We went to Sturbridge Village a few weeks ago. If you are a New Englander, you might have already gone several times - this was our first visit. Sturbridge Village is set in the 1830's. There was a printing office, a bank, a Blacksmith shop, a gristmill, sawmill, a one room school house, a shoe shop, general store, and of course a meetinghouse (we call it a church - though I like their name better). The setting of Sturbridge Village is just twenty years short of 200 years ago. Imagine if you had relatives who had their names on the town register. Imagine how that would affect your appreciation for the town.

The meetinghouse was particularly interesting. In the 1830's (at least in Sturbridge Village), members purchased a pew for their family. That's right - they bought the place their family would sit. Each section was partitioned off by a little door on the end of the row. Our kids liked it because you could close and lock it. Depending on how well off you were, you might purchase a pew closer to the front. You might also decorate your pew - padding on the seat, a foot stool, arm rest, a spit bucket, and even wall paper! The church assembled two hours in the morning, then two hours in the afternoon, and there were no Sunday school classes for the kids. Imagine how that would affect your perception of that building if you had relatives whose names were on the membership role or who owned pews.

It is fascinating to think about the ways people did things in the past. What would it be like if we could walk into some of the "meeting houses" of 1 S` century Christians? If we did, we might find ourselves walking through the actual houses of various saints. Romans 16, speaks of Aquila and Pricilla and the church that met in their house (16:5). Imagine walking through Aquila and Priscilla's house, seeing the place where our brothers and sisters in Christ worshipped, where they sang, prayed, and partook of the Lord's Supper. The names of individuals in Romans 16 don't mean as much to us personally as they would have to Paul. But what is significant is what is said about them. Paul said Andronicus and Julius were fellow prisoners, outstanding among the disciples, and they were Christians before he was (vs. 7). Paul said, Rufus was a choice man in the Lord, whose mother was like a mother to him (vs. 13). He notes Mary, who worked hard for them (vs. 6), and Phoebe, who delivered his letter to them. She is also worthy of remembering because she had been a helper of many. There are many others, over twenty- five names.

Perhaps one day 200 years from now, people will walk through the Tyngsboro meetinghouse. If they stop to remember those who worshipped here, what memories will be attached to the pew where you sat? Would you be noted as workers who risked their own necks for the Lord like Aquila and Priscilla (Rom. 16:3)? Or perhaps a choice man in the Lord like Rufus (16:13)? Would you be noted as fellow workers, beloved by the Lord, approved in Christ like Ampliatus, Urbanus, and Apelles (16:8,9,10). There were those in the Roman church of whom Paul said "keep your eye on because they cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching, turn away from them, they are slaves of their own appetites (16:17-18). Will someone remember a pew in Tyngsboro where one sat that caused trouble? What memories will be attached to the places where we now sit? One day the Lord will declare whether we were purchased by Him and counted as one of His, or whether we merely purchased a pew in which to hang some wallpaper, and put our footstool. Which will it be for you?

Mike