Bells of All Nations

Bells of All Nations

by Ernest Morris

File 05 – Part two, Chapters III to VII – Pages 165 to 203

This document is provided for you by The Whiting Society of Ringers visit www.whitingsociety.org.uk for the full range of publications and articles about bells and change ringing CHAPTER III Africa

ON THE AFRICAN CoNTINENT, where the churches have no towers, it is quite a common thing to see the bell or bells suspended on nearby trees. Thus, at the old Cathedral of S. Peter in Maritzburg, a ring offour bells hangs on a tall tree close by, the building being too frail to bear the weight of the bells. In some outlying district mission churches where there are no bells, a substitute is sometimes found by hanging up a short length of old rail line or similar substance, and striking that at service time to call the scattered flock together ! St. Georges (old Cathedral), Cq.pe Town, built on similar style to St. Pancras' church, London, has a set of 8 bells hung "dead" for chimes, cast by T. Mears, Jun., I83o, the largest being I6 cwt. in F. The tower also con­ tains one " tubular " bell. Likoma Cathedral has a set of 8 hemispherical bells, the largest 2! cwt. by Mears & Stainbank, in I907. At the City Hall, Capetown, there was a set of five bells sounding the Cambridge quarters and hour,cast at the Taylor foundry at Loughborough, England, in I905. To these were added in I925 thirty-two more bells, viz, one larger, and all the intermediate smaller bells, to complete a fine carillon of three chromatic octaves. There are a few " rings " of bells in various parts of Africa hung for scientific change-ringing in the English style, viz. Grahamstown Cathedral, 8 bells by J. Warner & Son, tenor 25! cwt. hung in I878. These bells, however, are placed in a frame allowing seven of the eight bells to swing East and West. Only No.6 swings North and South. The 3rd is hung above the 4th, and the whole frame rocks terribly when the bells are swung up. The only full peal of 5040 changes (Grandsire Triplets) ever rung in Mrica, was at St. Mary's church, Woodstock, on Dec. I5th, I 904, when the following took part :- I65 166 BELLS OF ALL NATIONS G. A. Davies Treble. L. Green 5 J. F. Priest 2 J. Murray 6 H. G. Cock 3 F. P. Powell 7 E. F. Behan 4 H. Montgomery Tenor. Time 3 hours 7 minutes. Taylor's six-part. Conducted by F. P. Powell. In Durban are two "rings" of bells-S. Paul's church (8 bells) and S. Mary's church ( 10 bells) where change-ringing is practised. Interest in the art was maintained by the late Rev. Canon G. H. Ridout of Johannesburg, and with various pupils he rang several handbell peals. Messrs. Gillett & Johnston installed at Port Elizabeth-in the Settler's Campanile, a carillon of 23 bells, the largest being 3 tons 5 cwt., and a smaller carillon of 23 bells with a bourdon r4l cwts., at the town Hall, Germiston. Khartoum, capital of the Anglo-Egyptian Soudan, stands at the junction of the Blue and White Nile. Its chief buildings include the Anglican Cathedral in the Byzantine style, dedicated to All Saints, and consecrated in 1912. Its campanile contains a fine " chime" of 8 bells erected in 1930 by Messrs. Mears & Stainbank, of London, the tenor (or largest) being 13 cwts. in key of F. During the Great World War (1942-43) these bells were chimed regularly by Pte. Sidney Harrison, of Leicester, England, whenever he had access to them. In ordinary times they are chimed by a Soudanese native. Ethiopic bells are slal?s of wood suspended from a bar similar to the Simantra of the Eastern Orthodox Church. CHAPTER IV

Australasia

IN AusTRALASIA WE FIND several rings of bells erected for " full swing " ringing in the English Style, and in some places bands of change-ringers. The towers, however, are far apart and ringers very scattered, consequently meetings for practice or peals are difficult to arrange. In 1890, Holts 10-part peal of 5040 changes (Grandsire Triples) was rung at St. Philips (R.C.), Sydney, conducted by James Murray, of Melbourne, he being the first Colonial ringer to conduct a full peal. In the same year at S. Paul's, Melbourne, the same peal was rung, this time conducted by M. Guest, an English ringer from Staffordshire. On Feb. 1st, 1897, at S. Peter's, Ballarat, a seven-method peal of minor (6 bells) was rung, conducted by T. Biddle. Holt's original peal of 5040 Grandsire Triples was rung at S. Paul's, Melbourne, in 1904, conducted by A. E. Barnes, of Devon, who was also a com­ poser of some peals. Mr. Barnes had previously (in 1898) con­ ducted a similar peal at Melbourne. On July 31st, 1890, on the light six bells at Christchurch Cathedral, New Zealand, 5040 Grandsire Doubles was rung, and on Jan. 31st, 1903, at the same place, 5040 change; Bob Triples ; while on Nov. 9th, 1903, a peal of 5040 Grandsire Triples was rung here. Other peals were rung at Hobart, Tasmania. Included in the bells hung for" full swing" ringing the following are the principal " rings " :- No. of Tenor Bells. Cwt. Melbourne. S. Paul's Cathedral 13 31f S. Patrick's R.C. Cathedral 8 19! " S.James Old Cathedral.. 8 13! " (now" clocked" only.) 168 BELLS OF ALL NATIONS No. of Tenor Bells. Cwts. Sydney. S. Mary Basilica R.C. Cathedral 8 26 , S. Philip's IO 20 , S.John's, Camden 8 I4 , S.Jude, Randwick 8 (steel) 2I Darling Point. S. John's 8 " , S. Mark 8 9 Sandhurst. S. Paul 8 2I Hobart, Tasmania. HolyTrinity 8 9! Geelong, Victoria. S. George 8 I4 Ballarrat. Town Hall .. 8 23 , S. Peter's 8 I2 New Zealand. S. Matthew, Auckland 8 I8 , , S. Peter, Wellington .. 8 I6 Christ Church Cathedral IO " " 32 There are also " rings " of eight at Adelaide Cathedral and Town Hall : Hobart Cathedral ; Maryborough ; Perth Cathedral, and several " rings " of six bells. The chief ring-that of Melbourne Cathedral-consists of 12 bells and a semi-tone. The 12 bells weigh as follows :- Cwts. QJs. Lbs. Cwts. QJs. Lbs. 5 0 9 7 9 IO 2 5 3 I7 8 IO 3 27 3 5 3 I6 9 I4 0 4 4 6 2 IO I5 2 23 5 7 3 22 I I 22 2 I6 6 8 I I I2 3I 0

These were cast at Whitchapel Foundry in r 88g. The ring of ro at Christ Church Cathedral, New Zealand, are from Messrs. J. Taylor & Co.'s foundry at Loughborough, and were erected ln r88r. The weights are:- Cwts. QJS. Lbs. Cwts. QJs. Lbs. 6 0 6 6 II 3 2I 2 6 2 2 7 I5 0 0 3 7 14 8 17 9 4 7 3 7 9 23 3 3 5 9 2 14 10 32 0 7 The Garden of the Bells, Mission Inn, Riverside, California Mingoon Bell The Prome Pagoda, Burma 0

" Great Ching " of Shanghai. The largest hour bell of the five bells forming the Westminster Chimes AUSTRALASIA 169 In 1934 Melbourne began the celebration of its Centenary, and chief among the many events which marked this great occasion were the visit of H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester and the dedication of the State ofVictoria's "Shrine ofRemembrance ", a memorial to the men and women of the State who served in the Great War, and particularly to the r8,ooo who went out but came not back. The preparations for the celebration had been going on long beforehand and people of the Empire in all parts of the world were . invited to join with the Commonwealth in the commemoration and the festivities which were to accompany it. Among the invitations which came to the homeland was one from the bell­ ringers and authorities of St. Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, saying that the visit of a band of English ringers would be warmly welcomed. And thus it came about that on September 14th, 1934, a little company of a dozen set out on the greatest adventure in all bell ringing history. Ever since bell ringing became an art, its most enthusiastic devotees have found pleasure in wandering afield, sometimes far afield, in pursuit of their fascinating pastime. In 1657 a company of College Youths journeyed to Cambridge ; in 1730 another little band visited Oxford, to which city they travelled on foot from London. Somewhere round about this time, too, Benjamin Annable and a party of College Youths are said to have landed at Calais and rung a course of Cinques on handbells­ the first recorded instance of a band of ringers going overseas. London ringers, with William Shipway among them, embarked on no inconsiderable adventure when, in r8r9, they visited the Isle of Thanet for the opening of the private ring of twelve bells in Quex Park. In the last half-century, with all the facilities that exist for travelling, facilities that increased rapidly from year to year, ringing tours, chiefly for peal purposes, have become a common­ place, with little to mark one from another. For the enthusiast, these excursions are a very happy relaxation from the ordinary affairs oflife, but it requires something of very special interest, such as the Pilgrimage to Menin Gate, or a dash to Dublin and back in about 36 hours for a peal, to arouse more than passing comment. BELLS OF ALL NATIONS

