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The Power of Sacred Song

We hope you enjoy the music that we’ve prepared for your Sabbath day. I particularly love music, especially sacred music. It has a power that somehow transcends ordinary communication, and speaks directly to the soul, as this story so vividly illustrates.

An American man and his wife were traveling in the Peoples’ Republic of China. One day as they boarded a bus, a friendly Chinese man boarded the same bus, and sat beside them. Through an interpreter, introductions were made. Then, quite unexpectedly he asked if they were Christians. They replied they were. He indicated he was also and showed them his well-worn copy of the New Testament. And graciously they smiled in acknowledgement, but since discussion of religion was forbidden, nothing further was said. The bus departed.

Suddenly the strains of hummed music reached their ears. Looking around, it was their Chinese friend humming the hymn, “Amazing Grace.”

After finishing, he looked directly at them, but he said nothing. And somehow they understood what he was trying to communicate – his religious feelings.

Then, the wife began to sing. “Onward Christian Soldiers,” she sang. Whereupon the Chinese fellow nodded his head and joined her. And for two and one half hours, one hymn after another they crossed the Chinese countryside in a spirit of worship and song.

Nearing their destination, the woman, desirous of expressing her inmost feelings, began to sing,

“I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me. I tremble to know that for me he was crucified. That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.”

As she finished singing, this humble Chinese disciple, as though in reverent reply, began to hum,

“I know that my Redeemer lives. What comfort this sweet sentence gives! He lives, He lives who once was dead. He lives, my ever-living Head.”

Well, the Holy Spirit descended upon that bus in rich abundance, communicating to the three of them what no words could or would ever adequately express.

As the bus topped the hill, and the city of their destination lay before them, she began to hum in closing, “God Be With You Till We Meet Again.”

With tears in his eyes, their newfound Christian brother joined in.

As the bus came to a stop, he stood, warmly shook their hands, and then turned and disappeared. The light of the morning sun into which he stepped was surely matched by the light in his soul.

Experience of Milton L. Weilenmann and his wife of Salt Lake City, Utah
Original source, Ensign Magazine, June 1996, p. 57