church on the hill east of the landing, near the old Gelston homestead
 This little church was minus a bell. Knowing of the shipload of bells and being able tor obtain one Of the load, they purchased the old Spanish bell. The little bell was selected from among many hundreds of others be- cause of it's lovely tone and hung soon after in the Chapel of St. stephen.
 For 65 years it rang out the joys and sorrows of this new people from the church belfry. The woodland and the river echoed it's sweet tones. Again it called the people to worship on the Sabbath. It tolled for the de- parted and sang love songs for the newly welded pairs