The inscription reads: HY STUCKSTEDEWhich I take to mean that it was cast by The Henry Stuckstede Bell Foundry Co. of St. Louis in 1918. This was one of the larger bell foundries west of Cincinnati.
BEL FDY CO
ST LOUIS MO
1918
The big wheel to the right allows the bell to be swung via a rope that hangs down below (into the balcony). This takes some doing, as you can imagine, but the sound is incredibly rich. There is also a smaller rope that is attached to a large hammer that will ring the bell (by hitting it) without all that fuss. It's a trade-off. (Just don't try to do both at the same time. That would be bad. Don't do that.)
The view from the bell tower is pretty impressive, too, but I have to admit that I had to be dragged away from looking at the bell in order to see it.
I don't know why I didn't do this ages ago.
~Pastor Sarah
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Love this story. As you know, my dad was pastor there at Immanuel and I thought us kids had been to every nook and cranny in all the churches but...no! I may have to ask someone to take me to the bell tower soon!
ReplyDeleteWere you afraid of bats in the belfry?
Bats in the belfry do not concern me so much as bats in the sanctuary. (But there weren't any of either.)
ReplyDelete