 Posted Monday, August 10, 2009 7:46 AM
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Is there any truth to the old story that a phone was installed in MBE's tomb? Or perhaps was that tale an "urban legend" before the term originated? I've always found the story laughable, and I've wondered whether TMC is still paying the phone bill or whether Domino's or Pizza Hut has any off-beat cemetery deliveries. Apologies! I couldn't resist the latter. I know that it's disrespectful to our beloved Leader's memory.
I'm happy to be an active Lutheran, but I've never forgotten my solid C.S. upbringing. While we're at it, perhaps someone with a higher spiritual level than I have could explain "O'er Waiting Harpstrings" to me. I sang that hymn in Sunday School and church dozens of times, and I never did figure it out.
I enjoy the forum. Thanks to those who supervise it!
Best regards,
Lutheran Dude
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Posted Monday, August 10, 2009 7:52 AM
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Lutheran Dude,
Is there any truth to the old story that a phone was installed in MBE's tomb?
Yes, there is some truth to the old story that a phone was installed in Mary Baker Eddy's tomb. Some, but not much. Apparently, the contractor who built the tomb felt the need to use one of them new fangled things to communicate with his office and had one installed at the job site for the duration of the project. Guess his Nextel didn't have coverage.
Do Go Be Man
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Posted Monday, August 10, 2009 11:10 AM
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Wow..... 35 years since I left CS, and the mere mention of "O'er Waiting Harpstrings" brought the words clearly back to mind. Wish I could remember where I left my keys so well!
Lutheran Dude, I think of that hymn as being one of the best examples there is of Mrs. Eddy's pseudo-intellectual style of writing that uses large and sometimes obscure words and odd phrasing. The harpstrings hymn is basically a huge run-on sentence that jumps from metaphor to metaphor as she tries to develop a thread that leads from spiritual awakening through fullness of understanding, and finally practice of that understanding. It makes a lot more sense if you write it out as sentences instead of verses. The way the music breaks up the words makes it seem like line after line of disconnected dramatic thoughts, doesn't it?
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Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009 9:33 AM
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With her absolutistic certainty on CS healing, Eddy did set herself up for extreme criticism. The telephone story is just a silly demonstration of this.
It's astonishing how durable that telephone story is! Just a few weeks ago, I happened to be speaking to a Verizon crew worker here in Boston, and he was adamant that Verizon does yearly tests on the alleged phone line to make sure it's still operational!
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Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009 9:58 AM
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following Him,
I don't think any of us believe in the tomb phone story as a way for Mary Baker Eddy to phone home. I think the Verizon employee is victim of an extended urban legend. Would it not, however, be interesting to find out his story is true for whatever reason. Can't you see TMC Security going nuts if one of us showed up with one of those scanner wands used to locate buried utility lines?
Do Go Be Man
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Posted Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:14 AM
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| Maybe if we went to Mt. Auburn Cemetery with a scanner, and checked out Eddy's tomb. That should put the old story to, er,....rest!
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Posted Thursday, August 13, 2009 9:49 AM
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Maybe, unless her cell phone was switched off. Of course, there are those who might claim that Mary Baker Eddy's cell phone was not Real. Do you suppose that The Mother Church has been paying the phone bill all these years?
Do Go Be Man
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Posted Saturday, August 15, 2009 5:44 AM
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I've heard the phone story in tomb/grave for MBE as well. Given the mind-set and likely grief at the time, I have zero problems believing it. Probably one of our studied historians on site has checked it out more thoroughly; I do remember reading it a couple of places, but 'twas many years ago.
Interesting. will work on O'er Waiting harpstrings. My first impression (first verse in head) is not confusing. Which part is incomprehensible?
And agreed: I am deeply grateful (hello Wed. nite) and innerly twisted by CS upbringing. Given a whole bunch of other options out there, though, I might even choose it, again.
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