The Bells of Historic Trinity

Exterior Bell Tower

As one approaches the front of the church on Gratiot, it is a delight for all lovers of Trinity to see the beautiful tower of the church as it gracefully soars up to a height of 104 feet like the standard of a conquering army. The tower represents the tower of medieval castles which were the fortresses for the defense of the complex. One corner of the top of the bell tower is taller than the others; this was a signature of the architect signifying this was one his buildings. (Others in the area are: Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church on East Jefferson in Detroit, Grosse Pointe Memorial Episcopal Church on Lakeshore Drive in Grosse Pointe, and Christ Episcopal Church on the grounds of Cranbrook in Birmingham, Michigan.) Gracefully, the many colored granite stones are piled up to meet the unusual carvings in limestone at the crest of the tower. One also takes immediate notice of the unusual position of the tower as it is located in the fifth bay of the nave. This unusual position was made necessary due to the fact that the building site is triangular in shape and the church had to be shifted on its axis in order to get the longest possible measurement in the nave.

As the eye travels upward from the street, thirty feet above the street level are the figures of the defenders of the faith. These men were fighting heroes of the faith and belong on the tower which suggests the Church Militant, conquering all her foes.

Gideon

Gideon was one of the fighting judges of the children of Israel whose three hundred men conquered a mighty host of the enemy (Judges 7:8), declaring "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon".

St. Boniface

St. Boniface was a pioneer missionary to the Germans, who chopped down the old oak tree of Thor which they had worshiped as a god. He proclaimed to them the real God and led the Germans to Christianity. He holds in his hand the axe.

Bishop Athanasius

Bishop Athanasius was a fighter for the pure doctrine expressed in the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds. He was a founding father of the church fathers, who fought for a clear and correct doctrine regarding the Trinity as one God and yet three persons.

King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden

King Adolphus was the one who rescued the cause of Lutheranism from Roman Catholic oppression one hundred years after the Reformation, and participated in the tumultuous 30 year war, 1618-1648. King Adolphus is standing upon his kingly crown and dressed for battle.

INTERIOR BELL TOWER

The interior of the Bell Tower is reached through a trap door in the organ pipe chamber, which is reached through a door in the Dau Library on the third floor of Otte Hall. There are seven landings in the tower, each reached by a straight perpendicular ladder attached to the walls. The bell tower contains the bells and an instrument for playing the bells by hand. The top level of the tower exits outside to the top of the tower.

Bell "Piano Roll" Player

Located in the organist's room is a Apiano roll player type of mechanism that was used to play the bells in the bell tower. The bells could be rung by the Apiano roll player by hand levels up in the tower, or by a keyboard adjoining the organ in the balcony. The bell ringing system was made by Taylor Bells of England and is the last such mechanism that was still operative in all of America. The sheets of the roll players had become frayed and were no longer produced, and an "automatic" clock attached to the system became inoperative. The system now has been replaced by a computerized disc system, and a hand held control (similar to a TV remote control) that plays the bells of the bell tower.

The Bells of Historic Trinity

There are fifteen cast bells on the seventh level of the Bell Tower. Eleven of the bells were made by John Taylor Bell, founders of Leicestershire, England. The eleven bells are a tribute to the Gauss family. On the largest bell, which weighs 1,727 pounds, are the following words: "To the Glory of God." This chime of eleven bells was given to Trinity Lutheran Church by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gauss of Detroit in 1930. In September of 2007, four additional bells that were made in Holland were added by the Calvin Bruning Family. All of the bells have been refurbished and provided with electronic clappers that are operated by an electronic computerized carillon system that was installed by Chime Master Systems of Lancaster, Ohio. They include musically one and one half Octave.

The inscription on each bell, along with the weight of each bell is:

1. To the Glory of God 2. Marion E. Gauss 3. Calvin J. Gauss 4. Charlotte M. Gauss 5. Charles W. Gauss 6. Calvin J. Gauss, Jr. 7. Hazel Virginia Gauss 8. Charles H. Lewis 9. Hazel A. Lewis 10. Robert C. Lewis 11. Gordon E. Lewis 12. Bruning Family 1994 13. Calvin Bruning 14. (Unnamed) 15. Audrey Bruning

1727 pounds 1120 pounds 851 pounds 691 pounds 530 pounds 391 pounds 324 pounds 288 pounds 266 pounds 205 pounds 153 pounds 704 pounds 126 pounds 110 pounds 98 pounds

The bells in the bell tower can be played:

1. From a key console by the organ
   
   
2. Formerly by hand levers in the third level of the bell tower
   
   
3. By a computerized disc system that plays the bells on the hour from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. playing the Westminster tune and tolls the hour - plus at 9:00 a.m. , Noon, 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. The bells play three hymns of the liturgical season (Advent, Christmas, Lent, etc.)
   
   
4. By a and a hand-held control (similar to a TV remote control) that plays the bells in four choices; Swinging Bells, Pealing Bells, Tolling Bells, or Random Hymns
   
   
5. Formerly by an automated "piano roller" in the choir room

Virtual Tour Index

2007 - New Bells Complete our Carillon