The invitation from Australia came to Mr. W. H. Fussell, of Slough, 1who perceived in it a wonderful opportunity, and, 'despite the obvious and great difficulties, eagerly began his in­ quiries among ringers likely to be able to make the jotirney1 • It was certainly no easy task to raise a complete company for such an expedition, and yet it was almost useless to think of a successful journey, at any rate, as far as peal ringing was con­ cerned, unless at least eight ringers were prepared to join the party, for, except at Melbourne and Sydney, it was doubtful if any change ringers would be found. The following made up the party :- Rev. E. Bankes James, of Seafield Park, Hants (Cambridge University Guild) ; Mr. W. H. Fussell, ofSlough, Bucks (Royal Cumberland Youths), Organising Secretary ; · Mr. J. S. Goldsmith, of Woking, Surrey (Editor of The Ringing World and Hon, Secretary, Guildford Diocesan Guild) ; Mr. J. Hardcastle, of Bradford, Yorks (Yorkshire Association) ; Mr. W. Linter, ofFareham, Hants (Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild) ; Mr. G. Martin, of Maidenhead, Berks (Oxford Diocesan Guild) ; Mr. Ralph Maude, of Pudsey, Yorks ; Mr. R. Richardson, of Surfleet, Lines. (Master of the Lincoln Diocesan Guild) ; Mrs. R. Richardson (Hon. Secretary, Lincolnshire District of the Ladies' Guild) ; Miss Enid Richardson ; Mr. C. Sharples, ofBlackpool, Lanes. (Hon, Secretary of the Fylde District of the Lancashire Association) ; Mrs. C. Sharples. On the way out to Australia, several attempts were made to ring handbell peals on board ship, and despite several failures, three were successfully rung. These were all " Bob Major " and rung as follows :-

1 The author received an invitation to take part in this expedition, but, unfor­ tunately, owing to " home affairs " was not able to go. AUSTRALASIA 171 Time Date. Changes. Hrs. Mins. I. On the Eastern Mediterranean Sea .. Sept. 23rd 5040 2 35 2. On the Arabian Sea .. Oct. 3rd 5040 2 33 3· On the Indian Ocean Oct. 7th sos6 2 35 During the extensive tour, ringing was done at most of the towers above mentioned. Lectures were given, and demonstra­ tions on hand bells, while a number of broadcasts were given by wireless. Text books on the Art of Change-ringing, and photos of famous English cathedrals and churches were distributed to various local ringing companies. Seven complete peals on tower bells were successfully rung, and there were a few failures through faults in ringing, bell ropes and fittings. Shortage of time allowed prevented other peal attempts being made. The successful peals were as follows :-

Time Date Changes. Hrs. Mins. 1. S. Paul's Cathedral MELBOURNE BoB RoYAL Oct. 24th 5040 3 32 2. Holy Trinity, HoBART, Tas- mania. KENT TREBLE BoB MAJOR ~ov. 3rd so88 3 3· Holy Trinity, HoBART, Tas- mania, BoB MAJOR No. 6th sos6 2 s6 4· S. Paul's Cathedral, MELBOURNE GRANDSIRE CrNQ.UES Nov. r Ith 5038 3 39 5· Town Hall, BALLAARAT, STED- MAN TRIPLES Nov. 13th 5040 3 6. S. Mary Basilica Cathedral, SYDNEY, KENT TREBLE BoB MAJOR Nov. 20th so88 3 24 7· S. Mark, Darling Point, SYDNEY, STEDMAN TRIPLES . . Nov. 22nd 5040 2 57 On November 24th the English" pilgrims" set sail for home, leaving behind Messrs. Fussell, Martin, Linter, Hardcastle, and Maude, who later made a tour of New Zealand for more "mis­ sionary ringing." On the way home three peals of Bob Major were successfully rung on handbells :- 172 BELLS OF ALL NATIONS Time Date. Changes. Hrs. Mins. r . On the Pacific Ocean .. :Nov. 25th sos6 2 31 2. On the South Indian Ocean Dec. roth 5152 2 40 3· On the Red Sea Dec. 24th sos6 2 31 This part of the company arrived home in London on Jan. sth, 1935, and the rest on Jan. 22nd. Thus" the great adven­ ture " came to an end, during which they had travelled over 3o,ooo miles. The tour was an unqualified success, not for the ·number of peals rung, but for the new ties offriendship established between Australia and England, and the revived interest in the art of change ringing thus established. It is hoped also that in the near future the condition of now defective rings of bells will be improved, and new rings installed. 1 There are three carillons in Australasia, viz. :-two from the foundry of Messrs. J. Taylor & Co., Bathurst City Memorial, 35 bells (1929) ; Sydney University Memorial, 62 bells (1927) : ·one from Messrs. Gillett & Johnston Ltd., at Wellington, N.Z., War Memorial, 49 bells (1928) largest bells tons. In the smaller churches the bells and fittings were mostly .supplied by British bellfounders. Usually these consist of one or two bells swung either by lever or small wheel, and when first supplied, full and detailed instructions were sent out to the local authorities as a guide to their erection. The need for a practical bellhanger was greatly felt, but the expense of sending one from the Motherland was too prohibitive. In the case of sets of 5, ·6, or 8 bells, the frames and fittings were often sent with the bells, with specifically drawn plans and instructions for whosoever might have the work of erection in hand. There are a few rings not being used in the English style, these being hung " dead " and used as chimes. Scattered over Australasia are several old .church bellringers from the British Isles, and these are ever ready to give assistance and advice where possible, either in actual bell hanging matters, or in the art of change ringing.

1 The full story of this tour is to be found in A Great Adventure, written and published by Mr.John S. Goldsmith, Editor of The Ringing World, by whose kind permission the .above is extracted. CHAPTER V America

IN THE GREAT CONTINENT of North and South America-and for our present purpose we may include Canada and all other States in the Western Hemisphere-there may be found examples of every kind of bell, and also the varying styles and modes of ringing them. From the simple little bell of the mission or small church, to the mighty carillon of 70 bells, there can be included the old Spanish Mission bells, hung in arches or gables, each-having its own particular significance ; the larger city "chimes" where maybe 6, 8, IO or more bells hang dead, and are played by clavier­ or chiming apparatus ; the "sets" or "rings " of 8 and ro bells hung for ringing in full swing in the typical English style : and of more recent date, the many new and impressive carillons of from 23 to 70 bells played by clavier, by automatic player and by pneumatic combinations. Perhaps the most noted bell in America is the "Liberty Bell ", not because of its size, but for its being one of the best loved relics in the country. The Inde­ pendence Bell was cast in London and reached Philadelphia in August, 1752. Within a month it was cracked, and then re­ cast by Pass & Stow of Philadephia. This was not entirely satisfactory, so it was again recast. In 1753 it was placed in the belfry from which it was to ring in and ring out the shifting scenes in the mighty drama of a nation's freedom. Since its first hang­ ing in the State House in I 7 53, the bell has been removed four times. In r 777 to avoid capture by the British Army, it was taken via Trenton and Bethleham, to Allentown, then Pennsyl­ vania, and kept there until Philadelphia was evacuated, where­ upon it was brought home. In r885 it was taken to New Orleans Exposition. In r8g3 to the World's Fair at Chicago. In r8g5 to the Exposition at Atlanta. On all these journeys the old bell was everywh~re recognized as the embodiment of the spirit of the 1 73 1 74 BELLS OF ALL NATIONS Nation, The bell is r 2 feet in circumference round the lip ; 3 feet from lip to crown; 3 inches thick at the soundbow, and weighs 2080 lbs. It is still suspended from its old yoke or headstock, and its inscription is" Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land, unto all the inhabitants thereof. Lev. XXV, v. ro." It was unl;l.er this bell that the representatives of thirteen colonies first "proclaimed liberty" and this bell, with its iron tongue, started the tidings throughout the world. It was subsequently cracked when sounding a fire alarm. Later it was suspended, under the direction of Mr. Clinton H. Meneely, by a chain of thirteen links, from the ceiling in the Hall of the State House in Philadelphia. It is now housed in the main corridor of the Independence Hall. In the centennial year, r876, a bell weigh­ ing thirteen thousand pounds, to represent the thirteen original states, was made by the Meneely Bell Co. and set up in the tower of the State House above Independence Hall, just where the old bell was formerly suspended. Like the old bell it bears the inscription (round the lip) "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." It is now in constant use sounding the hours of the day. The Meneely Bell Co. also made another copy of the " Liberty Bell ", weighing 2,ooo pounds, for Mr. Henry Ford. This was placed in the tower of the Institute of Technology at Dearborn, Michigan. Several attempts have been made at various times to cultivate the art of change-ringing in America, but with little success. This English art has to a great extent failed to appeal here, al­ though there are several "rings " of bells hung for scientific ringing. Among them are the following :-Mitchell Tower, Chicago University (ro bells) ; Christ Church, Boston (8 bells) ; Christ Church, Philadelphia (8 bells) ; St. Peter's and S. Mark's (Philadelphia (8 bells each, but here they are used as " chimes " only) ; Holy Trinity, New York (8 formerly hung for change­ ringing, but now" chimes" only) ; Advent, Boston (8) ; Groton School (8) ; St. Michael, Charleston S.C. (8) ; Memorial Tower, Hingham (ro) ; Perkins Institute for the Blind, Water­ town (8). The first peal rung in America was at Christ Church, Philadelphia, on Sunday, June gth, r8so by the following, who comprised a hand-bell band touring the States with P. T. AMERICA 1 75 Barnum's " Greatest Show on Earth ". The peal was of 5040 changes (Holt's ten-part of Grandsire Triples) in 3 hours 15 minutes, conducted by Henry W. Haley, and the ringers were :- Thos. Le-Sage Treble James Hewett 5 Chas. Rahill 2 William Lobb 6 Frederick Wade 3 E. W. Sawyer 7 Henry W. Haley 4 Richard Dodd~ Tenor John Davey J These bells were cast at Whitechapel, London, in 1754, tenor I 8 cwt. Ringers in and around Boston try to keep change­ ringing alive, and meet occasionally for practice at different towers. They include Mrs. Shurtleff (daughter of the late Dr. Nichols) : Richard Newton (late of Manchester) : R. Henson (late of Doncaster, Eng.) : Mr. S. Warren Sturgis, who teaches the boys of Groton School how to ring. In addition almost every church of note has its "chime" of varying numbers from 4 to 23 bells, mostly hung dead, and rung by (a) hand from a chiming apparatus or (b) by automatic machine. Of recent years many huge and magnificent carillons have been erected in specially designed towers. These bells are nearly all from the two leading English foundries of Messrs. J. Taylor & Co., and Messrs. Gillett & Johnston. The follow­ ing list includes the most notable carillons :- Largest Weight Date. Founder. No. Cwt. Qr. Lb. Lbs. Albany (N.Y.), City Hall .. 1927 Taylor 47 100 0 0 II,200 Ames (Iowa), Agricultural College 1929 " 36 so 0 0 s,6oo Andover (Mass.), Phillips Academy 1926 37 20 3 25 2,347 Ann Arbor (Mich.), University .. 1936 53 215 0 0 24,000 Birmingham (Ala.), First Pres b. " Church ...... 1923 25 IS I I 1,709 Buffalo, S.Joseph's Cathedral r866 Bollee 43 Chicago, S. Chrysostom's Church 1927 Gillett & 43 48 0 0 5.376 Johnston University 1931 72 34° 0 0 38,o8o Cincinnati" (Ohio), Mariemont .. 1929 " 23 40 0 0 4,480 Cleveland (Ohio), S. Paul's Church 1929 23 30 0 0 3.360 Cohasset (Mass.), S. Stephen Ch. 1924/28 " 51 ros 0 0 11,760 Cranbrook (Mich.), Christ Church I926 Taylor" 61 6o 0 0 6,720 Danbury (Conn.), S.James Ch. .. 1927 Meneely 23 Detroit (Mich.), Jefferson Avenue Gillett & Presby. Church .. 1925 Johnston 23 20 2 0 2,296 176 BELLS OF ALL NATIONS

