In praise of character -- and characters

Sr. Clydia Boose
1907 - 1974

It is funny how the mind works, sometimes.  The Epistle reading for this past Sunday in the New Revised Common Lectionary (NRCL) is 1 Corinthians 12:1-11.  The NRSV renders verse 1, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.”  Some older translations say, “I would not have you ignorant, brethren.”  It reminded me of The Reverend Clydia Boose.  Sister Boose, as everyone called her, was the first female elder ordained in the Memphis Conference of what was then The Methodist Church.  She was born in 1907.  She was ordained deacon in 1940 and elder in 1948.  She served local congregations until her death in 1974.  I was just starting out then. I had had her pointed out to me a time or two and had shaken her hand once before she died February 7.

What brings her to mind is a comment she made early in life about why she hadn’t married, she said, “It’s scriptural: I would not have you, ignorant brethren!” 

Methodism and the Memphis conference in particular owe Sister Boose a lot.  She opened several doors.  She kicked down a couple more.  She was a pioneer without being a crusader.  We need more folks like her today.

Sister Boose was, and I say this in all respect and care, a character.  She knew that.  She reveled in that.  That was one of the things that made her a terrific pastor.  So many of our people in leadership positions currently (I hesitate to call them “leaders”) are plain vanilla.  They have no variance of hue.  Their leadership style is to be scared of their shadows and to try with everything that is in them not to rock the boat. 

I know I sound like so many of the old curmudgeons that I swore I would never resemble, but we surely could use some characters right now.  I say that in all facets of life: government, business and the church.

I haven’t heard of a person being called a Statesman since Cordell Hull died.  “Public Servant” is a title of a bygone age.  Likewise, Church Leader is a term that no one can associate with a particular name or face.  (Quick: name an active United Methodist bishop that is not appointed to your own area!)

R. I. P., sister Boose.