Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-04-27

Henry McLemors. and 1t seemed
that those who wanted to obliterats
Christ's teachings were about to
achieve their aims. They sounded
for the second time following the
British victory at FL Alamein.
They couldn't ring at other times
because they had been made a part
Of the war. They had been made
step-brothers to the sirens. The
church bells were the invasion
signal. Every one In England knew
that If the bells pealed the Germans
had landed and the time for q de-.
tense OF the home soil had come.
Sounding Was Expected.
For more than two years the
sound of church bell would have
chilled the blood Of the hearers.
The sound would have meant that
every man, woman and child was
needed to fight off the savage horde
from across the channel. But tho
bells never sounded.
There were times when 1t seemed
that they must, that nothing could
stop the German thrust onto the
hills and plains Of England. But the
thrust never came. Hitler spoke Of
God in his speeches. Then Hitler
asked Gods guidance in his dream
Of conquest. There were times when
Englishmen must have asked them
selves, even the most devout Of them.
just where Providence stood In this
war. Hitler and his wickedness was
overrunning country after country.
He seemed irresistible. It seemed
that He on High had forgotten the
world.
But Sunday the bells rang. Now
England knows that He on High had
never forgotten, that not once had
He ever despaired Of Right over
coming Wrong even If poor and lowly
man had.
Rang Message Of Hope.
like to feel that all the world
heard those bells IN England. I like
to feel that their sweet sound was
carried to Poland, Holland, Czecho-
slovakia, France, Russia, America.
Denmark, Norway, the Philippines
and to all the peoples who have
taken their stand against evil.
like to feel that the sound OF the
bells from st. Paul's, Westminster,
st. Martins in the Fields and the
thousands Of little churches whose
white spires dot the English sky
was heard all around the world and
by all the men and women who fight
and hope and pray for . better
world.
For three years the bells Of Eng.
land have had only a somber mes
sage to speak. Now they have
talked again with the message that
belongs to them. They have sum-
noned their listeners to the feet
Of the One who gave them the
strength and courage to bear the
worst. Certainly there has been no
super sign that God Is on the path
Of victory and that evil Is on the
wane.
All Felt Surge.
Here IN London the little man
and the big man will tell you that
the sound Of the bells has furnished
more assurance Of victory than the
roar Of Sterlings, Wellingtons and
Splits overhead or the bark Of Chan
mel guns at Dover or the tramp Of
marching thousands OF men or the
rumble OF anti-aircraft guns.
The bells are soft and sweet and
gentle like the voice who inspired
them and men and women, tough
ened by war at It's worst, respond
to the gentle call. All Of London,
and mean all Of 1t, from the lowest
to the highest, from the most de-
vout to the most forsaken, felt a
surge in their hearts when the bells
started pealing and there must have
been few who didn't lift their eyes
to the heavens and thank God for
His mercy and understanding.
Distributed b. McNauEht Syndicate, Incl