Members of Old South Church vote to sell rare 1640 book

[struggle4progress]

Bay Psalm Book could fetch $10M to $20M at auction
UPDATED 6:21 PM EST Dec 02, 2012

BOSTON —

Members of the Old South Church in Boston overwhelmingly voted Sunday to sell a rare copy of the first book ever published in British North America.

The Bay Psalm Book was published in 1640 in Cambridge and is one of two copies the church has in its possession. There are nine other copies in existence ...

Members also voted 252-69 to sell a collection of Colonial-era silver which has ties to Paul Revere.

"We will continue to cherish this heritage of the church. These items however are not the soul of what our church is about,” said Phil Stern, Broad of Trustees chair. “We know they were given for a purpose and we are hoping to convert those assets now for a purpose" ...

http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/metro/Members-of-Old-South-Church-vote-to-sell-rare-1640-book/-/11971628/17625948/-/314gva/-/index.html

[grasswire]

1. ouch

I know of a church in New England that is filled with rare things that were donated by now long-dead members. I mean really really rare and valuable things. The church itself is crumbling. Steeple needs replacing, etc. The rare books need conserving. Too bad a congregation like that can't get done what Old South is doing.

[cbayer]

4. Are they prohibited from selling any of it?

[grasswire]

18. only in their own minds, I spose

When I was told about the rare and irreplaceable things decaying, I was sad. Some of those old congregations in New England had members who became our treasured authors and scholars. Original papers that are in the hands of churches can be doomed.

[cbayer]

19. Particularly if they don't have the resources to properly care for them.

Too bad they can't partner with a museum or university. Maybe someone just needs to make it their project.

[Angry Dragon]

2. I wonder if the catholic church is listening??

just think of all the poor they could help as Jesus directed them

[cbayer]

3. Are you really unaware of how much charity work is done by the catholic church?

[Angry Dragon]

5. Are you unaware how much more they could do if they sold their hoard of art??

[cbayer]

6. I'm going to nick name you backpedal, my friend.

[Angry Dragon]

7. I never backpedaled

as long as we are calling each other names I will name you rug


I just stated how much the catholic church could do if they sold their treasures
It is hard for the poor to eat paintings and gold crowns


If I am wrong then prove me wrong

[cbayer]

8. You will call me rug?

What in the world does that mean?



I only objected to your response to the OP, which had absolutely nothing to do with the catholic church. The catholic church is solvent and does a lot of charity work. I guess they could do more if they sold off some of their treasures, but I don't see how that is relevant to this article at all.

[Angry Dragon]

9. The article was about a church selling a possession to do good

The catholic church has more than all other churches combined
That is the connection

[cbayer]

10. And they do more charitable work than any other organization,

including secular organizations.

So, I guess I just don't get your point.

[Angry Dragon]

11. How much more could they do??

That is my point

[cbayer]

12. How much more could we all do?

How much more could secular organizations do? Why single out the largest charitable organization in the world, unless you will just take any opportunity to slam an institution you don't like?

[rug]

14. It means he feels rough bricks on his back with no ready escape.

[rug]

13. That's unkind.

I never called you laconicsax.

[Angry Dragon]

16. Sorry

but you did call me something else one time
and no I do not have that in front of me

[rug]

15. I can only imagine the cost of preserving these artificats.

These items in particular have at least as much meaning to American history than it does to religious history.

I hope a museum or other facility that can preserve them properly gets them.

[pinto]

17. Agree. I hope whoever has the money to buy the book donates it to a museum.

It's an integral piece of American history, I'd like to see it available to the public in some form.

(aside) And why isn't the person in the video wearing gloves as he thumbs through the book? Pretty standard practice for old printed pieces, iirc.