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Our Church
started in 1867, on the Osage Prairie of Jackson County,
Missouri. In 1884, the
parishioners built their Prairie Gothic Church, it still stands
today and is used daily, twice on Sundays. Most of our founders
lived their entire lives from birth to death within the sound of
the bell of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Many who farmed within
two miles or so, would stop to hear the bells.
When
we hear the bells, we feel the same binding power that called
our forbears to worship. We feel the scene in Millets’
painting, also depicts the scene in the prairie lands of Jackson
County when the settlers arrived. They settled on a treeless
landscape with nothing to stop the strong winds from Oklahoma and
Kansas territories.
The early
photographs show that the Church had a bell before 1900, no
electric, wooden walkways and a small furnace in the half cellar
at the north end of the church.
The bell
was the major communication, it told of services, deaths, and
several times, impending disasters, as well as for the Fourth of
July and New Years celebrations
The
old CBF Co., Blymyer bell was silenced in the 1990s.
With
questions being raised as to the structural integrity of the
church's bell tower in the early 1990s, an electronic
carillon was installed in the belfry. This system played
amplified tape recordings of various bell peals, changes,
hymns and bell-harp arrangements. By 2002 it was no longer
functioning properly. New digital technology had exceeded
its antiquated design.
In
2002 Father Mark McGuire, became the Rector of St. Paul’s.
The tapes were wearing out, newer digital sound systems
replaced the old tape technology… Father Mark has always
had an interest in Bells. The restoration of the bell to
service, if feasible, would be good economy, and at the same
time, add unique charm to our historic church.
In
August 2003, a structural engineer, Dr. Carl B. Reed, P.E.,
vice president/director of structural engineering with
Delich, Roth and Goowillie, P.A. of Kansas City, Missouri,
examined the belfry to see if the historic bell could be
rung safely. In his report to the church, he concluded:
"The
general condition of the Bell Tower structure as
observed on August 10, 2003, was found to be
structurally adequate. No significant deterioration was
found during the field investigation. It is the
professional opinion of Carl B. Reed that the Bell Tower
can function as originally designed."
~ Dr. Carl B. Reed, P.E.,
Structural Engineer
Since Dr. Reed's inspection,
the only casualty to the bell tower and bell has been the
breaking of the pull rope. In August 2007, Fr. Mark McGuire
made a "pastoral call" on the ailing rope. Laying hands on
the two ends he performed a "healing service" in the
belfry. The "healing" was successful at least until such
time as a new rope can be installed. The bell continues to
ring out calling worshipers to service and notifying the
community that God is in His holy temple.
We are searching for
the purchase records for the bell and the date of the blessing
of the bell. Our church was at times, served by once a
month missionary pastors and some records may be in the home
churches of the pastors.
In July of 2008, we
used three different ladders, to record what we could to
identify the bell. Space at the top of the tower is very
limited. "Stepping back" to get the full size of the bell was
not an option. We did make some key measurements and with this
information and the photos, we then sent the information to
various collectors for identification and dating if possible.
The consensus is . . .
The bell is Steel, not Bronze as we
first thought.
The bell was made by the Cincinnati Bell
Foundry Company, Blymyer Norton & Co. of Cincinnati. Time
frame of 1884 to 1900, The yoke or the top part that
supports the bell has the embossed numeral 32 and the
distinctve rounded shape of the Blymyer Bells.
Some of our snapshots are below.
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"For bells are the voice of the church;
They have tones that touch and search
The hearts of young and old;
One sound to all, yet each
Lends a meaning to their speech,
And the meaning is manifold. "
Verse from "Bells of San Blas"
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow |
(For more about our church
click)
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"Can you hear the
bells? When his agent, Sensier, first saw the picture on Millet's
easel, the painter turned to him and asked, "Well, what do you
think of it?"
"It is the Angelus," replied Sensier. "Yes," Millet said with
satisfaction. "Can you hear the bells?
Click photo to enlarge
Click photo to enlarge
Click photos to enlarge
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Special Thanks to
Carl Scott Zimmerman, "Campanologist" for help in
Identification of our Bell
www.gatewayringers.org |
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