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The Bellringer No 7 A MONTHLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO TH E ART OF RINGING AND CHURCH N EW S^ Cl— i i ■— — — i l l —— — — ■m.winr — ■ ... ■iiM w iiinm. i iiw ra iii i ............................... w .......................................................* Entered at Stationer's Hall. A P R 1L 1st, 1907. P r ic e 3 i d . CONTENTS. The Outlook ................... 145, 146, 147 Fretherne Church ............................ 148 The Potter Bell.................................... 149 Meetings .................................... 150, 151 Poetry .................................... ... 152 Cartoon ............................................ 153 Short Story ............................ 154, 155 Music ..................................................... 156 Learner's P age .................................... 157 Topical Touches............................ 158, 159 Geo. T. Potter, Esq. ................... 160 Composition Page, No. 8 ................... 161 Rev. Chas. Douglas Percy Davies 162, 163 Composition Page, No. 9 ................... 164 Church News .................................... 165 The Sacred Bells of England Poetry. 166 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176 Editor’s Post Bag ........................... The Church of S. John the Baptist, ii THE BELLRINGER. April 1st, 1907. Qillett & Johnston, BELL FOUNDERS & HANGERS, CLOCK MANUFACTURERS. CARILLON MAKERS. Makers of the great Clocks and Bells at Law Courts, London ; Bir­ mingham Art Gallery; Toronto City Hall (Canada); Cardiff Town Hall, Sydney (IM.S.W.); Post Office, Pietermaritzburg (S. Africa) Town Hall; Singapore Victoria Hall; Managhan and Ballaghadereen Cathedrals; St. George’s Church, Montreal, etc., etc. Founder's of the, Peals of Bells at Londonderry Cathedral. Crawley Parish Church. Christ Church St. Leonards. St. Mary’s Church, Warrington. Founders and Re-Hangers of numerous Peals throughout the Country. C E O T D O N SURREY) . AMDNTHLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE ART OF RINGING AND CHURCH NEWS. No 7. Vol. 1. A P R IL 1st, 1907. P rice 3id. ____g. ■_*>_____ CDe Outlook (5 * O -D A Y the solemn season calls us. As we permitted at all times? We think not. We have no write we are approaching that week which intention of insisting that our view is the correct one> every true Churchman keeps, and the com­ but while we ourselves have rung peals into the memoration that is vital to the life of his “ Centuries” and yield to none in our love of ringing, religion. It is a season for self-examination. Shall we we cannot but view the fact that the multiple peal-ringer turn the searchlight upon ourselves as ringers? What is less a Churchman and Church worker than his less have we done to justify the name of Church workers ? ambitious brother, who believes that the first and How are we keeping Lent? We have inoculated our­ principle duty is to ring well for the services of the selves with the passion of peal-ringing until it has Church. The latter fills his position in the letter and in subdued nearly every other finer impulse. Let us con­ the spirit, the former owes no allegiance to any Church fess it. The desire of emulation and self-adulation is as a rule, but is a pirate in peal-ringing, a peal-snatcher too obvious to be ignored. It is insatiable and has who holds sacred neither Lent, Sundays, nor even Good become the one object of the ringer’s life. To ring Friday, if a chance offers to obtain “ Fame” for him­ “ peals —nothing less—is the Alpha and the Omega of self by recording a peal. Can any man say this is a many of our brethren. Even during this season of good thing ? Would such ringers be content with Lent, a season that ought to be far more recognised ringing one thousand instead of five ? If not, why not? than it is, in a Christian (?) land, a season that calls those who profess, be they bellringers or any other We cannot help but think that there is a deal of Church workers, to take mental and moral stock of hypocrisy among peal-ringers. We some time read of themselves, to shew by at least some abstenation from a five thousand “ Rung for Divine Service.” Far be it pleasurable pursuits, their connection with the Church that we should judge other men by our own standard, they serve, we regret to find that peal-ringing has but knowing as we do what the accomplishment of a shewn little abatement. We venture to ask all thought­ peal entails, we are honestly of opinion that unless the ful readers whether such an outlook is a good thing— occasion is very exceptional, peals of five thousand or a bad thing? If we are honest we must admit that changes are not to be encouraged under the pretence it is not a good