Nourishing Power of Hymns

Here is a version of my High Council talk for the past 6 months.

The conference talk I’ll be reviewing and reminding us about is the second talk given in the April Conference on Saturday morning by Jay Jenson of the Quorum of the Seventy titled: The Nourishing Power of Hymns.

Like no other talk in that conference, this one made me reminisce about hymns in my life.

Earliest Hymn Memory

Elder Jensen began by reminding us of President Hinckley’s experience as a young deacon attending a stake meeting with his father. One of the hymns sung at the meeting was “Praise to the Man.” Later in life President Hinckley said about that:

"I had an impression that has never left that Joseph Smith was indeed a prophet of God." (TGBH, p. 399)

This made me think about the earliest experience I recall involving hymns.
It was in a primary meeting. I recall the chorister asking different children their favorite song and then we’d sing it. At some point, the chorister called on me. I wasn’t prepared because by then I’d already learned the art of avoidance-by-studying-shoe-color. Not being prepared, I recall a short panic and then I vocalized the only thought in my mind: “Oh, How Lovely Was the Morning.” The actually name of the song is “Joseph Smith’s First Prayer” but that’s all I new it by.

I recall many of the other children groaning I think because it was a “grown-up” song. I guess they were hoping to sing other deep-doctrinal hits like, “Give Said the Little Stream” but that was my favorite so I said it. In hind sight I know the reason why I liked this song so much and it is like President Hinckley said - I knew then as I know now that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and I loved the message of this song and how it made me feel. It was and still is one of my favorite hymns. Listen to some of the words & the message:

Joseph Smith's First Prayer, Hymn #26

Oh, how lovely was the morning!
Radiant beamed the sun above.
Bees were humming, sweet birds singing,
Music ringing through the grove,
When within the shady woodland
Joseph sought the God of love …
Humbly kneeling, sweet appealing
'Twas the boy's first uttered prayer
When the pow'rs of sin assailing
Filled his soul with deep despair;
But undaunted still he trusted
In his Heav'nly Father's care …
Suddenly a light descended,
Brighter far than noonday sun,
And a shining glorious pillar
O'er him fell, around him shone,
While appeared two heav'nly beings,
God the Father and the Son …
"Joseph, this is my Beloved;
Hear him!" Oh, how sweet the word!
Joseph's humble prayer was answered,
And he listened to the Lord.
Oh, what rapture filled his bosom,
For he saw the living God …

I still thrill when I hear or sing these words. What a great and classic hymn of the restoration.

Elder Jensen described 3 Ways That Hymns Play a Special Role in the Gospel:

1. Hymns Invite the Spirit (When Erika heard this verbalized she thought I meant it like Parker, "Hims Invite the Spirit" and was a big thrown off.)

Hymns are "an essential part of our church meetings. [They] invite the Spirit of the Lord." (Hymns ix) They often do this quicker than anything else we may do.

President J. Reuben Clark Jr. said, "We get nearer to the Lord through music than perhaps through any other thing except prayer." (CR 10/1936, p. 111)

Why is this? Think about it? Why does music (& the hymns in particular) have such a powerful spiritual effect on us?

I think one reason is as expressed in the Chinese Proverb:

“Tell me, I’ll forget. Show me, I may remember. But involve me, and I’ll understand.”

Since we participate in the singing of hymns we are involved in them, therefore, we are able to gain a better understanding of them. There is some sort of eternal principle associated with participation and the Holy Ghost as Elder Scott tells us as it relates to teaching:

Richard G. Scott:
“Never, and I mean never, give a lecture where there is no student participation… Assure there is abundant participation because the use of agency by a student authorizes the Holy Ghost to instruct. It also helps the student to retain your message. As students verbalize truths, they are confirmed in the souls and strengthen their personal testimonies.”

Participation in hymn singing works the same way. That’s why we sing so many hymns as a congregation rather than having choirs do it all.

