The bay psalm book is a key artifact in understanding the beliefs and practices of pilgrims, and the importance of music therein. Old south church in boston, ma an open and affirming. The whole booke of psalmes, or the bay psalm book, as it is now known, is expected to sell for. Members of old south church, which owns two of the 11 surviving first editions of the bay psalm book, will vote sunday on a controversial proposal to sell one of the 17th century books to pay for. Dec 03, 2012 the bay psalm book is a key artifact in understanding the beliefs and practices of pilgrims, and the importance of music therein.
Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book reformed theology at. A congregation of the united church of christ, our doors are open to everyone. In september, the book made an appearance at the newberry in chicago. Rare bay psalm book goes on view at sothebys the new. He convinced the members of the congregation of the need to produce a revised, more scholarly, edition of the bay psalm book. Last week, bostons old south church voted 274 to sell one of its two remaining copies of the 1640 bay psalm book one of the most historic volumes in american religious history. It was both the first book printed in the colonies and it was also the first book entirely written in the colonies. In this time of great challenge, old south church knows the power of being a christian community conscious of the most vulnerable among us. Richard mather and a group of his fellow new england clergy transcribed biblical psalms into metered verse. Book published in 1640 sets a record at auction the new. Ones for the books the bay psalm book, the first book to be printed in america, has sold at a. The bay psalm book, printed in 1640 by stephen daye, was the first book printed in the what became the united states.
The volume was the bay psalm booka literary monument of the cultural and religious aspirations of the early settlers of the country. Psalm 23 bay psalm book scriptures good books free. Join david redden director, special projects, and selby kiffer senior specialist, special. With the reports today wbur, boston globe that the leadership of bostons old south church is considering the sale of one of its two copies. Sothebys david redden with the newberrys davis spadafora discussed the history of the old south congregation and the importance of this rock star book in a.
A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. Bay psalm book, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. The copy of the book which is being auctioned belongs to the old south church in boston, massachusetts. Dec 11, 2012 last week, bostons old south church voted 274 to sell one of its two remaining copies of the 1640 bay psalm bookone of the most historic volumes in american religious history. The 1640 cambridge, massachusetts, whole booke of psalmes, or bay psalm book. Today just 11 are known to exist, and bostons historic old south church is selling one of its two copies at sothebys auction. Rubensteins copy, on loan to the library for this exhibition, were at originally part of the historic old south church library in boston. Sign up to receive the book in your inbox daily at s. The library of congress copy of the bay psalm book and david m. The bay psalm book has achieved its status despite criticism early on about its quality.
Church torn over future of precious asset the boston globe. The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were sung have survived for instance, old 100th. Old south church announces auction house for 1640 bay. The book, which was written by the puritans, was put on the block by bostons old south church. As an electroniconly publication offered as a downloadable pdf, the digital bay psalm booktakes advantage of digital technology to offer meticulously rendered photographs of the 7. The bay psalm book is a very important piece of history. The church is known for its stand against the witchcraft trials and was the host for the meetings that led to the boston tea party.
A copy belonging to bostons old south church will be auctioned by sothebys on nov. Census of copies of the bay psalm book, with provenance, sale. Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day, it included a dissertation on the lawfulness and. Americas hesitation over hymns christian history magazine.
The bay psalm book had been compiled by a group of new england divines and was employed in nearly every puritan church of the massachusetts bay colony. The book is considered to have been the work of christian reformers seeking a. Old south church s beta copy of the bay psalm book has been touring the country ahead of its november auction date at sothebys in new york city. Old south church announces auction house for 1640 bay psalm book april 12, 20 old south church is delighted to report that after careful investigation followed by consultation with the church council, the trustees chose sothebys to serve as the auction house for one of our copies of the bay psalm book the whole booke of psalmes faithfully. The bay psalm book addressed this warning by translating the hebrew psalms of david into idiomatic, metrical english to be sung by the entire congregation both in church and at home.
Heath anthology of american literaturethe bay psalm book. The reverend jesse glover imported the first printing press to the massachusetts bay colony in 1638, some 18 years after the first english settlers landed at plymouth rock. Nov 15, 20 as the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. Ted olsen has written a fascinating article inspired by the recent decision of bostons old south church to sell off one of its two remaining copies of the original edition of the bay psalm book, used liturgically by the new england puritans in the 17th century. The bay psalm book is a religious and cultural manifesto of the puritan fathers and a towering icon of the founding of the united states. Dec 02, 20 and now the old south churchs second copy of the bay psalm book has become something else as well. This collection of psalm texts, rather than the bible itself, was the first volume published in the new world. When one considers the difficulties of mere existence during this time, a mere 20 years after the first arrivals in. The new england primer offered every child and apprentice the chance to learn to read the catechism and a set of moral precepts. Jan 29, 2017 the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated in to english metre 1640 also known as the bay psalm book was the first book length publication in the north american colonies. This psalter was a new translation begun in 1636 by a group of puritan divines richard mather, john eliot, and.
