The CRS

I haven’t done an in depth post on what I actually do to fill up my time here in Abilene during the day so I felt that this would be an appropriate topic. As I’m sure all of you know I work in the ACU Library in the Center for Restoration Studies. Although I guess the description of what I do, preparing collections of personal materials for research and display, might sound somewhat impressive the actuality of it is quite a bit more humble. Quite simply I categorize things, when no inherent order is found, and box them.

Right now I am working on the Horace Coffman Collection. For those of you that don’t know Horace Coffman was the longest serving minister in a single Church of Christ. His ministry at the Broadway Church of Christ lasted 53 years and the number of lives he touched is simply uncountable. While there he officiated over 1600 weddings and over 2000 funerals. His records, personal files and personal papers that were donated to the ACU Library are, in a word, extensive. The collection, when I began working on it, was about 60-70% complete and yet the shear amount of material that still has to be gone through is enormous.

Looking through this material has been a window into the past for me and in many ways it has shown me where the church as well as American culture has come from. Reading an article to a graduating class, out of a newspaper not by Horace Coffman, from the 1960’s reads like something out of an Ayn Rand novel. In my perception that church has come a long way, at least in some of the literature put out, over the past several decades. Not only do I believe the church is more grace filled and tolerant but I think that it is also more accessible to the layman and the outsider as well.

Despite these positive changes, at least in my mind, there have also been moments of sadness for me. As I’ve read through this literature I believe the church has also lost some great aspects of itself. Probably the biggest one is simply the strength of our A Cappella music. Although in many ways I believe that the church has moved forward in some regards on this topic, not viewing it as a salvation issue, I am sad to say that a negative aspect of this has been a lack of interest in A Cappella music in general outside of worship. Horace Coffman directed many of the Broadway Church choirs in weekly performances at retirement homes and at countless numbers of weddings and funerals. Singing classes, choir practices and other ways in which musical gifts could be utilized were under his direction and I think that that is slowly dieing in the Church of Christ.

Although there are moments of both thanksgiving and sadness as I read this material I must say that the experience is very enjoyable. Despite the fact that in many aspects it is tedious, time consuming and sometimes progress doesn’t seem to be made I have really enjoyed my time so far in the CRS. Although my current work does not take me into the stacks of rare books ACU has centuries old Bibles, the first Spanish protestant Bible, collectible literature and much more. The stacks in the back of the CRS are what I always thought a library SHOULD look like. I am reminded more of the library we see Gandalf searching for information in the first LoTR movie than the ultra modern, sleek and fancy Starbucks and Learning Commons that is only one hundred feet away in another room. The stacks seem to ‘leak’ knowledge and if you are willing to work hard, research and spend time with the material I believe you will be richly rewarded. I look forward to spending many more hours back there learning while I work.

Next Week - The 10 most ridiculous lines I've heard in Country songs