Experience of John Taylor Singing to Solve a Difficulty among Two Members

President Heber J. Grant said, “There certainly is a delightful influence which attends the singing of the songs of Zion” and then went on to tell a remarkable story about John Taylor and the power of hymns to call on the Spirit of the Lord.

Two faithful members of the Church who had been old friends and shared many hardships and endured many trials together in the early days of the church, now had a falling out and were involved in a business dispute between them.

They decided that they would get President John Taylor to help them solve their differences. They gave their word of honor that they would abide by whatever decision President Taylor made but before they had a chance to tell him what the problem was, Present Taylor said he would like to start out by singing “one of the songs of Zion” for them.

Continuing with President Heber J. Grants words:

He sang one of our hymns to the two brethren. Seeing its effect, he remarked that he never heard one of the songs of Zion but that he wanted to listen to one more, and so asked them to listen while he sang another. Of course, they consented. They both seemed to enjoy it; and, having sung the second song, he remarked that he had heard there is luck in odd numbers and so with their consent he would sing still another, which he did. Then in his jocular way, he remarked: “Now, brethren, I do not want to wear you out, but if you will forgive me, and listen to one more hymn, I promise to stop singing, and will hear your case.”

… When President Taylor had finished the fourth song, the brethren were melted to tears, got up, shook hands, and asked President Taylor to excuse them for having called upon him, and for taking up his time. They then departed without his even knowing what their difficulties were.

President Taylor’s singing had reconciled their feelings toward each other. The spirit of the Lord had entered their hearts, and the hills of difference that rose between them had been leveled and become as nothing. Love and brotherhood had developed in their souls. The trifles over which they had quarreled had become of no consequence in their sight. The songs of the heart had filled them with the spirit of reconciliation.

Hymns really do invite the spirit.

2. Hymns Invite Revelation (the 2nd way that hymns play a special role in the gospel)

According to Elder Jensen, those who have responsibilities over meetings and hymn selection “should make sure that the music, the words, and the musical instruments are sacred, dignified, and will promote worship and revelation.”

“Music becomes a performance when it brings attention to itself. Hymns ‘create a feeling of reverence.’" (Hymns ix)

“The words reverence and revelation are like twins who like each other's company. When the Seventy and Presiding Bishopric are invited to meetings with the First Presidency and the Twelve, we are reminded to arrive early and reverently listen to prelude music. Doing so invites revelation and prepares us for the meeting.”

President Packer taught that a member who softly plays "prelude music from the hymnbook tempers our feelings and causes us to go over in our minds the lyrics which teach the peaceable things of the kingdom. If we will listen, they are teaching the gospel, for the hymns of the Restoration are, in fact, a course in doctrine!" (Reverence Invites Revelation, Ensign, 11/1991. p. 22)

Two suggestions given by Elder Jensen to make hymns more powerful in our lives are:

1. Strive to be more punctual to meetings, sit quietly and listen to the prelude music, and experience reverence and revelation.

2. Exit meetings more reverently, allowing the postlude music to extend the spirit of the meeting.

As we do this, the hymns can become more a part of our heart and mind and maybe they will be a source of revelation in a time of need.

Experience of Two Missionaries Using Hymns To Avoid Mob Danger

Elders J. Golden Kimball and Charles A. Welch, neither of whom claim to sing well, while on a mission in the Southern States, were about to baptize some converts; a mob had assembled, and the brethren were given to understand that if they carried out their intentions of baptizing that the mob would throw them into the river. The brethren determined to go ahead no matter what the result might be. Before doing so, however, they sang a song. The song seemed to have such an effect upon the mob that they were almost transfixed. The brethren proceeded with their baptisms, and then went some distance to attend to confirming the baptized. A message came from the mob asking them to come and sing that song again, and the request was complied with. The leader of the mob, Joseph Jarvis, afterwards joined the Church, and he stated to Elder Kimball that the sentiments of the hymn, and the inspiration attending the singing, as above related, converted him to the Gospel. Brother Kimball’s recollection is that the hymn was “Truth Reflects Upon Our Senses.”

