Messages From The Heartland

[Jeff Wrangler]

In Georgia, as I recall, cops were referred to as "the fuzz."

Because they stuck to you? 

Anybody else remember the tests of the Emergency Broadcast System on television?

Also, in my home town, they sounded all the fire sirens at noon every Saturday for the same purpose.

[ifyoucantfixit]

          We still have those here Jeff.  Once a month.  I am not sure what they do, but they still have that god awful high pitched sound..

[Jeff Wrangler]

          We still have those here Jeff.  Once a month.  I am not sure what they do, but they still have that god awful high pitched sound..

Tell you what I miss: church bells.

There are churches here in Center City Philadelphia that have carillons or English-type "peals" of bells, but I can't hear them from my place. My own church is a historic Greek Revival building, built ca. 1840, that was supposed to have a steeple, but the vestry was too cheap/couldn't afford to build the steeple, so we don't have a bell.

But I miss the sound of church bells on a Sunday morning.

But even back home, I think my home church doesn't ring its bell anymore before the 8 a.m. service; years ago the neighbors complained. They still ring the "Pater noster" bell, however.

[Shakesthecoffecan]

Across the street from my office is a Baptist church what recently renovated their bell tower and now chime at noon. They chime 12 times and then play a song. I will never forget the first time they did it, they played:

Deutchland, Deutchland,
Uber allies,
Uber allies un die veld!

I like to have fell out. They have never played it again.

[loneleeb3]

In Georgia, as I recall, cops were referred to as "the fuzz."

The Fuzz, Johnny Law, Smokies etc....

I remember as a child the churches in my home town rang their bells.
I think it was at the hour and half hr.
We had a siren that went off at noon at the courthouse.
It was nice. When we were out playin we could always tell what time it was because of the bells.
The steam whistle at the garment factory went off at 6pm but you couldn't always hear that out where we were.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Across the street from my office is a Baptist church what recently renovated their bell tower and now chime at noon. They chime 12 times and then play a song. I will never forget the first time they did it, they played:

Deutchland, Deutchland,
Uber allies,
Uber allies un die veld!

I like to have fell out. They have never played it again.

As a lover of church music it is a source of never-ending grief to me that use by the Nazis ruined a beautiful tune.

The tune is "Austria," by Franz Josef Haydn. Before the Nazis ruined it, it was commonly used for a beautiful hymn by John Newton (who also wrote "Amazing Grace"):

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God.
He whose word cannot be broken
Formed thee for his own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
Thou mayest smile at all thy foes.

(Think maybe I like this hymn?  ) That's probably where your neighboring Baptists got it.

Oddly enough, the tune was also used for my high school's alma mater.       

[loneleeb3]

As a lover of church music it is a source of never-ending grief to me that use by the Nazis ruined a beautiful tune.

The tune is "Austria," by Franz Josef Haydn. Before the Nazis ruined it, it was commonly used for a beautiful hymn by John Newton (who also wrote "Amazing Grace"):

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God.
He whose word cannot be broken
Formed thee for his own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
Thou mayest smile at all thy foes.

(Think maybe I like this hymn?  ) That's probably where your neighboring Baptists got it.

Oddly enough, the tune was also used for my high school's alma mater.       

I sure like it!

[David In Indy]

How in the world did a discussion about church bells start up in here? 

Of all things!

The church my family went to had two bell towers, each with a full set of bells. About 10 minutes before Mass, they would all start ringing at the same time. They would ring them after Mass too. Now I think they just ring one bell in each tower. I don't go to Mass anymore so I don't know for sure, but that's what I've been told. It's an old church. I think it was built in 1870. Well, that's considered old in Indiana!   

[David In Indy]

so David, after all these pages and all these posts you start talking about church!About time don't you think? Wonder why you waited so long...hmmmm??....what could have made you just post away so carefreely about your little debaucheries...hmmm??!!

oh I don't know....WHO could it have been?? ......could it have been....

SATAN!!!???

Well, everyone else was talking about their churches, so I said something about MINE!! 


Now you be nice to me Jess, or I'm gonna tell that Church Lady you're a pickin' on me! 

And after I do, she'll come over there and thump your head with her bible. 

You be nice you hear me?? 

You called me Satan!   

Well, I NEVER!!!

    

 

[Jeff Wrangler]

No, it's my fault. Went from reminiscing about sounding fire sirens as a test of emergency warning systems, which I don't hear anymore, to reminiscing about church bells, which I also don't hear anymore and really miss.