Continuing my series of posts answering questions about English handbells in a Latter-day Saint setting, an important consideration is whether they are appropriate for use in sacrament meetings at all. In the twentieth century, after all, Latter-day Saints shied away from brass instruments and many percussion instruments during worship services. Are handbells, as a bronze percussion instrument, acceptable?

The short answer is, generally, yes.

The handbook these days is fairly hands-off in letting local leaders decide what is appropriate in sacrament meetings. It says,

Sacred music increases faith in Jesus Christ. It invites the Spirit and teaches doctrine. It also creates a feeling of reverence, unifies members, and provides a way to worship Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. …

Musical selections should be consistent with the worshipful spirit of the hymns. They should teach the gospel with power and clarity.

Sacred music that is written or sung in culturally diverse musical styles may help unify congregations. Music coordinators and priesthood leaders may include a variety of appropriate musical styles that appeal to members of various backgrounds. …

A sacrament meeting could also include additional congregational singing in the middle of the meeting—for example, between spoken messages. Or it may include one or more other musical selections. These could be presented by choirs (see 19.3.7), vocal or instrumental soloists, or small groups. Sacrament meetings should not be turned over to outside musical groups. …

Bishoprics may approve the use of other instruments to accompany congregational singing, for prelude and postlude music, and in other musical selections.

Musical instruments should convey a feeling of worship and be played in keeping with the spirit of the meeting.

No type of instrument is specifically forbidden in those words. It is entirely up to the bishopric’s interpretation of what instruments can “convey a feeling of worship and be played in keeping with the spirit of the meeting.” Since 1951, handbells have predominantly been used as an instrument of worship in traditional Protestant meetings, which gives a lot of precedent for them being used as an instrument of worship, particularly in the United States. And, in any case, while they are percussion instruments, so are pianos, which are explicitly identified as one of the two most standard instruments that should be used in sacrament meetings.

(As a historical aside, brass instruments have not always been forbidden either. In early Utah settlements, they were the most commonly available instruments, since most settlements had their own local brass band, so they were used frequently in worship services. Protestant visitors to the territory engaged in some serious pearl clutching, but the Latter-day Saints found no problem with it at that time.)

Returning to English handbells, I’ve performed handbells in sacrament meetings in over a dozen different wards in Utah during my twenty years of playing the instrument, and I am aware of many other wards that have allowed handbell music numbers. All of those bishops were fine with them being used in those meetings. The only pushback I have received from a bishop wasn’t over the type of instrument, but over performing too much music in a single sacrament meeting because of the rule that “Sacrament meetings should not be turned over to outside musical groups.”

So, while it is possible that some bishops could say that they weren’t an acceptable instrument to use in church, I’ve yet to encounter any.