Listen to some of the words to this hymn:

Truth Reflects Upon Our Senses, Hymn #273
Text: Eliza R. Snow

Truth reflects upon our senses:
Gospel light reveals to some.
If there still should be offenses,
Woe to them by whom they come!
Judge not, that ye be not judged,
Was the counsel Jesus gave;
Measure given, large or grudged,
Just the same you must receive.
Blessed Savior, thou wilt guide us,
Till we reach that blissful shore
Where the angels wait to join us
In thy praise forevermore.
Jesus said,"Be meek and lowly,"
For 'tis high to be a judge;
If I would be pure and holy,
I must love without a grudge.
It requires a constant labor
All his precepts to obey.
If I truly love my neighbor,
I am in the narrow way.
Once I said unto another,
"In thine eye there is a mote;
If thou art a friend, a brother,
Hold, and let me pull it out."
But I could not see it fairly,
For my sight was very dim.
When I came to search more clearly,
In mine eye there was a beam.
If I love my brother dearer,
And his mote I would erase,
Then the light should shine the clearer,
For the eye's a tender place.
Others I have oft reproved,
For an object like a mote,
Now I wish this beam removed,
Oh, that tears would wash it out!
Charity and love are healing;
These will give the clearest sight;
When I saw my brother's failing,
I was not exactly right.
Now I'll take no further trouble;
Jesus' love is all my theme;
Little motes are but a bubble
When I think upon the beam.

Hymns really do invite revelation both within us and to others touched by them as we use them.

3. Hymns Invite Conversion (the 3rd way that hymns play a special role in the gospel)

Elder Jensen tells us, “The hymns of the Restoration carry with them the spirit of conversion.”

Experience of Missionary Couple Using Hymns in Teaching

To reinforce this point, Elder Jensen related the story of two missionaries teaching an older couple in Peru. While teaching then, they were interrupted when the couple’s son, wife, and three children showed up. In Elder Jensen’s words:

“The elders explained who they were and what they were doing. The son was suspicious of the missionaries, resulting in an awkward moment. The junior companion prayed silently, "Heavenly Father, what do we do?" The impression came to sing. They sang "I Am a Child of God." (Hymns #301) The Spirit touched the hearts of this family of five. Instead of two converts, all seven became members, influenced initially by a hymn.”

Hymns really do carry with them the power of conversion.

Given the truth of these three “inviting” principles of music – inviting the spirit, inviting revelation, and inviting conversion – Elder Jensen gives us some suggestions.

1. Teaching Children Hymns Begins at Home

Singing hymns and listening to appropriate music begin at home. "Latter-day Saints should fill their homes with the sound of worthy music.

" . . . We hope the hymnbook will take a prominent place among the scriptures and other religious books in our homes. The hymns can bring families a spirit of beauty and peace and can inspire love and unity among family members.

"Teach your children to love the hymns. Sing them on the Sabbath, in [family] home evening, during scripture study, at prayer time. Sing as you work, as you play, and as you travel together. Sing hymns as lullabies to build faith and testimony in your young ones." (Hymns x)

2. Worship More Meaningfully through Hymns

We should all attempt to follow the example of conference in our lives as they relate to the hymns of the restoration.

Each conference the music is almost entirely comprised of hymns. Most of them we all know better than we think and could probably sing without a book:

Come, Come, Ye Saints
The Spirit of God
I Am a Child of God
O My Father
I Need Thee Every Hour
I Stand All Amazed

Researching past conferences I can tell you that sometime in each conference we will hear the hymn, We Thank Thee, O God, For a Prophet, usually in the Sunday afternoon session – and the last conference we did.

At most conferences we will hear, Now Let us Rejoice (for some reason at a morning session) and Redeemer of Israel. Both were sung as expected.

At most conferences we will hear, Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah, usually in a Priesthood session and also How Firm a Foundation, for some reason usually on Sunday morning. Guide Us was sung instead of Priesthood on Sunday morning and How Firm was sung as expected also on Sunday morning.