thing. W hen all is said to the contrary of ringing them “ for Divine Service.” It may be asked there is beyond a doubt an element of “ sport” in the why do we—Bell-ringers ourselves—say this ? It is accomplishment of a peal. If it were not so there would because we do not wish to see the services of the Church be little or no desire to excel, but should this desire be made a disguise for the ambitions of a certain class of 146 THE BELLRINGER April 1st, 1907. peal ringers. We bear in mind a certain peal being least until the conductor had replied to the charge. It rung. When it was published the footnote stated that is not customary in this country to condemn a man or the performance was the first by all the band and on the a band unheard. W e have had for months a complete bells. Furthermore, it was rung for the Holy Com­ reputation of the insinuations against Mr. Charles W. munion Service at which the ringers attended ! Such Clarke, who conducted the peal at Bedford, but we were a statement is the quintessence of Cant. persuaded that there was no need o f it. Our own opinion of that gentleman from personal experience, is No men, we venture to assert, could leave the that he is one of the finest strikers in the ringing world belfry after such a performance in the proper frame of and not the sort of person to tolerate a muddled peal. mind to receive that Solemn Sacrament, the deepest Moreover, the person who objected to the performance the Church can give. We care not whether the ringer was the one who subscribed largely to the peal tablet, or conductor be clergyman or layman. It is a prosti­ which the pompous writer in the B.N. foolishly invited tution of the highest form of Sacred Service to the the band to take down ! We call the attention of the meanest advertisement. This is the season of Self- objectors to the resolution of the Central Council on denial. Shall we do nothing in this respect? The silence such questions, which necessitate an objection to be of bells accustomed to frequent ringing, might do some­ lodged within three months, except the composition is thing to arrest public attention. We live in an age false. The Bedford peal was rung FIVE YEARS ago!! when Religion is at a discount, when men are reluctant to admit their connection with it, and apologise for the XA functions in which they take part. An age when Good The other bone of contention is on entirely different Friday is losing its significance to the millions outside ground to the former. A band attempt a long peal in the Churches, who thoughtlessly turn Holy-day into a certain method and advertise their intention previously. holiday. Let us then as Church workers be loyal to True the date was altered, but that is of no consequence our faith, and relegate our pleasures and hobbies to a as everyone knew a week in advance that Whit Friday more convenient season. It is the day of heartsearch- was the day appointed. They ring or say they ring the ings and penitence, if we would be better men in the peal. It is immediately challenged by listeners outside future than in the past. who can find no words bad enough to describe the Before these lines appear in print, that season will ringing. It is further asserted that come of the com­ be spent, and those who have profited by it will have position was omitted. Hostile criticism is perhaps realised that as Light after Darkness, so is the joy and somewhat natural in long peal exploits for obvious brightness of an Easter morn. reason, but the objectors in this case specified clearly the vital defects, while the composition being in their hands gave them a tremendous advantage for knowing There has of late been much perturbation of mind the position of the bells right through the performance. anent the ringing of peals, and the opposition to them When the objections were laid, the conductor replied being recorded. Chief among the recent instances denying them in toto, and called upon his side to give are the Stedman Caters at Bedford, and the reputed their opinion. From that day to this they have not done record length of Treble Bob Major, rung at Mottram. so, and thereby invite judgement by default. The No good would be served by dilating on the former conductor stated that he would not reply again, but we peal, but we beg to observe that while “ The Bellringer” think he did wrong. He ought to have known that an is in existence, it is likely that more than one side of a ordinary five thousand peal, and one of sixteen thousand question will be heard. If not, it will be the ringer’s are vastly different things. Running away from a own fault. There is no sort of comparison between the tribunal is not the way to shew innocence, and Mr.
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