Largest Weight Date. Founder. No. Cwt. Qr. Lb. Lbs. Detroit (Mich.), Christ Church, Grosse Point 1935 " 23 !0 0 0 1,120 Durham, Duke University Chapel 1931 Taylor 50 100 0 0 I 1,200 East Lansing (Mich.), Michigan 1929/ Gillett & State College 35 Johnston 23 25 0 0 2,8oo Gloucester (Mass.), Church of Our Lady 1923 Taylor 31 25 0 26 2,826 Hartford (Conn), Trinity Church 1931 30 50 0 0 5,6oo Indianapolis, Scottish Rite " 100 0 1928 " 63 0 11,200 Lincoln (Neb.), First Plymouth Ch. 1931 " 48 42 0 0 4·7°4 Luray (Va.), Luray Caverns 1937 47 66 0 0 7·392 Madison University of Wisconsin . . 1936 Gillett" & 25 30 0 0 3,360 Johnston Mariemont Tower 1929 " 23 Mercerburg (Pa.), Academy 1926 43 64 0 0 7,168 Morristown (N.J.), S. Peter Epis. " Church .. 1925 Taylor 35 40 0 15 4.495 Mountain Lake (Florida), Sane- tuary Tower 1929 71 207 2 6 23,246 Nashville (Tenn.), Ward Belmont Gillett" & College . . . . 1928 Johnston 23 10 0 0 1,120 New Milford, Canterbury School 1931 23 10 0 0 1,120 New York, Riverside Church 1926 72 365 I 18 40,g26 Norwood (Mass.), Municipal 1928 " 50 70 0 0 7,840 Philadelphia, Holy Trinity Church 1882 Van 25 25 3 II 2,895 Aerschodt Philadelphia, Old Zion Lutherian Church .. 1930 Schilling 24 Philadelhhia, Trinity Reformed Churc ...... 1929 Meneely 25 Germans town (Phil, Pa.), First M.E. Church 1927 Taylor 48 59 I 23 6,659 Plainfield (N.J.), Christ Church 1923 Gillett & 23 20 2 0 2,2g6 Johnston Princetown University (N.J.) 1927 35 115 0 0 12,88o Richmond, Virginia State Mem 1932 Taylor" 66 100 0 0 11,200 Rochester (Minn.), Mayo Clinic .. 1928 Gillett & 23 68 0 0 7,616 Johnston Rumson (N.J.), S. George Church 1934 Taylor 25 42 0 0 •h704 S. Paul, House of Hope Church .. 1922 Michiels 28 San Simeon (Cal.), Private Estate 1931 " 50 San Francisco, Grace Cathedral 1938 Gillett & 44 110 0 0 12,320 Johnston. Springfield (Mass.), Trinity Ch. 1928 Taylor 61 70 2 22 7,gt8 Springfield (Mass), Hillcrest Park Cemetery 1936 25 50 0 0 5,6oo Storrs (Con.), Agricultural Coli. 1931 Meneely 29 Wellesley College (Mass.) 1931 Gillett & 30 14 2 0 1,624 Johnston hina-Bronze Po or bell with coiled serpent pattern dating from late Chou Dynasty, 722-221 B.C. Pair of Chinese Scribe's bells for exercising the fingers to keep them nimble. M< for generations by a secret process by one Chinese family AMERICA 177 The phenomenal development of the carillon in America is remarkable. Beginning in I922 with the erection of the carillon at Gloucester, Massachusetts, there soon followed many others given chiefly by private donors in the form of "Singing Me­ morials", ranging from 23 to 72 bells. Of these the largest one is at Riverside Church, New York, hung in the great tower which is no less than IOO feet square at its base and 392 feet high. This carillon began as one of 53 bells and hung in the Park Avenue Baptist Church, the then largest being 20,5I0 lbs. weight and inscribed :- In loving memory of my mother, LAURA SPELMAN ROCKEFELLER I839-I9I5 whose gentle kindly Spirit and steadfast Devotion to Christ and His cause will ever be an abiding inspiration. This Carillon is given. JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER Junior Anno Domini I925.

Mter a time, 28 of these bells were sent back to England to be recast, and to them added I 5 smaller bells and 4 bass bells, to complete the 72 bell Carillon of six chromatic octaves. Then the whole were set up in the new great tower of Riverside Church, over 300 feet above ground. This new installation was also in the gift of Mr. Rockefeller, and gave its first public recital Dec. 24th, I93I. The largest (or bourdon) bell weighs 40,926 lbs. and is I 22-! inches in diameter, and is the largest bell ever cast in England. This bell and four other larger bells of the Carillon is hung for swinging, which is done by special electric motors when necessary. The other 67 bells are hung stationary. The bells are played in the ordinary way by the Carillonneur at the clavier, and can also be played by electric-pneumatic machinery, thus for instance at the hours and quarters, and at certain times of the day. The Carillonneur is Mr. Kamiel Lefevere, pioneer N BELLS OF ALL NATIONS of carillon playing in America, who hails from Belgium. M. Lefevere started his study of the carillon under the personal tutelage of M. Denyn " the great Master of the Carillon " at St. Rombold's Cathedral in Mechlin (Malines). Later he travelled extensively, giving recitals on almost every carillon on the Continent and in England. M. Lelevere has been made Honorary Carillonneur of Mechlin ; Honorary Professor of the Belgian National Carillon School ; and has been decorated by the Belgian Government and made Chevalier of the Order of Leopold. Going to America he first played on the Memorial Carillon in Cohasset, Mass. This carillon consists of 5 I bells, the largest being II,76o lbs. in weight, and the smallest only 12 lbs. It originally consisted of 23 bells given, as the inscription on the tenor shows : " To the glory of God and in loving memory of Jessie M. Barron 185I-I918 0 ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord praise Him and magnify Him for ever "

These were dedicated Sept. 23rd, 1924. Mrs. Bancroft added 20 bells in 1925, and 8 more in 1928, thus making up the set to 51, constituting a perfect memorial which " in joy and gladness, as in solemnity and sorrow, the bells lift the heart of the church and community in worship and adoration of the Eternal God." Besides the great Riverside (New York) Carillon referred to above, Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Junr., also gave a further carillon of 72 bells to the memorial Chapel of Chicago University, Illinois. The tower which contains it is 207 feet high, and its foundations go down below the floor level 8o feet, to bed rock. The bells were installed in the autumn of 1932, and''first played on l'fov. 24th of that year. They range from IOt lbs. to the great Bourdon of 38,o8o lbs., the total weight being some 220 tons. Five of the larger bells swing, being operated by motors as in the case of the New York Carillon. The bells sound the hours and quarters, ringing Wagner's Parsifal chime. The carillon at the church of Our Lady of Good Voyage, Gloucester, Mass., was installed in 1922, and after being blessed by His Eminence Cardinal O'Connell on July 2nd, was played AMERICA I79 for the first time on July 23rd before a vast throng. In the weeks and years that followed, people from all parts of the United States went to hear them, and within a space of five years no less than a score of carillons were installed in universities, churches and schools. Regular recitals are given by M. Lefevere and others on the 3 I bells, the largest of which is 2,826 lbs. The great carillon of 7I bells-largest weighing 23,246 lbs.­ in the beautiful Mountain Lake Singing Tower in the Bird Sanctuary at Lake Wales, Florida, was dedicated by President Coolidge on Feb. ISt, I929, when the inauguration recitals were given by the Bellmaster, Anton Brees. Harmony with the surrounding Sanctuary and the spirit of the carillon as well as its practical requirements, have been the inspiration of this Singing Tower. One of the earliest acts of domestic Man was the build­ ing of watch-towers where first the drum, later a horn, and then a bell, was sounded to warn his tribe of danger. But in medireval times, particularly in Belgium and the Netherlands as more bells were added, a scale of chimes developed, giving folk-tunes and airs, which calls to worship, feast or labour, and then in the late rsth century the carillon was defined. This Sanctuary tower continues these ancient traditions, yet revitalizes them through new ideals, and when the carillon plays, and the whole tower bursts into song, that legend and history, art and music, and all their long tradition in the ever-aspiring struggle of mankind, become one in that single harmony which is the spirit of the Singing Tower. The Sanctuary bells, one of the finest carillons yet cast, are noted for their perfection of tone. The 7 I bells cover a range of four and a half octaves chromatic, from the deepest bell's note ofE flat. This bell is inscribed with the names of those who helped to create the Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower, and bears:-

