SFB's first pastor, C. L. Fisher, purchased the church bell in the first five years of the church's inception.  It was cast in 1866 in Troy, New York by Meneely's, according to Evelyn Bartlett, former church secretary from the 1950s.  Bartlett said that the metal used to make the bell is supposed to improve the quality of its tone: three parts copper and one part tin.

The bell once hung in the belfry tower which was located at the southeast corner of the original 1865 sanctuary.  When rung on Sunday mornings, it called many on the dirt roads of Salem to worship. In 1895 an impressive new tower was built for the bell alongside a new sanctuary and education classrooms.  Some of our most enduring members of Salem First Baptist can recall the bell ringing for services as a young child in the 1930s.

According to Bartlett, the bell used to toll the death of each church member; one ring for every year of the member's life.

Deepest gratitude goes to Bill Jendraszek.  In anticipation and celebration of our sesquicentennial he designed and crafted the replicate housing to display the bell.  Thank you Bill!

The bell will be on display Friday, Nov. 20th in the sanctuary.  On Saturday through Sunday Nov. 22nd it may be found in the Community Life Center (CLC) Commons.