"This is the bell clapper.Witness the faithful sentinel,waiting for someone to pull the rope,and release it from its silent obedience, a surly basso profundo rudely awakened,happily roused to a confident tenor, sending its peals of laughter, joy or warning
rippling through the village.Oh Blackberry and I-Phone ring tone alerts, Harken.....Your Grandfather would speak."
While I was up in the bell tower, I was thinking that the Baptist building has many things in common with social practices of today. While we rely today on our cell phone alert tones to notify us of important ( and sometimes not) events, the town bell was the means to notify villagers of events in days gone by. The bell is like the grandfather of those ring tones and alerts.
Likewise, we now rely on Facebook and social media, such as your website, to stay in touch with our neighbors and keep abreast of events in each others lives. The dining tables in the Baptist Church used to serve that same purpose when people would get together to break bread, share a meal and catch up with each other. That is what takes place at events like the Hunters breakfast. Anyway, just ruminating.... John
To view a slideshow of all 11 photos John took, click on the link below:
http://www.vtgrandpa.com/photos/slideshow.php?set_albumName=schraven_baptist
