Old South's new day

Yesterday evening NPR interviewed Jeff Makholm, the historian at Old South Church in Boston - in effect, one of the high priests to the sacred cows of the Congregational church, one of the four antecedent churches of the United Church of Christ.  Old South is making ready to sell of one of their two copies of the Bay Psalm Book, one of the earliest publications in the New World.  Out of the 1600 that were printed, only 11 are left.  Mr. Makholm in essence sounded like any other member of what is called 'the old guard' but also like a parent not wanting to let go of a 372 yr. old child.  Though it may not sound like it, I also sympathize with him:  when do you hold onto what you value, when do you let go of the past?

When a church sells something this valuable (it will be auctioned at an estimated $10 - 20 million), it can certainly give the appearance of mercenary values.  The Church has always had a love/hate relationship with money, having never been able to do ministry without it in some form.  Yet it does seem that this historical songbook could do more good leaving home than it would sitting in the special collections at the Boston Public Library.  I agree with Mr. Makholm's lament that if it's ministry that needs paying for, then it should be up to the members of the church to increase their giving rather than selling something as precious as a local treasure.  However, Old South is registered as a historical landmark, requiring capital improvements on a large scale.  Gives a whole new level to what is meant by 'stewardship'.  And yet Jesus didn't have a stone on which to lay his head.

Old South Church is a member of the United Church of Christ, whose motto proclaims that "God is still speaking", harkening back to the roots of the Congregational church, to one of its first ministers, John Robinson (no relation, sadly), who said before the Pilgrims set sail, that "[there] is more light and truth yet to break forth from God's holy Word."  Ironically, Mr. Makholm said that he was rendered speechless when he held one of these two books in his hands, the exact opposite intention of these books, which was to elicit praise. God's Word has always intended to be on the move, never staying in one place for very long, like the Ark of the Covenant and the apostles of old. Perhaps now God will be speaking through the new possibilities that will arise from the sale of this treasured artifact.