Usually about once a year it is almost certain we’ll hear, Praise to the Man & Joseph Smith’s First Prayer (both on Sunday morning). Praise to the Man we heard last time and didn’t this time but we did hear Joseph’s First Prayer but on Saturday Afternoon.

I love the power of hymns and bear testimony to you that they have the power to increase the Spirit in our lives. They have the power to be a source of revelation in our lives, and they have the power to aid us in the process of conversion in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

May we all be nourished by the hymns of the gospel, is my prayer …

2007 in Review: Books

This was a great year for books. Yea, getting them, but also reading them. Each year I mainly just go with where my interests take me but I do have a few goals to try and have some discipline.

1) Each year I force myself to read 1 classic. 2) I read the book of scripture from the Sunday School lessons. 3) I read and dissect each general conference. 4) I read at least one book with a business theme. 5) I meet or exceed the number of books read from the previous year. In addition, this year I started a project on American Presidents so I most jumped in to this from the beginning.

I read 61 books this year which is a very good year; 5 a month. Last year I only read 45. I met my other goals as follows (listed in order of best to worst when possible):

Classics
Chronicles of Narnia 1: the Magicians Nephew, C.S. Lewis
Chronicles of Narnia 2: Lion, Witch & Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis
Chronicles of Narnia 3: the Horse & His Boy, C.S. Lewis
Chronicles of Narnia 4: Prince Caspian, C.S. Lewis

Scriptures
The New Testament
Fire in the Bones, Michael Wilcox
Wide as the Waters, Benson Bobrick
God’s Secretaries, Adam Nicolson
The New Testament Through 100 Masterpieces of Art, Regis Debray
The Life & Teachings of Jesus, Volume 1, Richard Holzapfel

General Conference
2007 Annual
2007 Semi-annual

Business
You’ve Got To Read This Book, Jack Canfield

In addition to these categories my 2007 reading breaks out into these categories (also listed from Best to Worst):

American History
Passing of the Armies, Joshua Chamberlain
April 1865, Jay Winik
The Most Glorious Fourth: Vicksburg & Gettysburg, Duane Shultz
Rediscovering God in America, Newt Gingrich
The Great Upheaval, Jay Winik
Our 50 States, Lynn Cheney
America: A Patriotic Primer, Lynn Cheney
What If’s of American History, Robert Cowley
Gettysburg, Newt Gingrich
101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived, Alan Lazar

General History
I Wish I’d Been There, Brian Hollingshead
The Greatest Stories Never Told, Rick Beyer

U.S. Presidents
George Washington, James Burns
Grant & Twain, Mark Perry
John Adams, John Diggins
Thomas Jefferson, Joyce Appleby
James Madison, Gary Willis
James Monroe, Gary Hart
John Quincy Adams, Robert Remini
Andrew Jackson, Sean Wilenz
Martin Van Buren, Ted Widmer
James K. Polk, John Siegenthaler
James Buchanan, Jean Baker
John Tyler: the Accidental President, Edward Crapol
The Bushes, Peter Schwiezer
Abraham Lincoln, Lord Charnwood

LDS Church History
The Worlds of Joseph Smith, John Welch
United By Faith, Kyle Walker
Lengthen Your Stride: Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball, Edward Kimball
Presidents and Prophets, Michael Winter
David O. McKay, Gregory Prince

LDS Doctrine
Preach My Gospel
Beholding Salvation, Kent Brown

Religion
Quest For God, Paul Johnson

Music
Beethoven, Edmund Morris
Storms: My Life With Fleetwood Mac, Carol Ann harris
Mosaic, Amy Grant

Trivia
Why?, Eric McHugh
Where?, Eric McHugh
When?, Eric McHugh
Who?, Eric McHugh
Know It All, Eric McHugh

Fiction
Harry Potter & the Deadly Hallows, J.K. Rowling
Simple Genius, David Baldacci
Stone Cold, David Baldacci
Bourne Legacy, Eric Van Lustbader