The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. Old south church in boston owns 2 of the 11 firstedition copies of the bay psalm book, printed in 1640, still known to exist. Jun 11, 2018 the communal singing of the psalms from the bay psalm book served to instill a strong sense of unity among puritans of the day. Today, only eleven copies are still in existence and fetch as much as fourteen million dollars at auction, making it also the most expensive book in the world. Psalms books of the bible south woods baptist church. Today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. Dec 25, 2012 old south church in boston owns 2 of the 11 firstedition copies of the bay psalm book, printed in 1640, still known to exist. Its a translation of the old testament book of psalms, valuable for its rarity and because it was printed in 1640, the first englishlanguage book printed in america. As the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. Buyer david rubenstein has already announced that he intends to tour the book at major libraries before arranging for a longterm loan at one of them, ensuring that the public will have access to a book highlighted as a cultural treasure. These two copies of the text are together for the first time since they were separated long ago. Media playback is unsupported on your device media caption bostons old south church sings psalm 100 from. Bay psalm book, a rock star old south church in boston, ma.
Nov 27, 20 the bay psalm book has achieved its status despite criticism early on about its quality. It was the first book printed in british north america. It marked an evolution in musical tradition used in american churches. Here, by way of sample, are verses from that psalm as seen in the two copies of the book belonging to old south church and housed at the boston public library. The two psalters most widely used were the bay psalm book 1640 and sternhold and hopkinss whole book of psalms the old version, 1562.
Old south church is a vibrant, multicultural, theologically progressive christian church. One explanationperhaps the only plausible explanationfor the old souths having at one time five copies of the bay psalm book is that. Popular title of the first book produced by englishspeaking american authors on a britishnorth american press. Digital bay psalm book university of alabama press. It was prepared by puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. The book was reissued into several editions and was in use for over 100 years. Q2r from the bay psalm book remaining at the old south church, showing the unique reading in psalm 69, verse 23 see page 39. Psalm 23 and the bay psalm book the music that shaped. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in the colonies and the first book printed in english in the new world. As an electroniconly publication offered as a downloadable pdf, the digital bay psalm book takes advantage of digital technology to offer meticulously rendered photographs of the 7. The bay psalm book 1 the lord to me a shepherd is, want therefore i shall not, he in the folds of tender grass doth make me down to lie to waters calm he gently leads restore my soul doth he he doth in paths of righteousness for his names sake lead me. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book the singing of psalms, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english. Salem church decided that the bay psalm book should be made use of together with ainsworths.
Put together in cambridge in the 1600s, its now the worlds most. Census of copies of the bay psalm book, with provenance. Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free. The singing of psalmes, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated in to english metre 1640 also known as the bay psalm book was the first booklength publication in. Media playback is unsupported on your device media caption bostons old. The bay psalm books historical significance is keenly felt at the old south church, where founding father benjamin franklin was baptised and meetings. Nov 25, 20 the bay psalm book s historical significance is keenly felt at the old south church, where founding father benjamin franklin was baptised and meetings that led to the boston tea party were hosted. It plans to sell one to raise money for renovations. Until 20, when one copy was sold at auction to david rubenstein, old south church owned two of the eleven firstedition copies. The bay psalm book was the first book to be printed in north america, twenty years after the arrival of the pilgrims in massachusetts. Not only is the text in the public domain, the book can be viewed in pdf form.
Old south church is the owner of one of eleven remaining firstedition copies of the bay psalm book. The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. Last week, bostons old south church voted 274 to sell one of its two remaining copies of the 1640 bay psalm bookone of the most historic volumes in american religious history. The creation of the book is a milestone for both the church and the colonies. In 1640, just 20 years after the mayflower landed at plymouth rock, they printed 1700 copies in cambridge. And now the old south churchs second copy of the bay psalm book has become something else as well. Nov 25, 20 today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. W4r from the harvard copy of the bay psalm book, showing a contemporary emendation to psalm 87, verse 6. The first book written and printed in the new world, the bay psalm book holds a unique place in our cultural and religious history. Thomas prince and the book collections of the old south church in. The work, entitled the whole booke of palsmes faithfully translated into english metre, was published in seventeen hundred copies, of which only eleven survivefive complete and the others lacking a varying. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. It will go on display in libraries across the united states.
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