Church Bells Vol 19 (Bells and Bell Ringing)

8 Church Bells. [December 7, 1888. of the Hindu religion ia so deep, and the immorality and vices of both Hindus and Mohammedans are so revolting, that the need for Christianity BELLS AND BELL-RINGING. is more patent than I had any conception of until I saw with my own eyes and heard on the spot with my own ears; yet the Indian mind, though now with most degraded objects and theories of worship, is es The Bells of Whaplode Parish Church. sentially a reverent and religious mind. To win India to Christianity is O n November 19th the bells of Whaplode Parish Church were rededicated not a hopeless task, if only enthusiasm at home were strong enough by the Lord Bishop of Lincoln, after having been rehung with extensive to multiply the army of workers tenfold, and to send men of such quality repairs to the belfry. as those now at Delhi and IJeshawur.’ The bells are five in number, and on them are the following inscrip tions;—1. ‘Laudo Deum Verum. Henricus Penn Fusor. 1718,’ 2. ‘ It Clamor ad caelos. 1718.’ 3. ‘ IJfc mundus sic nos, nunc laetitiam nunc dolorem. 1718.’ 4. ‘ Plebemvoco. Congrego clerum. Iae. Bolton. Guls. INDIAN HOMES IN ALGOMA, One. C.W.S. 1718.’ 5. Defunctos plango, vivos moneo. Ioh. Bustat, (From the 1 Canadian Church Magazine.') vicar. 1718.’ 'The writings of the Rev: E. E. Wilson, of the diocese of Algoma, re I t appears that John Bustat, the vicar, appointed James Bolton his garding Indian life are valuable as studies in ethnology and archaeology; churchwarden, at a vestry meeting held 14th April, 1718, and the parishioners appointed W illiam One (Owen) theirs. Whether the date, 1718, refers to the he has studied the languages, character, and tribal relations of the Indians first casting of the bells by the celebrated bell-founder of Peterborough, or to with great care. H e thus describes the way in which the Indian children their being recast by him, is uncertain. are ‘ captured’ in order to get them into the missionary ‘ homes ’ which The bell-frame has a date on it— 1628— and is an exceptionally good have been found of such utility, and the system of training pursued in one for that period; owing, however, to neglect the supporting beams had th e m :— become quite rotten with damp and dirt, and the bell-fittings quite out of repair, till at last it became unsafe to ring the bells, and two years ago it ‘ Every year, or oftener, some one of our teachers goes W est to escort was decided to rehang them, and through the advice of Mr. Pearson, B.A., a party of returning Indians. His duty is to see that they are provided who had already been consulted as to the restoration of the whole church, with employment, and also to visit those previously returned, encouraging the work was entrusted to Mr. Thompson, of Peterborough. The cost of the them in good, and helping up those who may have fallen. During these work amounted to 128/. 7s. Id. lew days he is “ capturing” his new Indian recruits. Of the large number Whaplode Church is a most interesting one of the Norman and Tran who apply, he selects those who seem most promising, after consultation sitional periods. It is 151 feet long, and has north and south aisles and with the agent, physician, and missionary. The captor and captives transepts. The tower occupies the unusual position of forming the southern then start towards the rising sun. The arrival at Ham pton is an event end of the south transept, the basement having been once used as a chapel for all concerned. After the inner man has been sufficiently refreshed, and still containing its piscina—it is now, however, partially walled off from the church. The whole church, indeed, much needs restoration, which the the outer man is consigned to the civilising influences of soap and hot present Vicar hopes soon to take in hand. water and the cruel shears, which represent the first step in the white man’s road. Into this and further mysteries of wardrobe, bed-room, The Church Bells of Rye, Sussex. dining-room, office, work, and school, each new comer is initiated by his S i r ,— I should be extremely pleased for any information concerning the Indian friends who have taken him in charge. Never in his life has he church bells of that interesting old Cinque Port Town, Bye. As a schoolboy, known anything like discipline, as we understand that word. lie has some twenty years ago, I remember its fine old church, with its chiming slept when he liked, and dined when ho pleased— though, perhaps, not on clock taken from the Spanish Armada, the pendulum of said old timekeeper what he pleased. lie