This carillon is a tribute of affection from Edward William Bok to his grandparents : Lovers of beauty Nineteen Hundred and Twentysix. 180 BELLS OF ALL NATIONS The Tower was designed by Milton B. Medary The Landscape gardening by Frederick Law Olmsted The Sculpture by Lee Lawrie The Carillon was made by John Taylor and Company The Ironwork by Samuel Yellin The Marble from the Tate Quarries The Fajence by J. H. Dulles Allen The Tower was built by Horace H. Burrell and Son

The Richmond (Virginia) State Memorial is situated in Byrd Park, the State being responsible for its erection and the city for its site. The building towers 240 feet above the ground, and is a landmark that can be seen from every part of the city. A note from the Richmond Guide Book says :-

" a large bronze door gives entrance to an octagonal room 30 ft. in height, lighted from above with impressive effect. This room is designed to display symbolic and historic relics which may be received. There are 66 bells in the carillon, suspended in the bell chamber, immediately above the clavier floor, the bells being arranged in five tiers. "The diameter of the largest bell is 6 ft. g in., the others ranging to a diameter of 6 ins. The total weight of the bells is approximately 63,245 lbs. The base of the memorial is designed for a museum. The bell-deck is reached by an elevator. Above this stairs lead to an observation platform. " There are five storeys below the bell-deck, accessible by stairs or elevator."

At Christ Church, Cranbrook, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, the tower houses a carillon of 6 1 bells, covering four complete chromatic octaves, and these were dedicated Sept. 30th, rg28. The inauguration ringing was by Anton Brees, bellmaster of the Bok Singing Tower in Florida, referred to above. The largest or bourdon bell is 6,720 lbs. A similar carillon of 61 bells, of almost the same weight, and from the same foundry (Messrs. J. Taylor & Co.) is at Trinity Church, Springfield, Mass. Its bourdon is inscribed :- AMERICA "To the Glory of God This carillon is the gift of Horace A., Alice E., and Madeline Moses Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church Springfield, Massachusetts." It is quite impossible within the scope of this work to give a full account of all the carillons and chimes in America, but the schedule given will furnish the reader with a list of them, together with founders, dates, and weights.

THE WILL ROGERS SHRINE OF THE SUN Perhaps the most outstanding memorial, commemorating the friendship of one man for another, constructed in recent years, is the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Built of enduring granite it is the personal memorial of Spencer Penrose to his life-long friend, Will Rogers. It is a hundred-foot spire boldly standing on the face of Cheyenne Mountain and is built to last a thousand years. Immediately following the tragic airplane crash that ended the life of America's great humorist-philosopher, Spencer Penrose began constructing this great memorial-a memorial to keep alive for ever the golden memory of America's most lovable character. Though only recently dedicated and thrown open to the public, this Shrine has already become the mecca for many thousands of friends and admirers of Will Rogers. A few construction details may serve to indicate the tre­ mendous magnitude of this Shrine of the Sun : 5,ooo cubic yards of pink granite was quarried from a single boulder for its walls and embankments. In addition, 30 carloads of cement and 20o,ooo pounds of steel were used in building this Shrine. Not a single nail or piece of wood entered the construction. Every detail was planned with the view of making this Shrine as enduring a memorial as it is possible for man to construct to perpetuate the memory of man. The Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun is more than a cold stone and bronze memorial. The Shrine itself embodies all of the features necessary to make a truly great~ memorial. It is a beautiful and impressive monument by day and a special arrangement of flood lights carries its beauty far into the night. Bronze and frescoes beautify its interior .•• BELLS OF ALL NATIONS while day and night the Singing Tower Chimes give this memorial a voice that can be heard throughout the Rocky Mountain region. 1 The grandeur and beauty of this great Shrine, as well as the magnificent tribute behind its erection, can, perhaps, be best indicated by repeating here the simple words on the bronze plaque which was placed on the day of its dedication ..• THIS SINGING TOWER HAS BEEN BUILT AS A LASTING MEMORIAL TO WILL ROGERS. In addition to the foregoing there are two carillons by Franz Schilling of Apolda, Germany, in the Argentine Republic:- Buenos Aires Municipo, 30 bells (I930; and Mercedes San Patricio, 24 bells (I93I). Chile also has a small carillon at Santiago, San Pedro, of 25 bells (I928) by Mabilon. It is not possible to give a list of " chimes " or " peals " in North and South America, but the following extract from the writings of the late Dr. Arthur H. Nichols, 2 on some early American bells and their founders will be of interest :- The following advertisement [says Dr. Nichols] appeared in the " Boston Gazette "' of March I 2th, I no :- "A Bell Foundry lately erected by Aaron Hobart, of Abing­ ton (By an air furnace), where bells are cast of any size, suitable for Churches, equal to and cheaper than can be imported. Enquire of .Joseph Webb, of Boston, or the said Hobart." Additional information, relative to the establishment of this foundry, probably the first of its kind in America, is contained in Hobart's History of Abington, Mass. wherein it is stated that in 1 76 I a deserter from the British Army, Gilli­ more, at one time a workman in an English foundry, was em­ ployed by Col. Aaron Hobart, and retained in service for many years. Besides casting two bells for the First Religious Society, in use till about I85o, he sold others to adjoining and remote towns, and some to go out of the State. It was this enterprise of Col. Hobart which later led Paul Revere to add bell casting to his versatile work ; for when the former gave up business 1 These chimes are not bells in the ordinary sense, but tubular bells, amplified by loud speakers. A special set plays the Westminster quarter-chimes, and a larger set is used for tune playing which can be operated either mechanically or by hand. • Dr. Nichols died in 191~ at the age of 82. He was rightly described as the "Guardian of Boston's Bells.' He spent all his spare moments in the study of Bells, and worked assiduously for their upkeep and restoration. AMERICA he sent one of his sons with a blacksmith to Boston and taught Revere to mould and cast the first bell which he ever made. Prior to I no a few bells had been cast in the Colonies, notably the Liberty bell, made in Philadelphia in 1753 by Pass and Snow ; and that of the First Baptist Church, Providence, R.I., recast in 1787 at the Hope Furnace by Jesse Goodyear. As a rule, however, all bells had been ordered up to this time from the Whitechapel Foundry, London, or from Rudhall, in Gloucester. This first bell was cast in 1792, at the foundry in Lynn Street, Boston, where, for four years, Revere had been making brass cannon, bolts, spikes, and other composition work. It proved to be rough, unhomogeneous casting, and its sound was correspondingly harsh, panny, and unmusical. The bell was hung in the belfry of the New Brick (Second) Church in Hanover Street; its shrill tone and convenient location rendered it, however, useful in sounding fire alarms, but its carrying power was far less than that of the Old South and King's Chapel; hence its more powerful neighbour of the New North was rung at morning, noon and night, as long as that custom was kept up. The steeple, rebuilt in 1844, was blown over in the gale of 1869, and the bell was then placed in storage till 1901, when it was sold to St. James' Church, Cam­ bridge, where it is still doing active service. Revere learned, as the result of his first experience in this new craft, that the art of bell founding is intricate, subtle, and of infinite difficulty . . . . Now it is certain that Revere was a practical ringer, having been a member of the Guild which had charge of the eight sweet-toned bells of Christ Church, cast, 1744, by Rud­ hall. These bells, moreover, together with those of the West Church and the First Church of Roxbury from the same foundry, supplied him with perfect models. In other Boston steeples, moreover, were suspended some of the best productions by the Whitechapel foundry, and he even took pains to im­ port a model bell from the foundry of Warner, Cripplegate, sold in 1795 to the North Congregational Society of Newbury­ port. With resourceful industry, Revere sought persistently to • correct and improve his methods. In r8o4 he sent his son, Joseph Warren Revere, then associated with him in business, to visit the principal foundries in England and the Continent, and from information thus gleaned, and increasing experience, he was enabled, after a few years, to turn out superior instru­ ments, of which his masterpiece still booms out from the massive tower of King's Chapel, filling the neighbourhood with its dignified, mellow reverberation. Between the years 1792 and 1828, 398 bells were cast at the BELLS OF ALL NATIONS foundry of Paul Revere and Son. Of these, the heaviest, weighing 2,884 lbs., was sent to Providence, R.I. Many of the lighter bells were shipped to Cuba and Puerto Rico for use on sugar plantations. In I8o4 the foundry was transferred to Revere's estate, in Canton, still owned by his descendants. Paul Revere died in I8I8, and the business was carried on by his son Joseph, till I828, when it was conveyed to the Revere Copper Company, which never undertook bell casting. Bells from this foundry were inscribed in flat Roman letters, with no attempt at ornamentation, " Paul Revere ", " Paul Revere and Son," or " Revere and Co.", but followed almost without exception by the date of casting. They can thus be distinguished from those cast by an older son, Paul, associated with his father until I 8o I, but who later cast bells on his own account, which were usually inscribed "Revere," and rarely bore a date. Upon the inner waist of many bells can still be discerned the figures in blue chalk written at the time of cast­ ing to record the weight. The following indicates the fate of 220 bells, whose history has thus far been authentically traced : Still in use, 78 ; dam­ aged by cracking, 4 7 ; destroyed by fire, 39 ; destroyed by 2 ; preserved as relics in good condition, 4; preserved as lightning, relic, cracked, I ; exchanged or sold, 20 ; recast, 2 ; dis­ appeared, 28. In I 9 I I there died at the age of 86, in Cincinnati, Ezra W. Van Duzen, a bell-maker whose work covered a large area, and who cast many hundreds of bells. He started as an apprentice at bell-making in I828 and became famous. It is said "every church bell in the ' Queen City ' rang praise to his art, for he made everyone of them." The present chimes of S. Peter's Cathedral, cast in I85I, were of his manufacture, and the large bell of S. Francis-de-Sales was his work, and the four bells of S. Philomena's, he cast in I884, among a vast number of others during his long career. In New York there are three sets of chime bells :-those of St. Thomas Church in Fifth Avenue and Fifty-third Street ; the chimes of Grace on Broadway above Tenth Street; and of Trinity on Broadway, opposite Wall Street. The bells of St. Thomas's, IO in number, were cast at Meneely's in West Troy, and put up in the beautiful tower in I874· They are very fine in tone and tune. The bells ofGrace, also IO in number, have the united weight of 10,300 lbs. and are "rung" by clavier or Temple bell of Shokaiji, at lnazawa in the province of Owari, I gth century

