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A House of Gold by Hank Williams, Sr.
A House of Gold
By Hank Williams, Sr.
Reviewed by Matthew R. Schlimm
(Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Dubuqe Theological Seminary)
A Good Song for Hard Times
On Christmas Eve, I heard one of the best sermons I’ve heard in a long time. Visiting family in rural Wisconsin, we stopped at Immanuel United Methodist Church in the small community of Ripon. I expected the usual sentimental drizzle about silent nights with an intermixing of clichés about the real meaning of Christmas. But the preacher surprised me. Addressing something that lurked in all of our minds, he spoke a simple yet prophetic word: “The current economic crisis may be good, because in times of need we grow closer to each other.”
As I worry about the livelihood of my family and friends, I’ve thought often of that preacher’s words. I have not heard a great deal of theological reflection since giant corporations began collapsing last fall. The preacher reminded me of what truly matters when everything else seemed only to distract me.
On that blizzardy Christmas Eve, the hymns were predictably Christmas carols. Yet, the church is heir to a great number of worship songs that, much like that faithful preacher, give a different perspective on finances. Many of them are praise songs of an older generation. But during this time of economic anxiety, it might be appropriate for the church to sing them once again. One of them was written and originally performed by a well-known artist, Hank Williams, Sr.
As one might expect with a song from Williams, the melody is memorable. It is also simple enough that it could be sung by a congregation or by a novice doing a special number.
Theologically, this song speaks honestly and concretely about the temptations of money (cf. 1 Tim 6:10). It acknowledges that with money matters, morality is often missing. As we’ve seen in various headlines, “People steal; they cheat and lie for wealth and what it will buy.”
This song calls the church to a different way of living. It affirms that doing what is right will often lead to a much smaller pocketbook. Still, the song reminds us, doing right is always better. It says that even death is preferable to mansions and pensions.
Theologically, those having trouble with divine judgment may feel uncomfortable about this song. It presupposes that our actions here impact our existence at the end of time.
Yet, I sense that many of us have a sense of holy anger about the actions of Wall Street executives, particularly those who put profits before people, greed before fairness, and bottom lines before honesty. Many of these individuals made morally deplorable decisions, even if their actions were not technically illegal. It is reassuring to know that even as they take lavish vacations while laying off thousands, they will need to give account for their actions before the One who counted himself among the least of these (Matt 25:31-46).
Is this song a collection of pie-in-the-sky-bye-and-bye theology? Perhaps. But much of the Christian life makes little sense without hope in the resurrection. As Paul puts it, “If Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain” (1Cor 15:14, NRSV).
There is also, amid the heavenly hope of this song, a realism about the ways of our world. Jesus said you cannot serve God and wealth (Matt 6:24). Too often we deceive ourselves into thinking we can serve God and somehow accumulate at least modest sums of money. But Williams–like much of Scripture–is not so hopeful. He pits “a deep dark grave” against “a house of gold” and boldly prefers the former. He says that “gold and silver” mean nothing if your heart is rotten.
It’s a message that we all need to hear. Not only as we grapple with holy anger over immoral executives, but also when we are tempted to worry too much about jobs, income, and mortgages. Some of us will feel strong temptations to fudge numbers on taxes, or to do things to secure our own jobs while harming others. This song calls us to something higher. It keeps us focused on the ways of life eternal, praising what is right amid a world gone wrong. This song is a timely invitation to Christian formation.
Conclusion: Highly recommended.
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