knew he was coming to a land of laws, hut his swinging across the chancel arch in full view of the congregation. In a book recently published giving a history of the Cinque Ports, by Montague imagination could never conceive of such a multiplicity of rules as he Burrows, it is stated that in the fourteenth century (1378) the French now finds thrown about him. tBells seem to be continually ringing: but he attacked Bye, and amongst other plunder took away the church bells. But follows his friendly leader, with whom he is to “ room," and with him he the Bye men in conjunction with Winchelsea made a return raid on the goes to meals, to prayers in the chapel, and later to the boys’ own French coast and brought then- bells back in triumph. It would be inter evening prayers, conducted by themselves just before retiring. travel's esting, I think, to know if any of these bells are in existence. Perhaps some are hardly over before a bell rings, and all scatter to their rooms; lie is members of the Sussex Association will give me the desired information. tired, and so throws himself on the bed, hut there is 110 rest there yet; G k an d s ik e B ob. his friend makes him get up and change his garments, which seems a P.S.—Whilst writing may I also ask for correct weights and diameters of waste of time, and then he is allowed to lie down. His fatigue makes the tenor bells at Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, and St. Margaret’s Church, him sleep a single nap, and he only wakes when a bell rings in the dark Leicester ? The Melton Mowbray tenor is said to be 35 cwt. in North’s Church ness, and his friend sings out that it is half-past five, and they must get Bells o f Leicester, but Messrs. Taylor of Loughborough give its weight as up. Now he has to put on again the clothes, which he therefore thinks 26 cwt. in a list published by them in 1870. W hich is correct ? it was absurd to have taken oil. He is hardly ready before the cry of The Church Bells of Thrapston. ball in ” resounds through the building, and eighty* pairs of heavy I n this day of general restoration and improvement it is rather unusual shoes go tearing downstairs and out into the chilly air, to bring their to find a town belfry in the untidy and (from a ringer’s point of view) un wearers into line before marching over to breakfast hall, where the hot pleasant condition of that at Thrapston. A comfortless ringing-room, with corn-bread and beans are duly appreciated. Thus fortified for a day’s ceiling open in places to the bells just above (rendering the operation of work, our recruit is escorted back to the wigwam, and instructed in the chiming or ringing anything but 1 soothing ’), a much-worn newel stair, re art of making beds, sweeping, dusting, blacking shoes, and whatever is quiring very careful navigation, and, lastly, the bell-chamber itself, with necessary to make him pass with credit the inspection of room and louvreless windows, squeaking gudgeons and clappers, and an ‘ out-of-order ’ person to follow ; for this is a military school, and, like a good soldier, state of things generally, is the impression left on a visitor to this belfry. he must be on time and in order. Were these old bells reliung it would be a great encouragem&it to the local ‘ Thus the pupils are at once placed under a discipline entirely foreign ringers. The bells are dated as follows : Treble, 1686 ; second, 1765 ; third, 1677; fourth (ancient), tenor, 1634. Diameter of largest bell, 354 in .; ’weight, to their wild habits in the forest. They soon learn its value, and show about 9 cwt. The inscriptions are of no particular interest, except that on by their actions that they appreciate it. As one illustration, out of the fourth, which is in black-letter, and reads thus: ‘ Sancta Anna Ora Pro many, of the success that has attended M r. W ilson ’s labours, w e are told Nobis, J. S.’ This old sixteenth-century bell is rung daily at one o’clock. that .he sent one of these boys, about nineteen years of age, last year to Trinity College School at Port Hope to reap the benefit of an unfinished The Bells of Holy Trinity, Blackburn.— Dedication of the New Ring. term belonging to his own son. People laughed at the idea. What A n interesting service for the dedication of the new ring of bells hung in could a wild Indian hope to d 0 there against white competition P W ell, the belfry of Holy Trinity Church was conducted on Wednesday, the the “ wild Indian ” set to work; his writing was of the best in the 21st ult., in the presence of a large congregation.

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