digneris，utperejustactumetvisumfidelesinvitenturaslaudes，fragorgrandinum，procellaturbinum，impetustempestatum，ventorumrabies，infestatonitruatemperentur，fugiantatquetremiscantmalignispiritusanteSanctaeCrucisvexillum，quodinillisexculptumest……”Sacr。Cer。Rom。Eccl。，asabove。Ifanyarecuriousastotheextenttowhichthisconsecratedwaxwasaspecificforallspiritualandmosttemporalillsduringthesixteenthandseventeenthcenturies，letthemconsulttheJesuitLitteraeannuae，passim。
AnotherfavouritemeanswiththeclergyoftheolderChurchforbringingtonaughtthe“poweroftheair。”wasfoundingreatprocessionsbearingstatues，relics，andholyemblemsthroughthestreets。Yeteventhesewerenotalwaysimmediatelyeffective。
OneatLiege，inthethirteenthcentury，thriceprovedunsuccessfulinbringingrain，whenatlastitwasfoundthattheimageoftheVirginhadbeenforgotten！Anewprocessionwasatonceformed，theSalveReginasung，andtheraincamedowninsuchtorrentsastodrivethedevoteestoshelter。[233]
[233]JohnofWinterthurdescribesmanysuchprocessionsinSwitzerlandinthethirteenthcentury，andallthemonkishchroniclesspeakofthem。SeealsoRydberg，MagicoftheMiddleAges，p。74。
InCatholiclandsthiscustomremainstothisday，andveryimportantfeaturesintheseprocessionsarethestatuesandthereliquariesofpatronsaints。Someoftheseexcelinbringingsunshine，othersinbringingrain。TheCathedralofChartresissofortunateastopossesssundryrelicsofSt。Taurin，especiallypotentagainstdryweather，andsomeofSt。Piat，verynearlyasinfallibleagainstwetweather。Incertainregionsasinglesaintgivesprotectionalternatelyagainstwetanddryweather——as，forexample，St。GodeberteatNoyon。
AgainststormsSt。Barbaraisverygenerallyconsideredthemostpowerfulprotectress；but，intheFrenchdioceseofLimoges，NotreDamedeCrocqhasprovedamostpowerfulrival，forwhen，afewyearssince，alltheneighbouringparisheswereravagedbystorms，notahailstonefellinthecantonwhichsheprotected。
InthedioceseofTarbes，St。Exupereisespeciallyinvokedagainsthail，peasantsflockingfromallthesurroundingcountrytohisshrine。[234]
[234]Astoprotectionbyspecialsaintsasstated，seetheGuidedutouristeetdupelerinaChartes，1867citedby“PaulParfait。”inhisDossierdesPelerinages；alsopp。139-145oftheDossier。
Butthemeansofbafflingthepowersoftheairwhichcametobemostwidelyusedwastheringingofconsecratedchurchbells。
ThisusagehadbeguninthetimeofCharlemagne，andthereisextantaprohibitionofhisagainstthecustomofbaptizingbellsandofhangingcertaintags[235]ontheirtonguesasaprotectionagainsthailstorms；butevenCharlemagnewaspowerlessagainstthiscurrentofmedievalsuperstition。
Theologicalreasonsweresoonpouredintoit，andintheyear968
PopeJohnXIIIgaveitthehighestecclesiasticalsanctionbyhimselfbaptizingthegreatbellofhiscathedralchurch，theLateran，andchristeningitwithhisownname。[236]
[235]Perticae。SeeMontanus，Hist。NachrichtvandenGlockenChenmitz，1726，p。121；andMeyer，DerAberglaubedesMittelalters，p。186。
[236]ForstatementsregardingPopeJohnandbellsuperstitions，seeHiggins’sAnacalypsis，vol。ii，p。70。SeealsoPlatina，VitaePontif。，s。v。JohnXIII，andBaronius，AnnalesEcclesiastici，subanno968。TheconjectureofBaroniusthatthebellwasnamedafterSt。JohntheBaptist，isevenmorestartlingthantheacceptedtraditionofthePope’ssponsorship。
Thisideawasrapidlydeveloped，andwesoonfinditsupportedinponderoustreatises，spreadwidelyinsermons，andpopularizedinmultitudesofinscriptionscastuponthebellsthemselves。ThisbranchoftheologicalliteraturemaystillbestudiedinmultitudesofchurchtowersthroughoutEurope。AbellatBaselbearstheinscription，“Adfugandosdemones。”Another，inLugano，declares“Thesoundofthisbellvanquishestempests，repelsdemons，andsummonsmen。”Another，attheCathedralofErfurt，declaresthatitcan“wardofflightningandmalignantdemons。”ApealintheJesuitchurchattheuniversitytownofPont-a-Moussonborethewords，“TheypraiseGod，puttoflighttheclouds，affrightthedemons，andcallthepeople。”Thisisdated1634。AnotherbellinthatpartofFrancedeclares，“ItisIwhodissipatethethunders“Egosumquidissipotonitrua。[237]
[237]Fortheseillustrations，withothersequallystriking，seeMeyer，DerAberglaubedesMittelalters，pp。185，186。Forthelaterexamples，seeGermain，AnciennesclocheslorrainesNancy，1885，pp。23，27。
