A PUBLIC NUISANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 54, 5 March 1888, Page 2

A PUBLIC NUISANCE.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—"A Loyal Churchman " charges myself and " Veritas Vincit " with not being " Church of England," or else that we arc very ignorant. I may say at once that I am "not guilty of either of those awful crimes; let the other fellow answer for himself. "Loyal Churchman " correctly informs us as to the ringing of church bolls " from time immemorial;" " 'tis true 'tis, and pity 'tis 'tis true," but he carefully avoids digging about the gnarled root of the custom : let me have a " dig "at it and at him. If he will look up history, thatexcellentaid to the ignorant, he will discover that bells were used in churches by order of Pope John IX., about the year 900, as a defence (by ringing them) against thunder and lightning. During the following century the churches must have been "shockingly" knocked about, for, according to Dv Fresnoy, bells were anointed and baptised from the tenth century. I presume that, having been found fro in effectual against thunder and lighting in the preceding century, baptism and anoint ing of bells was ordered, which, of course) •the clergy of that period thought settled afc once and for ever the thunder and lightning business ; but, curiously enough, the smashing of sacred edifices continued with a shameful disregard of blessings and ointment up to the year 1752, when Franklin made the discovery that the electric fluid could bo extracted from a thunder cloud by means of a lightning conductor, and now every church with spire or tower, even St. Matthew's, has its lightning conductor and churchs-mashing has been almost entirely abandoned by the electric fiend. Will "A Loyal Churchman " in the face of all this lend his support to the perpetuation of a trumpery custom introduced nearly one thousand years ago? Is he content to remain the viotSm of a superstition of which Luther, Melancthon, and Calvin were not the originators ? If so, he is entitled to the deepest commiseration.

So, so, Master "Senex," alias "Altera Avis," my last shot sent your feathers flying, and you have donned some borrowed plumage. Let me catch you sneaking about the "grove" to which you consign me, and you will need the assistance of yet another bird to repair your shattered quills. Your sparrow-like chirp is nq answer to my arguments against the bell, and as you have sent me in exile to the bush, let me recommend you to build your nest in the belfry of St. Matthew's, if you have nob already a snugUttle domicile in the immediate neighbourhood. You can then enjoy your fill of the " whang, whang," and whet your beakon the whanger every day before you breakfast on the street, arid your hatching establishment will also be amply protected against the'surreptitious depositing of foreign ovarious productions.— T pm, etc. Cuckoo,