Bergrivier, Goedverwacht Moravian Church

Abstract

Photographs and information on the bell of the Goedverwacht Moravian Church near Piketberg. Not too far from Piketberg, the Moravian Church houses a bell in a village called Goedverwacht. The bell sits in a stone bell-tower and is an example of good craftsmanship. At the top of the bell is a beautiful band with grapes and wine leaves, very appropriate for the region where the church has been erected. On the front side of the bell there is an oval shaped figure in which we discover information on the founder. The information stands on 5 lines, one above the other. The top and bottom lines are curved to fit into the oval shape. The text is mutilated but seemingly goes as follows FRANZ SCHILLING i.Firm. CARL FRIEDR.ULRICH gossinich in APOLDA i.Thur.-ALLENSTEIN i A|ipr95. Below this we found the casting date 1896. On the reverse side of the bell there is a short phrase in Dutch EERE ZIJ GOD IN DE HOOGSTE HEMELEN. During the period 1722 up to 1988 there was a bell foundry in the city Apolda in Thuringen, Germany. Bells from the firm have been spread over all continents and one estimates the total production at some 20.000 pieces. There still is a bell museum in Apolda that tells about the history of the foundry. The first founder was Johann Christoff Rose who was succeeded in 1750 by Johann Martin Rose. Then the family Ulrich (mentioned on the bell) took over. The founder of the bell in Goedverwacht was Franz Friedrich August Schilling (1830-1926).