(i) Sanko (ii) Goko (iii) Gokosuzu at Daigoji near Kyoto, J apan Gokosuzu (bell) at Saikokuji in Onomichi, province of Bingo, Japan AMERICA keyboard. Trinity chimes are, perhaps next to those of Christ Church, Philadelphia, the oldest in the country. Very little is known of their history, however. Five of the bells were cast in London by Messrs. Mears of Whitechapel, prior to 1845. As the second Trinity church was built in I 788 with a handsome steeple, it is probable that at least one or more bells came over from England at that time. When the church was taken down in I 845 to make way for the present beautiful structure, there were six old bells in the steeple. The largest of these was cracked, so that was sent to Meneely to be recast, and at the same time four new bells were added to complete the chime to 10. The largest weighs 3,081 lbs. There are two sets of Monastic bells in New York. A ring of 4 in the German Capuchin Fathers' church of Our Lady of Sorrows, in Pitt Street, the largest being 1,423 lbs. Also a chime of 6 bells weighing about 12,000 lbs. in the steeple of the Most Holy Redeemer in East Third Street, sometimes known as the Redemptorists' church. The four bells of the Capuchin church and the two largest at the Redemptorists' church were cast in West Troy by Meneely in r868 and r86g. The other four at the Redemptorists' church were cast at Constance in Switzerland prior to r86g. All bear figures cast in bas-relief. On the largest is the figure ofJesus in the attitude of benediction, surrounded by the legend "Redemptori sacrum Signum S. Smo." It weighs 5,274 lbs. The second bell, called lmmaculater bears the image of the Virgin Mary, and the inscription, "B.V.M. Conceptioni lmmaculatoe sacrum Dignum ". The other four are named St. Michael, St. Alphonsus Liguori, Raphael and Gabriel. Each bears on its side the figure of the Saint or Archangel after whom it was named, with appropriate inscriptions. In St. Mary's church of the Assumption in West Fortyninth Street, there are three bells, and in Trinity Chapel in West Twenty­ fifth Street, also three bells. The latter were in the steeple of the Old Trinity, and probably came from England. St. Ann's church in Twelfth Street has four bells intended as the foundation for a larger chime, cast by Meneely in 1870. Full and part chimes are to be found in all parts of the country. Away in far Eureka, California, is a chime in the steeple of Christ Church. The church of the Good Shepherd 186 BELLS OF ALL NATIONS in Hartford has a chime ; St. James' church, Birmingham, Connecticut; Old St. John's in Savannah, Georgia; and churches of various denominations in Indianapolis, Petersburg (Virginia), Cleveland (Ohio), Concord (New Hampshire), York (Pennsylvania), New Brunswick and Rochester, all have chimes. St. Ann's chimes in Brooklyn; St. John's in Newark; Grace church and St. Patrick's in Buffalo ; the cathedral of the Immaculate Conception inAlbany; St. Paul's in Reading (Penn.), and the bell tower of Cornell University all have sets of chime bells. The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston (Mass.) has a chime of 1 1 bells, the largest weighing 2 tons, the smallest 400 lbs. They were founded in Troy, New York, xgo6.

AMERICA's FIRST BELL In Chicago there is a bell with a wonderful history. It is about the size of a large handbell and a dark greenish-brown colour, bearing on one side the letter "F ". It is in a show case with several other relics, but is the most precious of all, as it was the first bell to be rung across the waters of the New World. It was the church bell of Isabella, the city founded by Columbus in San Domingo in 1492. This is the story of the bell :-It is of bronze, of excellent workmanship, and was presented to the church in Isabella by King Ferdinand. In 1494 the discovery of gold in the mountains of Cuba caused a general movement towards the interior, and everything portable was removed to the new tower at this place. The city was destroyed by an earthquake in 1564. More than 300 years afterwards, in 1868, a shepherd delving among the ruins, found this bell near the tower among some tangled vines. A fig tree growing nearby had thrust its branches into the ruined tower, and had by growth forced the bell from its place and held it in the tree. It is venerated as a relic and called " the bell of the fig tree." The old San Jose bell, San Miguel church, Santa Fe, New Mexico, bearing the inscription "San Jose ruega por nosotros" -St. Joseph pray for us-was cast and hammered in Spain in 1356, brought to Santa Fe in 1712 and placed in the San Miguel Church in 1848. It is nearly four inches thick, about the size of the Liberty Bell and weighs 780 lbs. The San Jose bell, like AMERICA all the Spanish bells bearing the cross was not cast smooth. It is made of copper, silver, iron and gold. The sweet old-world tones made by the clapper suspended through an opening in the crown, suggests the quiet and peace of the Andalusian hills after the triumph of the Christians over the Moors. It is not hung in the tower but is suspended on a frame in the church and is rung chiefly, almost only, for tourists. Besides the clapper there is a wooden mallet by which it is struck and it gives the note about C ~ with octave above and minor grd E. I have referred to the ringing peal at Charleston, St. Michael's, and these bells have an interesting history. They were first partly recast from a former peal originally cast by Lester & Pack, of Whitechapel, London, in I 764. Twice they suffered the calamities of War. First during the War of Independence, they were seized at the capture of Charlestown, and sent to Eng­ land, whence an American merchant redeemed them, and had them returned to their church. Secondly, during the War of Secession, when, after being removed to Columbia S.C. for safety, the bells were involved in the burning of that city. All the metal recoverable was subsequently returned to the foundry of Mears & Stainbank of Whitechapel, to form the new peal.

THE WORLD's HIGHEST BELLS1

Mounted on pedestals between the marble columns outside the 46th story of the so-story Metropolitan Life Insurance Tower, in New York City, are four large bells, which are said to be hung twice as high above the ground as any others in the world. The tower is 700 ft. high, These bells, made by the Meneely Bell Co., ofTroy, N.Y., a firm consisting offather and three sons, whose ancestors cast the first bells made in America, produce the famous " Cambridge Quarters " ; the motive power being derived from mechanism operated by the tower clock. The bells are of the following weights and tones : 1,500 lbs., G; 2,ooo lbs., F; g,ooo lbs., E flat, and 7,ooo lbs., B flat. Four notes are struck at the first quarter, eight at the second, twelve at the third, and sixteen at the hour, followed by the hour stroke on the large bell.

1 From Dairy Attractions in New rork. 188 BELLS OF ALL NATIONS All previous records of the sound carrying of bells have apparently been broken by the distance at which these bells may be heard. Situated at the top of the tallest structure in the world having bells, and easily ten times higher than the average church bell, the sound waves are unobstructed. Voyagers at sea, beyond Sandy Hook, fully twenty-eight miles from the tower ; and others on the Hudson River boats, equally as far away to the north, have frequently reported hearing the bells at that distance : and yet, so soft are the tones, they are listened to with pleasure by visitors to the observatory gallery, one story below their location. To witness and hear, at close range, the chiming of the quarter­ hours is one of the features of " Seeing New York."

