Dedication of Bells at Higham Ferrers, Northants

On Tuesday afternoon, March 14th, [1893], the Bishop of Peterborough performed the service of the dedication of the bells at Higham Ferrers parish church, the large and handsome edifice being filled in every part.  The peal of bells has been increased to eight, two new bells having been added, two re-cast, and all rehung by Messrs. Taylor and Co., of Loughborough.  The movement to defray a total cost of £450 received ready support from the parishioners generally, and at the time of the dedication service a sum of £150 remained to be realised.  Two services were fixed for Tuesday – at half-past three in the afternoon, with a sermon by the Bishop, and evensong at half-past seven, with a sermon by the Rev. A. E. Oldroyd, Vicar of Raunds, the collections being devoted to the bell fund.  The clergy present in the afternoon were the Vicar of Higham Ferrers (the Rev. J. Dun), Rev. A, E, Oldroyd (Raunds), Rev. C. J. Gordon (Rushden), Rev. W. H. B. Bunting (late of Rushden), Rev. R. Doke (Great Addington), Rev. A. Boodle (Little Addington), Rev. Hugh Bryan (formerly Vicar of Raunds), Rev. W. O. Leadbitter (Ringstead), Rev. W. M. Croome (Islip), Rev. J. T. Watson (Woodford), Rev. H. Edwards (Melchbourne), and Rev. W. E. Colchester (curate, Higham Ferrers).  The Bishop was preceded by the churchwardens, Dr. Crew and Alderman E. E. B. Randall, J.P., and the Rev. W. J. Sargeaunt Bozeat, who carried the pastoral staff.  The service opened with the Psalms 121 and 122, and the Bishop of Peterborough then performed the service of dedication, a course of Grandsire Triples being most effectively rung as his Lordship proceeded to his seat in the chancel, and while the “Te Deum” was being sung.  The hymn before the sermon was “Angel voices, ever singing,” and his Lordship selected for his text Isaiah xxx. 21 – “And thine ears shall hear a voice behind thee, saying: This is the way, walk ye in it.”  In the course of an eloquent sermon, the Bishop said the work of the Church in the world was not antagonistic to the world, the message of God was not adverse to man’s ordinary occupations, but it was still a message of warning and guidance.  It was the business of the Church in every age so to speak for God as to find amongst the intricacies, perplexities, and occupations of their passing life the eternal highway of righteousness in which the feet of all men could walk.  What the Church at large was doing in the world so the actual material fabric of the place in which they were worshipping bore the same message and symbolised the same truth.  What the invisible Church of Christ was to do was represented to them in the stone building in which they had assembled.  Every parish church was a symbol in its own sphere and neighbourhood of the eternal meaning of the Church of Christ.  The bells of the church were the voice of that fabric, the means by which it was vocal, and spoke that message to the ear.  The bells that summoned them to church told them that there was a way of God in which they could walk in the world, through its cares, troubles, occupation, toils, and temptations onward to their rest.  That voice to them was persistent but not insistent, and no one could say they had not heard it.  Amidst the anxieties of life and the innumerable voices with which their ears were filled was there not room to listen to the bells that summoned them to church?  The world had voices enough, and they were not likely to forget it with its allurements, attractions, aspirations, designs and schemes; and that voice in its coarsest as well as in its finest forms, in its noblest activities as well as in its baser temptations, was sure not long to be absent from their ears.  The world was a speaker that addressed them with earnestness, passion, and sometimes with frenzy, but the voice of the Church came to them quietly and gently, and spoke in gentle, pleading terms, “This is the way, walk ye in it.”  It could give them no fair promises of immediate result, and no flattering message of happiness and comfort to be immediately secured, but that inward peace, joy, happiness, and blessedness that came from the sense that they were at one with God.  His Lordship concluded by exhorting the congregation to constantly hear in their bells the message of the Church, to walk in that splendid highway which the providence of God in every age had given them.  The hymn after the sermon was “Holy offerings, rich and rare,” and after the Blessing was pronounced by the Bishop, “Lord, dismiss us with Thy blessing.”

Between the afternoon and evening services, Mr. E. B. Randall, churchwarden, invited the members of the choir to partake of tea in the Town Hall, and the ringers were entertained to a substantial repast, provided at the Coffee Tavern.

During the afternoon and evening, the ringers from Higham Ferrers, Rushden, and Raunds, were engaged rendering merry touches of Grandsire Triples, Bob Triples, and Bob Major.  A powerful sermon was preached in the evening by the Rev. A. E. Oldroyd, vicar of Raunds.  The collections taken during the day realised over £14.

The parishioners of Higham Ferrers may now justly consider that they have a peal of bells which in dignity of tone and general musical qualities do credit to their ancient borough, and add another noteworthy feature to the beautiful old Northamptonshire church in which they are placed.  The ringers were loud in their praises of the excellent manner in which Messrs. Taylor and Co. had done their work.  Mr. Taylor, sen. was present and took part in the ringing.  In addition to the rehanging of the bells, the bell-chamber windows have been bricked up nearly to the top, so as to lessen the noise in the vicinity of the church, and the spire lights wired to keep out birds.  Various improvements too have been effected in the belfry below.  The old clock having become useless, it is intended to procure a new one as soon as possible, some funds having already been raised towards that object.  A good company of ringers and chimers has been formed, and suitable rules drawn up.  Mr. W. Parker has been chosen foreman, Mr. J. B. Martin, secretary, Mr. A. Martin, steeple-keeper, and Mr. W. Pettit, treasurer.

The Rev. J. Dun, vicar of Higham Ferrers, is treasurer to the Raunds, Wellingborough, and District Association, and the Rev. W. E. Colchester, curate, is a practical ringer, and takes great personal interest in all appertaining to the belfry.

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