For Whom Does the Bell Toll?

Written By Rita (Bergkamp) Ferrier

I grew up in a friendly farm community near Cheney, Kansas.  Our parish was named St. Joseph’s of Ost.  A farmer by the name of Ost homesteaded in our area.  He was probably the farmer with the most convenient, centrally located farm on which to build the church.  My grandfather donated the land for the cemetery.  Most of the labor which went into the building of the big church and school was donated by local farmers. 

Our community was close knit;  everyone cared about everyone else.  When there was a death in the community, our pastor would inform the one person who had volunteered for the honor of tolling the church bell; one toll for each year of the deceased person’s life.  I vividly recall the day we counted 69 tolls, then silence.  A very kind neighbor, Grandpa Theis, had died.  Everyone knew his age, we all counted the tolls, we all knew he had died. 

During the busy time of harvest, there often were farm accidents; usually young men were the victims.  Torrential spring rains often caused the rivers to overflow.  Young boys could not resist the challenge of swimming across the rivers.  The bell tolling would strike fear in our hearts;  we would speculate about whether there was a drowning or a farm accident.  If the tolling stopped at 15 or 16, we all knew a young person had died.  Silently, we prayed and wondered which family was affected by a death.

Then came World War II.  Six young men from our parish died in that war.  Many eventually came home safely;  but every time a death did occur, the tolling bell caused great fear.  If our own were safe, we rejoiced;  while at the same time, our hearts ached for the families suffering the loss of a loved one.

Our aged pastor has been gone for many years.  No one took over the sad responsibility of tolling the bell.  Everyone now has telephones; news concerning the parish and community reaches residents almost as soon as events take place.  Modern technology has replaced the church bell as the means of communication, but it cannot replace the prayerful meditation of an entire community listening as the bell tolls.