A GARDEN OF BELLS

One cannot mention bells in America without reference to the famous collection at the Mission Inn, Riverside, California. Here are gathered together nearly 700 specimens and types of all descriptions, every one being numbered and catalogued giving its history, origin and usage. They were collected by the late Mr. Frank A. Miller and his family and come from many lands, representing many peoples, ages and forms of religion. Mr. Miller was a great lover of the beautiful, and made a life hobby of collecting unusual and interesting things for the pleasure of his many distinguished guests to his Mission Inn, which is one of the most wonderful hostels in the United States. It is typical of the beauties of California and creates a vogue in architecture per­ petuating the glorious memory of the Missions. To-day it is internationally famous for its architectural beauty; i~ interest­ ing history ; and its most valued collections. Built ro~nd three principal courts or patios it includes rambling corridor{, beautiful chapels, and famous art galleries housing some of the world's important treasures. Its spacious site includes a "Court of Birds ", Presidential Suite, Cloister Music Room, Refectorio, Cloister Walk, Pontifical Court, Santa Clara Chapel, St. Cecilia's Oratory, Spanish Art Gallery, Atrio and S. Joseph Arcade, St. Francis Chapel, Collection ofDolls and Animals of the World, Alambra Roof Garden, and a host of guest rooms, courts and towers. AMERICA 189 The Mission Inn housemark consisting of a bell surmounted by a double cross, appears frequently on and about the buildings. Over the Lobby entrance hangs "Lillie's Carillon ",-a set of seven bells, rung to welcome the incoming guest or speed the departing. At one end of the lobby stands a big gong on its lacquer stand, which is of extraordinary size, and whose Japanese inscription about its rim says that it was " Given to the Temple of Zenko by Honda Y oshimitsu on an auspicious day of June in the second year of the Era Teikwa" (646 A.n.). 1 Nearby is a flat circ~' r gong from Sarawak, British North Borneo, where it was ori ally used by a native ruler to call his council together. In the P esidential Suite may be seen the " town crier's bell " of Bedford, Mass., which aroused the people of that town on the night of Paul Revere's ride. This bell was one of those giving the alarm leading to the first incident of the Revolutionary War. Other bells, important in American history, hang around, such as the bell of s.s. Sylph, official yacht of the Presidents McKinley, Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson. Another ship bell is that of the Evangeline, one of the transports sent from Boston in I 755 to con­ vey 7,000 Acadians from Nova Scotia to Maryland, Virginia, the Carolinas, etc. Other bells here include one used by the Camel Corps of the U.S. Army in the early days; a call bell from the house of Robert E. Lee at Richmond, used during the Civil War; and others equally interesting. One of the very rare attractions of this wonderful hostel, however, is its "ElJardin de las Campanas" or" Garden of the Bells." As one enters, one sees in front a reproduction of the dome of the Mission of San Juan Capristrano. Surmounting the dome is the " Ramona Lantern " of cathedral art glass. Each of its panels contains a scene or character from " Ramona " and this lantern is very beautiful when lit from within at night. Over it is an ancient marble figure of St. Francis of Assisi. The larger bells of the collection hang around this garden. Of special note is Father Damien's Chapel Bell from the leper state of Molokai, Hawaiian Islands. This bell was broken in the chapel fire. Another is one of the oldest dated bells in Christendom and bears the inscription : "Iacobi : I.H.S. X P.S.Maria : Quin­ tana: et: Salutor: Fercern: Ao.Di 1247 ". (James; Jesus 1 See page 199 (Japan). rgo BELLS OF ALL NATIONS Christ : Mary : Quintana and Salvador made me in the year of our Lord 1247). This is probably the "Santa Maria bell" from the parish church of Santiago, where to-day, although only of a population of some 25,ooo souls, there are 45 ecclesiastical edifices with no less than 1 14 bells, and it is visited by thousands of pilgrims annually. In an arched niche hangs a beautifully ornamented bell from Monserrat near Barcelona, with panelling work containing ten exquisite medallions of the Host, S. Francis, the Saviour, St. Roque, St. Joseph, St. Anthony, S. Sylvester, the Crucifixion, Nails of the Cross, etc. Dated r 704, it has a double inscription. Nearby hangs an ancient bell from Rome shaped like a Pope's mitre. On its side is an inscription " Paulus III Pont. Opt. Max,'' and on the other side the Papal insignia and shield with the Arms of the Furnese family. This Pope "Paul .III" was born at Alessandro Furnese, Feb. 24th, 1468, and died Nov. roth, 1549· All round the garden may be seen bells of every description and sizes, all of them having some historic connection and they have come from all quarters of the globe. One of the most valued is the Nanking Temple Bell which formerly hung in the temple of Manchu or Tartar City, in the centre ofNanking, and is 6 feet 5 ins. in height, 4 feet 4 ins. diameter, and weighs 2,8oo pounds. Another exhibit is a temple gong in the form of an eight petalled lotus flower, and inscribed in Chinese. It came from Mukden made memorable in the Russo-Japanese War. An unusual treasure is the Lali or signalling drum from the Fiji Islands. 1 It is said these drums may be heard 50 miles or more away, but they are really primitive radios sending their messages not by sound, but by vibrations ; the lalis being attuned to each other. Messages are often relayed two to three hundred miles on these lalis. Smaller animal bells include those formerly used by oxen, cows, sheep, camels, donkeys, goats, buffalo, pack­ horses, from many countries the world over. Others include church, chapel, saints bells, sacred gongs : fire, engine, ship, musical and handbells abound, each portraying peculiar fascinat­ ing historic connections, the like of which cannot be seen in one collection elsewhere. 1 See page 87.

) CHAPTER VI Canada

IN CANADA MOST sETs of bells are merely hung " dead " for chimes, as in America, but there are a few " rings " hung for full-swing ringing of the English style. These include the ring of8 at the Church of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, Vancouver, B.C., and it was here on Dominion Day, July Ist, I9I I, that the first full peal ever rung in Canada was performed in 2 hours 59 minutes. This was Holts original composition of 5040 changes Grandsire Triples, and was conducted by George W. Foster. The British Columbia Association of Change Ringers as this company call themselves, still practise regularly with good results, but there are very few other towers where this art is carried on. Vancouver bells were originally a set of seven, cast by Messrs. Paccard of France, forming a " chime " the tenor weighing 4,g6o lbs., Note C : other bells being E, E p, F, G, A and C. They were good toned bells but peculiarly hung, having no stays, sliders, pulleys, or even proper ropes. On account of their peculiar scale it was finally decided to retain F, G. A bells and recast the others to five, and thus have an octave rehung in a proper iron and steel frame for change ringing. This work was carried out by Llewellin and James of Bristol, the first five being recast in Igo6, and the present tenor is I7f cwt. Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria, B.C., has eight bells with a tenor 29! cwt. in D flat. Here is a change-ringing Company under the leadership of Mr. E. W. Izard. Canada possesses several carillons, the chief being, of course, that of the Victory Tower, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa. This consists of 53 bells of a total weight of 53 tons (II 8, 720 lbs.). The "Bourdon "-largest bell-weighs IO tons (22,400 lbs.) and is IOO inches in diameter. The tower is 280 feet high, and has a clock with four dials, each IS! feet diameter. Other carillons (by Gillett & Johnston of Croydon) are at Guelph, Ont. S. George's church (1926), largest bell I4! cwt. ( I,652 lbs.) : 191 BELLS OF ALL NATIONS

Simcoe, Ont., Norfolk Soldiers' Memorial (I927), largest I4! cwt. (I,652 lbs.) : Toronto University, Soldier's Tower (I927), largest 70 cwt. (7,840 lbs.) ; Toronto, Methodist United Church (I922), largest 75 cwt. (8,400 lbs.). These are all of 23 bells each. Also at Toronto, in the Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, is a" chime" of2I bells by John Warner & Sons Ltd., ofLondon (I9I4) the largest only hung for swinging, being 6o cwt. I qr. 9 lbs. Note A., and the smallest bell I cwt. I qr. 8 lbs. Total, 265! cwt. Warner's also installed a chime of I5 bells at the Federation Cathedral, New Brunswick with a tenor approx. 40 cwt. At Winnipeg they erected a chime of I6 bells with a 50 cwt. tenor. Messrs. J. Taylor & Co. installed a IO bell chime inS. Paul's church, Woodstock, the largest being 2I cwt. 2 qrs. 5 lbs. (2,413 lbs.), Note D (I9IO). The tenor here is hung to swing, the remainder fixed for chiming only. There is. a chime of IO bells, erected in I843 by the Whitechapel foundry at Montreal Cathedral, to which-in I 84 7-was added a grand Bourdon bell of I I i tons. S. Patrick's church, Montreal also has a chime of IO bells. Other chimes that might be mentioned are 8 bells (I83o) at the English Cathedral, Quebec: 8 bells (I861) Van­ couver, Cathedral at New Westminster: and 8 bells (1906) at Vancouver R.C. Cathedral. S. John's N.B., Trinity Church, has 9 bells (1882) as does also Oakville, Ont., St. Jude's (1go6, and Ottawa, All Saints (I907). At Halifax, N.S., S. John's I3 bells (I92o), and S. Mary Cathedral II bells (1923). At Toronto, S. John's IO bells (1924), and S. John's, Kingston Road, 8 bells (I926). The largest bell in Canada is that of Notre Dame Cathedral, Montreal, which hangs in the south tower. It is 6 feet high, 8 feet 7 inches in diameter, and weighs 24,780 lbs. It is ornamented with images of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist, together with the emblems of agriculture, commerce, and industry. It was cast in London, and bears the inscription in Latin, " I was cast in the year of the Christian era I847, the 202nd since the foundation of Montreal, the first of Pius IX's pontificate, and the tenth of the reign of Victoria, Queen of Englanl. I am the gift of the merchants, the farmers, and the mechanics, of Ville Marie." In the opposite tower hangs a chime of ten bells, the smallest weighing 897 lbs., the largest 6,021 ; total, 2I,696 lbs. A fine J apanese bell with its founder Earliest dated Japanese gong, 646 (Japanese year 2) CHAPTER VII

The Far East

THERE CAN BE LITTLE question that the earliest musical instru­ ments were those of percussion. Striking illustrations of this fact are to be found if we turn to Oriental Nations, which, in the conservatism almost inseparable from the East, have retained through the ages the style of music and musical instruments evolved in an early age of civilization. One of the earliest and most elaborate instruments known to the Chinese is the king, invented, as they claim, by one of their Emperors more than two thousand years B.c. It consists of sixteen flat stones suspended in two ranks on frames, and so regulated in size as to give forth, when struck, a scale of notes. Besides this, they use drums of every kind and size, rows of copper plates, clappers of wood, wooden tubs struck with a hammer, and cymbals. This primitive discovery of the tones producible by blows on resonant sub­ stances having once been made, we can readily see that something more or less resembling the modern bell would almost certainly become an early invention. In the Far East we find some immense bells of great age, and fine specimens of the founder's art may be seen in many of the temples and pagodas of Burma, China, and Japan. At Pekin and Nankin are some famous ones. Le Comte, writing at the end of the I 7th century, describes a bell he found lying on the ground at the latter place amid the ruins of its fallen belfry. It was I I ft. g ins. high, 7 ft. 6 ins. in diameter, and estimated to weigh 22! tons. Three other bells were beside it. The Emperor Y ang-lo, on transferring the seat of Government from Nankin to Pekin in 1403, cast nine large bells to commemorate the event. The largest was some 53 tons in weight.

