About the Liberty bell...

The bell presently stands in the entrance of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. It cannot be rung, and it would take a mighty cause to persuade its guardians even to tap it with a rubber hammer as was last done in World War II.

Strangely enough, the Liberty Bell has a "twin," cast by Whitechapel in London, of the same dimensions and within a few pounds of the same weight. This one was hung a year later in Christ Church at Second and Market Streets in Philadelphia, where it still hangs and still rings daily. It has never in all these long and turbulent decades shown the least sign of a crack.

I have wondered greatly about this and have at last come to believe that neither time, mishanging, nor misringing weakened the Liberty Bell, but rather the enormous import-ance of the message its voice cried out. It rang many strokes, loud and clear, but it rang only two words: "Liberty"-"FREEDOM!" And the ringing of them was to affect all mankind forevermore and to change the mighty course of history.