Another，inoneoftheforestcantonsofSwitzerland，bearsadoggerelcouplet，whichmaybethustranslated：
“OnthedevilmyspiteI’llvent，And，Godhelping，badweatherprevent。”[238]
[238]“AndemTufelwillcihmichrachen，Mitderhilfgotzallebosenwettererbrechen。”
SeeMeyer，asabove。
VerycommonwereinscriptionsembodyingthisdoctrineinsonorousLatin。
Naturally，then，theregrewuparitualfortheconsecrationofbells。Knollys，inhisquainttranslationoftheoldchroniclerSleidan，givesustheusageinthesimpleEnglishofthemiddleofthesixteenthcentury：
“Inlykesorte[aschurches]arethebellesused。Andfirst，forsouth，theymusthangeso，astheByshopmaygoeroundaboutthem。WhicheafterhehathsaydecertenPsalmes，heconsecratethwaterandsalte，andmingleththemtogether，wherwithhewasheththebellediligentlybothwithinandwithout，afterwypethitdrie，andwithholyoyledrawethinitthesigneofthecrosse，andprayethGod，thatwhantheyshallryngeorsoundethatbell，allthedisceiptesofthedevyllmayvanysheaway，hayle，thondryng，lightening，wyndes，andtempestes，andalluntemperateweathersmaybeaswaged。Whanhehathwipteoutthecrosseofoylewythalinencloth，hemakethsevenothercrossesinthesame，andwithinoneonly。AftersayingcertenPsalmes，hetakethapayreofsensoursandsenseththebelwithin，andprayethGodtosendeitgoodlucke。Inmanyplacestheymakeagreatdyner，andkepeafeastasitwereatasolemnewedding。”[239]
[239]Sleiden’sCommentaries，Englishtranslation，asabove，fol。
334lib。xxi，subanno1549。
Thesebellbaptismsbecamemattersofgreatimportance。Popes，kings，andprelateswereproudtostandassponsors。FourofthebellsattheCathedralofVersailleshavingbeendestroyedduringtheFrenchRevolution，fournewoneswerebaptized，onthe6thofJanuary，1824，theVoltaireanKing，LouisXVIII，andthepiousDuchessd’Angoulemestandingassponsors。
Insomeoftheseceremonieszealappearstohaveoutrunknowledge，andoneofLuther’sstories，attheexpenseoftheolderChurch，wasthatcertainauthoritiesthuschristenedabell“Hosanna。”supposingthattobethenameofawoman。
Toaddtotheefficacyofsuchbaptisms，waterwassometimesbroughtfromtheriverJordan。[240]
[240]SeeMontanus，asabove，whocitesBeck，LutherthumvorLuthero，p。294，forthestatementthatmanybellswerecarriedtotheJordanbypilgrimsforthispurpose。
Theprayersusedatbellbaptismsfullyrecognisethisdoctrine。
TheritualofParisembracesthepetitionthat，“whensoeverthisbellshallsound，itshalldriveawaythemaligninfluencesoftheassailingspirits，thehorroroftheirapparitions，therushofwhirlwinds，thestrokeoflightning，theharmofthunder，thedisastersofstorms，andallthespiritsofthetempest。”
Anotherprayerbegsthat“thesoundofthisbellmayputtoflightthefierydartsoftheenemyofmen“；andothersvarytheformbutnotthesubstanceofthispetition。ThegreatJesuittheologian，Bellarmin，didindeedtrytodenytherealityofthisbaptism；butthiscanonlyberegardedasapieceofcasuistrysuitedtoProtestanthardnessofheart，orasstrategyinthewarfareagainstheretics。[241]
[241]Forprayersatbellbaptisms，seeArago，Oeuvres，Paris，1854，vol。iv，p。322。
Formsofbaptismwerelaiddowninvariousmanualssanctioneddirectlybypapalauthority，andsacramentalefficacywaseverywheretakenforgranted。[242]ThedevelopmentofthisideaintheolderChurchwastoostrongtoberesisted；[243]but，asarule，theProtestanttheologiansoftheReformation，whileadmittingthatstormswerecausedbySatanandhislegions，opposedthebaptismofbells，anddeniedthetheoryoftheirinfluenceindispersingstorms。Luther，whileneverdoubtingthattroublesomemeteorologicalphenomenawerecausedbydevils，regardedwithcontempttheideathatthedemonsweresochildishastobescaredbytheclangofbells；histheorymadethemaltogethertoopowerfultobeaffectedbymeanssotrivial。ThegreatEnglishReformers，whilealsoacceptingverygenerallythetheoryofdiabolicinterferenceinstorms，reprovedstronglythebaptizingofbells，astheperversionofasacramentandinvolvingblasphemy。BishopHooperdeclaredrelianceuponbellstodriveawaytempests，futile。BishopPilkington，whilearguingthattempestsaredirectinstrumentsofGod’swrath，isverysevereagainstusing“unlawfulmeans。”andamongthesehenames“thehallowedbell“；andtheseopinionswereverygenerallysharedbytheleadingEnglishclergy。[244]
