Milford chronicle., 1924-06-20

remained for almost a year. This
church is as old as the city of Allen
town itself, dating from 1862, where
Il building of logs was erected on the
site of the present edifice The second
church, of stone, was built in 1873,
ana was the one which shielded the
bell. In 1888 it gave way to a new
building Of brick, superseded in 1885
by the present stone edifice.
Its first pastor was Rev. J. Daniel
Gross, who served from 1862 to 177O,
and was followed by Rev. Abraham
Blumer, who held the pastorate FROM
III to 1901. He 1t was who assisted
in the work of concealing the bells.
His son, Henry Blumer, was married
TO Sarah, a daughter of John Jacob
Mickey, who had charge of the bells
from Philadelphia to Allentown. using
his farm horses and wagons. His son,
John Jacob Mickey Jr, then a boy
of eleven years, rode on the wagon
that conveyed the Liberty bell, and
was occasionally permitted to drive.
Onoer cover OF Night.
The entire operation of removing
the bells from their towers, loading
them on wagons and removing them
from Philadelphia, was accomplished
under cover of darkness. The loaded
farm wagons were piled high with
barnyard refuse, a piece of strategy to
foil the enemy. What must have been
the experience of the men who hauled
this great old bell from Philadelphia
to Allentown Could they foresee that |
the world was to witness a new era, !
opening wide opportunity? The shot |
fired at Lexington and heard around |
the world was not so loud nor has it |
re-echoed so far as the voice of lib
erty from the now mute lips of the
grand old bell
During the period that the old bell,
then young, repOsed beneath the floor
Of a church, hymns of faith and pray
srs for victory resOunded family above
It's resting place, the battle of German
own, fifty miles away was fought to
4 draw on Oct. 4. 1777. Three days
ater, at Saratoga, N. Y, a smashing
victory was achieved by Arnold and ;
Gates, when Burgoyne surrendered. On
December H. Valley Forge thirty-five
niles due south of the Liberty bells
llace of hiding, became the camp of !
and his troops, where
many of those who had responded to :
he bells call to arms the summer be- {
ore died from exposure. When the I
British withdrew from Philadelphia
he Liberty bell was brought back, s
nd, in the latter part of 177S, rehung Il
n its former place. S
Eloquent in Silence. Fl
John Marshall, then chief justice S
f the United States, died in Philadel- C.
hia on July 6, 1885," says one ac-
cunt. "On July 8, exactly ffty-nine d
ears to the day Of the anniversary G
f the proclamation Of the Declaration -
Independence to the people, his re- r
lains were borne from Philadelphia NJ
} his native state, Virginia, for burial, 6
uring the funeral solemnities the Lib n,
'ty bell, while slowly tOlling, cracked V
trough its side, forever silenced. but til
Dt less eloquent in its mute patriotic 81
)peal. 1t had lived out its life (82 lie
ears) of usefulness as men live out tn
cir lives It's active work was done: al
had called the people together to as
'eserve their rights under the British er
own; it had rung out it's clamOrOus III
fiance on the great day Of the proc au 81
nation of the Declaration of their ~
dependence; it had glorifed all an y
of that independence 10.
encefOrth, it remains in its ancient mr.
ace the silent symbol of not only tb,
Derty throughout all the land,' but tn,
rOughOut the world" thu