Sacred Bats

It is about a year ago that Salem Chapel was re-roofed. Although the leaks were small, the members decided to attend to them before they became a major problem, and not afterwards. The original pulleys from 1817 were found in the loft space, and for being a Listed Building, the permission of the local authority had to be sought. This was only granted on the condition that we had a 'bat survey'. This involved paying £500 to a company for them to tell us that there are bats in the vicinity (which came as little surprise given our rural situation). We therefore had to apply to Natural England for a licence to re-roof, which, for £1500 (ex VAT) they granted, so long as the work began in winter and that further compliance with ‘Bat Mitigation’ regulation and licensing be arranged. This meant a second survey of £700, a License Preparation Fee of £1500, ‘Supervisions of Roof Strip’ (5 days @ £300 per day), a Special TLX Breathable Membrane for Bats under felt (£3500), and some additional scaffold for a safety rail up the gable end at £250 (we certainly would not want the bat supervisors to suffer injury). Thankfully, one our of deacons persuaded them that visits could be done within a half-day period, and that some of the VAT could be claimed back because of the building’s age. Oh, and the new roof cost £26k - let’s not forget that. The orginal stone flags had to be re-used where possible (below); modern alternatives were forbidden. So all in all, an expensive operation, but one which may see worshippers at Salem Chapel have dry heads until the Lord returns.

I have no doubt that bats are worthy recipients of our attention and protection, but it seems to me that a bat roosting in a chapel has greater judicial protection than a human being growing in its mother’s womb. The latter enjoys precious little legal defence; it is even the state itself which pays and provides for its murder termination. We value chiroptera more than children; flittermice more than babes. In Romans 1:23, Paul describes how fallen humans worship ‘birds and four-footed animals and creeping things’ while elsewhere in Scripture, false religion was relegating precious, God-reflecting human beings as offerings on the altars of Baal and Molech. If only we protected children as keenly as we protect bats; a bat at Martin Top is safer than a baby in the womb. 

“And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien— because they do not fear Me,” Says the Lord of hosts. Malachi 3:5