The following Quarantine Story was submitted by Tom Meredith in April, 2020:
This headline may recall an old folk proverb to most of us, and it may even, to a certain select few survivors, recall an old popular song from the days when songs had melodies and lyrics had rhyme and rhythm. And there is even meaning for little things in Mt. Gretna; the Historical Society collects and preserves lots of little things (and big things as well) – and the little things, old snapshots and photos, ice-cream scoops, and doll house tea sets, have a powerful way of recalling past joys and pleasures to our modern incarnations.
And it is not the Historical Society alone that functions this way. Displaced Mt Gretnans have a habit of “keeping in touch,” and for this displaced Mt. Gretna, the “little thing” was an item in This Week in Mt. Gretna, noting that on July 14 the Men in Harmony would be in the Tabernacle singing a program of spiritual music titled “Our God is…”. Most musical programs have a title or theme of some sort, so this in itself is not particularly noteworthy. But what attracted the attention of this DMG was the sensitivity of the Men in Harmony in picking up the theme of the Friday evening Tabernacle Ecumenical Services.
These Friday evening services during the month of June are an active response to the challenge of retaining worship opportunities and the campmeeting tradition in spite of the totally changed cultural environment. Seeing the theme adopted and expanded to other areas and groups is a very heartwarming “little thing,” one of the little things the Historical Society – and indeed the whole Mt. Gretna community – is dedicated to. In the vast scheme of the universe, it’s a small thing, but it is a unifying activity, something that has been in very short supply around the world.
Of course, Mt. Gretna plays only a minuscule part on the world-wide stage, but its residents have learned something about distinct groups living together in a larger community, each making its own contribution – distinctive, but blending together to make something unique.
Tom Meredith
in exile at Tel Hai
20 Apr 2020
