One cold Sunday morning in December Circa 1950, Cousin Reginald Mills went into the Deepstep Methodist Church early. He did this on cold Sunday mornings to light space heaters. The sanctuary would be warm by the time worship started. I was excited about today’s service; Erma and Erica Weber would sing for worship. The Weber family was living in one of my grandfather’s rental houses, next door to my house. Their family, German refugees from WW II, included six children—only the the children spoke English—and that barely; the adults spoke none. An interpreter arrived with the family. After much too short a time of orientation, she was gone.
Erma and Erica were younger than I by a couple of years. I had heard the girls sing as they did their home chores, and knew they sang beautifully. Our church choir director also knew the girls sang well. She persuaded them to sing Silent Night at church this Sunday, just before Christmas. Their English was wobbly so they chose to sing the hymn in German.
Erma and Erica, dressed in their native clothing, stood at the chancel rail; the pianist played an intro to Silent Night. As they sang, their harmony wafted heavenly into the sacred air; the all-too-familiar tune, written by Franz Xaver Gruber, was now being sung in a language unfamiliar to us—-yet Silent Night was understood entirely: Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh! —-sleep in heavenly peace!
W W II had ended nearly a decade. before. The Methodist Committee on Overseas Relief (MCOR–parent of UMCOR) had been helping in Europe for years. Healing was under way, and here—worshipping with us is a family who serve the same God (I had even noticed Mr. Weber reading his Bible—probably not the KJV!). The music we were listening to—and later joined singing in English —and German—gave us, in those moments, Peace on Earth!
Music has been called the universal language. It certainly touches the very soul of our being; I am convinced it does so on many levels. Almost any accomplished musician will tell you that music, in the midst of stress or anxiety, has renewing quality.
The youth David, playing music on his harp, became a skilled musician. As a result he was recruited to play music when King Saul had his bouts with depression. David’s harp-playing was therapeutic to Saul, so he was signed on for a regular gig.
I sympathize with store employees who have to listen to “Little Drummer Boy,” a million times, October to January. However, the best of Christmas music is here to stay—especially the core carols and chorales such as Silent Night and The Messiah. Paige Moore felt that Christmas had not fully arrived until she had heard a magnificent choir performing Handel’s Messiah.
© 2024 Copyright Willis H. Moore
Yes, we love music. Did your German neighbor children go to school.
Hope all is well with you.