I93 0 194 BELLS OF ALL NATIONS

BURMA

The " Shway Dagohn " at Rangoon, or Golden Pagoda, is one of the most ancient and venerated shrines which exist, and it should certainly hold a high place among the beautiful and artistic monuments of the world, for it is exquisite in design and form. Its proportions and height are simply magnificent : wide at base, it shoots up 370 feet, tapering gradually away until crowned by its airy golden Htee, or umbrella-shaped roof. This delicate little structure is studded with precious stones and hung around with scores of tiny gold and jewelled bells, which, when swung lightly in the soft breeze, give out the tenderest and most mystic of melodies. The Htee was the gift of King Mindohn-Min, and it is said to have cost £so,ooo. Bells in Burma are not used to call to prayer, but rather to call attention to the fact that prayer has been said. Mter per­ forming his religious observances the Burman strikes the bell, to let Buddha know that he has performed his service. The most interesting bell there is on the eastern side, enclosed in a wooden shed. It weighs 94,682 lbs. Its history is quite unique ; it was presented to the pagoda by King Tharrawaddy in r84o. Mter the second Burmese War, the English conceived the bar­ barous and shameful idea of removing it to Calcutta as a trophy, but mercifully this vandalism was averted by the bell, in its transit, falling into the river at Rangoon. Numerous were the attempts made by English engineers to raise the bell, but all to no purpose. There it remained safely reposing at the bottom of the river. Mter some years had elapsed, the Burmese tendered a request that they might have the sacred bell restored to them on condi­ tion that they could recover it. Their petition was granted. Victory attended the Burmese' efforts and after many exertions their labours were crowned with success, and the bell was raised and borne triumphantly to the pagoda where-we will trust­ it will ever remain. 1 Burma is a country in which the historical value or im­ portance of bells is only surpassed by their universal use and apparently religious connection with the rites and ceremonies of

1 A photo of this bell is given in Among Pagodas and Fair Ladies, by G. T. Gascoigne. 18g6, p. 81. THE FAR EAST 195 Buddhism. Almost every temple, or rather pagoda, is provided with a bell, which is reverentially struck by each of the several votaries at the particular shrine, previous to offering up prayers, with a view to its being noised abroad in the material and spiritual world that the suppliant is willing to share the after rewards to be derived as the merit of his prayer or offerings, with all the rest of mankind. The Mingoon Bell is situated on the right bank of the Irra­ waddy, almost opposite to the present Royal City of Mandalay. Its weight is Igs,ooo lbs., calculated according to the quantity of metal used in the casting, and its extreme height and breadth (that is to say, the height and breadth of the bell proper) are respectively 2I ft. and I8 ft., so that as regards size and weight, it ranks amongst the most remarkable bells in the world. It is suspended on three massive round logs of teak, placed hori­ zontally and longitudinally, the one over the other, their ends resting on two pillars of vast size, composed alternately of masonry and large upright teak posts. This bell was cast in I 780 in the time of and under the superintendence of King Bo-Do-Pujah, and is considered the second largest in the world-that of Moscow taking precedence.

INDIA

Maurice in his Indian Antiquities says :- " One indispensable ceremony in the Indian pooja is the ringing of a small bell by the officiating Brahmin. The women of the idol or the dancing girls of the pagoda also have little golden bells fastened to their feet, the soft harmonious tinkling of which vibrates in unison with the exquisite melody of their voices." In India there are a number of single bells and sets of chime bells for clocks in most of the principal cities and towns. Most of these were sent out from England. There are a few rings of bells hung for ringing in the English fashion, but for the most part these are very neglected. Usually they are chimed by Ellacombe or similar apparatus. The R.C. church of the Holy Name, Poona, has a very tall but slender detached campanile of brick, and here hangs a ring of eight by J. Taylor & Co. (I894) in an o• 196 BELLS OF ALL NATIONS iron frame, complete with wheels and all fittings. They are now (1944) in a very bad state of repair, and it is stated that owing to the tower being cracked, the bells are never swung, simply chimed. At Lahore Cathedral there is a ring of six, tenor about 20 cwt., hung in the English style by Taylor's, but now in a bad state. At the Afghan Mission Church, Colaba, Bombay, there is a chime of eight, tenor 14 cwt., by Mears & Stainbank, of Whitechapel, erected 1904; and at Madras there is also a ring of eight, tenor 20 cwt. erected by the same firm in 1871. There is a chime ofsix bells at Darjeeling; and another of five bells at St. Paul's Cathedral, Calcutta, tenor 26 cwt., placed there in 1848. St. Patrick's R.C. Church, Bangalore, has twin towers, each holding two bells, one above the other, some 20 feet apart, the notes being F, G, A, B ~ ; they are mounted on iron headstocks in a steel frame. The wheels are ofiron deeply grooved, to which heavy ropes are attached. The bells have heavy cannons and are longer waisted than average English bells. They are extensively decorated with leaves, flowers, grotesque figures, etc. The largest is inscribed :- " My names are Mary Ann Fransesca My Godfaher is Mr. G. McDonele My Godmoher is Mrs. I. Thompson Gloria a' Elcelsis Deo. Eugene Baudouin-Fondeur a' Marseilles 1895"

It will be noticed that the "t" in Father and mother is omitted in error by the Founder. The bells are rung by boys, who swing them about half-way up. There are four bells at Secunderabad R.C. church, but it is only in old-established English centres that churches have more than one bell.

CHINA Bells which were used in the ceremonies of ancestor worship were cast in· bronze in ancient times. Great importance was attached to the purity of the note and tone of these bells, and consequently the casting was undertaken with especial care. It was usual to mix the blood of a victim-a sheep or a bullock-with

1 C. P. Fitzgerald (I 935), China, a short cultural History, p. 1 I 9· THE FAR EAST 1 97 the molten metal.1 Chinese bells are of widely varying shapes. Oval and round are perhaps the most common, but square bells are also found. Like the sacrificial vessels, the bells were elabor­ ately decorated and sometimes inscribed. Recently the discovery of a set of inscribed bells in a tomb near Lo Yang has raised an interesting arch~ological problem. These bells, which were found in a richly furnished tomb with other bronzes, bear an inscription which, though dated with a regional year, omits the name of the ruler. Chinese and European scholars are divided in their interpretation of the inscription, and the identification of events and places mentioned in it. The date mentions the " twenty-second " year but not the King's name, but it can only be either 550 B.c. in the reign of Ling Wang, or 379 B.c. in that of An Wang. The Emperor Yong-loh, founder of the Ming dynasty, in order to mark the removal of his capital from Nanking to Pekin, and at the same time to honour Buddha and win personal merit for himself in the future world, resolved to have cast at Pekin a great memorial bell. To this end he invited to his northern capital the most skilled masters in this ancient art. In due time, after divination and consulting Buddhistic scholars as to the prayers to be embossed on the bell, and collec'ting vast quantities of different metals, constructing furnaces, models, and moulds, the work was satisfactorily accomplished, and the event celebrated by great civic and religious rejoicings. The Emperor, while not ignoring Confucianism and Toism, was a most devout Buddhist ; and his Asiatic cult, like other great systems of faith appealing to the needs, hopes, and ideals of the soul, has ever found outward expression not only in creeds, and life, but in works of art. The bell at Pekin is still bright and sound, and doing service. It is in many respects the finest work of art in Asia-the product of native skill- and could not be duplicated by the highest ability or resources of Western foundries. I t stands 14 ft. high, 34 ft. in circumference, nearly 1 ft. in thickness, and weighs over 12o,ooo lbs. But what makes this bell the "chef d'ceuvre" of Asia is the fact that, without a flaw or defect of any kind, it is completely covered, in relief, both inside and out, with myriads of Chinese characters, each one not an inch in size, consisting of prayers from Buddhistic classics. It is one of the vagaries of Buddhism that. the prayers of the faithful may be infinitely and acceptably repeated by mechanical BELLS OF ALL NATIONS helps, as, for instance, when written petitions are attached to revolving wheels, so here, when the lips of this mighty and eloquent bell are moved by a fitting tongue, they breathe forth, in deep, sweet, prolonged, and wonderf\llly vibratory voice, these prayers to Buddha, and call, as well, all devotees to worship. This bell, like all the larger bells of China and Japan, was struck by a long, heavy, hardwood beam, suspended by ropes on the outside of the bell, and to prevent fracture, there is a large square hole near the top. By reCJ.'Uest, and for a small fee, the priest and his assistant swing .back the huge beam, and then let it fly against the bell, but deftly arresting it on its rebound. Rich, deep-toned, mellow, and prolonged was its voice as it comes forth and floats away over walls, towers, temple-grounds, parks, imperial palaces, and the homes of the people seeming to murmur in trembling accents-so the priests declared-the daily and universal prayer of Asia, "Na-o-mi­ to-fah ! "

In Nanking there is a bell (now fallen to the ground) which weighs approx. 5o,ooo lbs. It is not an uncommon sight in China to see enormous bells lying upon the ground, their weight having broken down the towers or frames in which they were suspended. Nearly all these bells are of excellent workmanship, richly ornamented with inscriptions both inside and out. In the Victoria and Albert Museum, Kensington, are several curious Chinese bells, oneofwhich is inscribed (in archaic charac­ ters) "this bell, Harmonious Spirit, made for use by the elder of Hing village in Ting district." This is of the latter half of the Chon Dynasty-about 6th century B.C. Two others (here illustrated) are of the Han Dynasty.