[242]Ashasoftenbeenpointedout，theceremonywasinallitsdetails——eventothesponsors，thewrappingagarmentaboutthebaptised，thebaptismalfee，thefeast——preciselythesameaswhenachildwasbaptised。Magius，whoisnosceptic，relatesfromhisownexperienceaninstantofthissort，whereacertainbishopstoodsponsorfortwobells，givingthembothhisownname——William。SeehisDeTintinnabulis，vol。xiv。
[243]Andnowonder，whentheoracleoftheChurch，ThomasAquinas，expresslypronouncedchurchbells，“providedtheyhavebeendulyconsecratedandbaptised。”theforemostmeansof“frustratingtheatmosphericmischiefsofthedevil。”andlikenedsteeplesinwhichbellsareringingtoahenbroodingherchickens，“forthetonesoftheconsecratedmetalrepelthedemonsandavertstormandlightning“；whenpre-ReformationpreachersofsuchuniversalcurrencyasJohannesHeroltdeclared。”Bells，asallagree，arebaptisedwiththeresultthattheyaresecurefromthepowerofSatan，terrifythedemons，compelthepowers“；whenGeilerofKaiserbergespeciallycommendedbell-
ringingasameansofbeatingoffthedevilinstorms；andwhenacanonistlikeDurandusexplainedthepurposeoftheritetobe，that“thedemonshearingthetrumpetsoftheEternalKing，towit，thebells，mayfleeinterror，andmayceasefromthestirringupoftempests。”SeeHerolt，SermonesDiscipuli，vol。
xvii，andDurandus，Deritibusecclesiae，vol。ii，p。12。IowethefirstofthesecitationstoRydberg，andtheotherstoMontanus。ForGeiler，seeDacheux，GeilerdeKaiserberg，pp。280，281。
[244]Thebaptismofbellswasindeed，oneoftheexpresscomplaintsoftheGermanProtestantprincesattheReformation。
SeetheirGravam。Cent。German。Grav。，p。51。ForHooper，seehisEarlyWritings，p。197inParkerSocietyPublications。ForPilkington，seehisWorks，p。177insame。AmongotherssharingtheseopinionswereTyndale，BishopRidley，ArchbishopSandys，Becon，Calfhill，andRogers。Itistobenotedthatallofthesespeakoftheriteas“baptism。”
TowardtheendofthesixteenthcenturytheElectorofSaxonystrictlyforbadetheringingofbellsagainststorms，urgingpenanceandprayerinstead；butthecustomwasnotsoeasilydrivenoutoftheProtestantChurch，andinsomequarterswasdevelopedaProtestanttheoryofarationalisticsort，ascribingthegoodeffectsofbell-ringinginstormstothecallingtogetherofthedevoutforprayerortothesuggestionofprayersduringstormsatnight。AslateastheendoftheseventeenthcenturywefindthebellsofProtestantchurchesinnorthernGermanyrungforthedispellingoftempests。InCatholicAustriathisbell-ringingseemstohavebecomeanuisanceinthelastcentury，fortheEmperorJosephIIfounditnecessarytoissueanedictagainstit；butthisdoctrinehadgainedtoolargeheadwaytobearrestedbyargumentoredict，andthebellsmaybeheardringingduringstormstothisdayinvariousremotedistrictsinEurope。[245]Forthiswasnomeresuperficialview。ItwasreallypartofadeeptheologicalcurrentsteadilydevelopedthroughtheMiddleAges，thefundamentalideaofthewholebeingthedirectinfluenceofthebellsuponthe“PoweroftheAir“；
anditisperhapsworthourwhiletogobackalittleandglanceoverthecomingofthiscurrentintothemodernworld。HavinggrownsteadilythroughtheMiddleAges，itappearedinfullstrengthattheReformationperiod；andinthesixteenthcenturyOlausMagnus，ArchbishopofUpsalaandPrimateofSweden，inhisgreatworkonthenorthernnations，declaresitawell-establishedfactthatcitiesandharvestsmaybesavedfromlightningbytheringingofbellsandtheburningofconsecratedincense，accompaniedbyprayers；andhecautionshisreadersthattheworkingsofthethunderboltarerathertobemarvelledatthaninquiredinto。Evenaslateas1673theFranciscanprofessorLealus，inItaly，inaschoolbookwhichwasreceivedwithgreatapplauseinhisregion，taughtunhesitatinglytheagencyofdemonsinstorms，andthepowerofbellsoverthem，aswellastheportentousnessofcometsandthemovementoftheheavensbyangels。Hedwellsespecially，too，upontheperfectprotectionaffordedbythewaxenAgnusDei。Howstrongthiscurrentwas，andhowdifficultevenforphilosophicalmindstooppose，isshownbythefactthatbothDescartesandFrancisBaconspeakofitwithrespect，admittingthefact，andsuggestingverymildlythatthebellsmayaccomplishthispurposebytheconcussionoftheair。[246]