Yesterday my husband and I watched an old movie (1941) called One Foot in Heaven.  It is the story of the life of a minister and his family as they move from one parish to another.

I just knew before watching I would love this old film.  What struck me was at the end (not shown in this clip) was a scene where a, now older and wiser pastor, (Frederic March) is perched high up in the bell tower.  He is playing what, unknown to him as he is playing, becomes a “call to worship”.  He is playing an old and now rarely sung hymn entitled  The Church”s One Foundation.  As I watched and listened to that scene, it occurred to me how drastically our culture has changed.  It was striking how the bells cried out as if God himself was shouting to his children from Heaven.  The scene goes on to show people from all over the small town being drawn to the church as the bells rang out their reminder of what is really important in life.

Every once in a while I will hear church bells, but nothing like I remember as a child.  The last time I remember any kind of a “call of the bells” was at the home going of our own Rockland County’s resident, Mary Nagle back in April of 2006.  That day dawned bright, clear and unseasonably warm with not a cloud in the sky.  Somewhere around mid-morning I heard church bells ringing everywhere, and I intuitively knew they were for Mary.  However since that day, I rarely hear the bells anymore.

What a loss for us.  When did the church bells go silent, and why did we let it happen?  Am I showing my age?  I don’t think so, nor do I care.  I have a feeling I have lots of company out there.  There is something majestic, comforting and even royal about finely tuned and beautifully played bells reminding mankind that God is watching over us and his reminder to us to continually draw near to him.  I miss the bells.