JAPAN

Japan possesses some splendid bells and gongs of great age. Like the Chinese examples, however, they can hardly be com­ pared with those of Europe, since they are not intended to be chimed, much less rung, in the way of the West. They are struck from the outside by wooden instruments-baulks of wood, some­ times trunks of trees-suspended by chains or ropes. The bells THE FAR EAST rgg remain stationary, and these wooden clappers swing at them like glorified battering rams ! The late Lord Brassey mentions one of these bells in his account of a visit to the Japanese temple of Gion Chiosiu. " We strolled about the temple grounds, and ascended the hill to see the famous bell, the second biggest in Japan. The immense beam which strikes it was unleashed from its platform for our edification, and the bell sent forth a magnifi­ cent sound over the city and through the woods." 1The Buddhists ofJapan use in their temple worship gong-shaped bells of peculiar workmanship, and of a tone so wonderfully sweet that Mark Twain once said of them, " I don't believe I shall ever hear more heavenly sounds until I reach the Golden City." Buddhist missionaries from Korea first introduced " rin " as they are called, but the art-loving Japanese improved upon these to an extra­ ordinary degree. They are considered sacred objects, and consequently are rarely met with outside the temples, and still more rarely for sale. That at Mibudera inKyoto called Koiguchi (A.D. 1199) is a typical example, while a more elaborate one is that in the temple at Jinshoji called Kei in the province of Omi. The bowl-shaped gong (fig. 6o) of extraordinary size is of hammered bronze, on an ornamental stand of red lacquer. The inscription in Japanese about the rim says: 'Given to the Temple at Zenko by Honda Yoshimitsu, on an auspicious day of June in the second year of the era Teikwa '. This date corresponds to the year A.D. 646. The Emperor of Korea tried to introduce Buddhism into Japan in the 6th century. He sent a delegation of priests bearing a gold statue of Buddha to the Japanese Emperor. The nobility were favourable to the new religion, but there were violent earthquakes that year, and the public, being very superstitious, attributed their troubles to the anger of the old gods, and they demolished the foreign shrine. The image of Buddha was cast into a lake and lost. Buddhism, however, gradually made converts from that time on. About A.D. 630 Honda Yoshimitsu, a Japanese Buddhist of means, found the gold Buddha and erected a temple, and it still exists to-day, revered above all others as the parent shrine and most sacred. The importance of the gong is therefore evident. Metal experts affirm that there is no doubt that the gong is the original 200 BELLS OF ALL NATIONS and unique article which the inscription asserts. The present Japanese calendar commences in the year 645 so this gong is therefore of the Japanese year 2, and is the earliest date appearing on any Japanese bell or gong. It is now preserved in the Mission Inn Museum, Riverside, California. To the Japanese the temple bell is, in a sense, the voice of Buddha. Indeed, it is almost as characteristic a symbol as is the seated figure of Buddha himself. Famous scholars and poets of the land have composed the in­ scriptions they bear, and they are moulded into a wealth of symbolism and tradition. There is in these majestic monsters none of the familiar and social character of the western church bells. Although Christianity and Buddhism alike have under­ stood the value of the bell, the difference between the bells of the East and West is typical of the difference in the two faiths. In Northern Europe the bells are first to speak and to broadcast messages of special significance to the people. They announce services, weddings, funerals, fires, war, coronations, and almost every event of local and national importance. Buddhist bells could hardly quicken their deep tones to speak of joy. Theirs is the voice apart from temporal things, cognisant only of a solemnity and eternity. Yet on occasions their ancient, tranquil, remote, unhurried voices may be deeply consoling. These huge castings have their parts named by tradition, as with English bells. There is the hook by which they are hung (in England called the "cannon" or crown staple), called rind;:;u, the dragon's head, usually modelled to consort with its name. The part that bears the studs is called chichinoma or space for nips. This corresponds with the head of our bells. Beneath these studs there is a space, ikenoma, for inscriptions or pictorial decorations similar to the waist on English bells. Here great poets and artists have been proud to inscribe their various visions on a substance far more enduring than paper. Below this space there is a disc against which is struck the bar ofwood that takes the place of the clapper of our bells. The temple bell of Shokaiji, at lnazawa, in the province of Owari, r 3th century, clearly shows these propor­ tions (fig. 6r), as does the bell ofKwaisando (early 17th century) the " Founder's Bell " at Obakuzan Mampukuji. The bell inscription from the temple bell of Elizanji, at Gojo, in the province of Y amato is preserved as a national treasure, and THE FAR EAST 201 according to tradition this inscription is by Ono-no-Dofu (8g6- g66). It is generally regarded as belonging to the Engi era (gor-923). The ornamentation on the bell of Myohozan~ Shoganji, in the prefecture of Gifu, is of the early Edo period (early 17th century). Besides large temple bells, the Japanese use various other smaller bells, gongs and rattles in their worship. One of these small bells-(a) a spherical, slit-mouthed, bronze bell with loose metal pellets, from the Kanda Myojin, the oldest shrine in Tokio, presented as a votive offering to the shrine after a member of the Hayashi family had prayed for roo days that he might wed the girl of his choice, the match being opposed by her father, is now, with the next two (b) and (c) in the Mission Inn Museum, California : (b) Suji or Japanese religious rattle used by priestesses in the sacred dance " Okagura ", at the Shinto shrine at Kasugowa-Kamiya, Nara; (c) small temple gong with dragon turned round the top, illustrating the legend of the Monk Anchin and the maiden Kiyoshime. An ancient religious bell-rattle, from Chichibu-Jinja, in the Eastern province was photographed specially by the high priest for the lateR. Ponsonby ' Fane, Esqr., L.L.D., when on a visit, at the request of the present writer when seeking such photographs of bells and gongs. Coloured clay bells are sold to pilgrims in some sacred shrines. Many of these are sold at Kora Jinga, the chief shrine of the province of Chikuga. Similar slit- mouthed bells, called suzu, are sold at the shrine called Modozugi Jingj, near Kyoto, and these are then presented as votive offerings. Many of the smaller bells (suju) and gongs are most elaborate in design and decoration, of exquisite workmanship, and of great antiquity.... They are held in deep veneration and awe, and, with their larger companions, have many quaint legends, tra­ ditions, and folk-tales told about them ; tales that have been on the lips of generation after generation living within the shadow of some ancient and sacred shrine, and whose lives have been unconsciously attuned to its grave and solemn harmony. Sir F. Treeves, Bart., in Tlu Other Side of the Lantern (rgo6) speaking of Chion-in says :- " Curious as it may appear, the most remarkable thing about ' Chion-in ' is neither the painted egret on its walls, 202 BELLS OF ALL NATIONS nor the gilt lotuses by its altar, neither its towering bronze lanterns, nor its fountain with a dragon crawling out of it. The strange thing is a sound. It is the sound of a great bell which stands alone among the trees in a dip on the hillside. The bell is rightly called great, for it weighs seventy-four tons. It is of green bronze, and the wooden tower in which it swings raises its mighty mouth but a few feet from the ground. . . , Chion-in's sound is like the sound of no earthly bell. As heard at dawn, when the first streaks of light are creeping into the shuddering East, it is mysterious, thrilling, and solemn beyond all imagining. The sound comes out of the wood, and rolls downwards to the town. It is a deep, soft, melancholy note like that of a humming gong. It never rises skywards, it rumbles along the ground. It flows through the listener like water through sand. It penetrates the body like a subtle tingling current. It sweeps through the living tissues like a Rontgen ray. If it be the knell tolled for a departing spirit, the bell must be upon the other shore of the Great Gulf: and the sound that comes down from Chion-in is but the echo of it resounding across the void. It is so sad, so wandering, so desolate, that each slowly recurring boom comes like a sob." Equally well known are the great bells at Kioto and Mudera, and various other centres. Some of these are ten feet high, and adorned with sacred texts from Buddhist Scriptures ; and images of heavenly beings or Buddha on the sacred lotus in Nirvana in high relie£ As usual, the nimbus, or halo, surrounds his head. Two dragon heads form the summit and ear by which it is hung to its beam by an iron link. The casting of a bell was ever the occasion of rejoicing and public festival. When the chief priest of the city announced that one was to be made, the people brought contributions of money, and offerings of bronze, gold, pure tin, or copper vessels. Ladies gave with their own hands the mirrors which had been the envy of lovers, young girls laid their silver hairpins and bijouterie on the heap. When metal enough and in due proportion had been amassed, crucibles were made, earth furnaces dug, the moulds fashioned, and huge bellows worked by men standing at each end, like a see-saw were mounted ; and, after due prayers and consultations, the auspicious day was appointed. The place selected was usually a hill or commanding place. The people, in their gayest dress, assembled in picnic parties, and with song and dance the feast THE FAR EAST 203 lasted while the workmen, in festal uniform, toiled :-and the priest in canonical robes, watched. The fires were lighted, the bellows oscillated, the blast roared, and the crucibles were brought to the proper heat and the contents to fiery fluidity, the joy of the crowd increasing as each stage of the process was commenced. When the molten flood was finally poured into the mould, the excitement of the spectators reached a height of uncontrollable enthusiasm. Another pecuniary harvest was reaped by the priests before the crowds dispersed, by the sale of stamped 'kerchiefs, or paper containing a holy text, or certifying to the presence of the purchaser at the ceremony, and the bles­ sings of the gods upon them therefor. Such a token became an heirloom, and the child who ever afterwards heard the s.olemn boom of the bell at Matins or Evensong, was constrained by a filial as well as holy motive, to obey and reverence its admonitory call. The belfry was generally a separate building from the temple, with elaborate cornices and roo£ This document is provided for you by The Whiting Society of Ringers visit www.whitingsociety.org.uk for the full range of publications and articles about bells and change ringing