The power of song

An incident occurred in our meetings in Vermont that illustrates the saving influence of singing. Our meeting was held in a large hall, with the several churches united. One evening we were singing that beautiful hymn, "Waiting and Watching for Me." As we came to the chorus, "Will any one there at the beautiful gate be waiting and watching for me," just at that moment a man in the street was passing the hall, and the song went out through the windows, and reached his ears. He stood still as if arrested.

"Will any one there be waiting and watching for me at that beautiful gate?" he said to himself. "Perhaps my mother is waiting there for me."

Although he had not been in a religious meeting in fourteen years, he felt drawn in to hear more such singing. God met him, and convicted him of his sins. He finally became a Christian, and dated his start to that hymn. -- A. B. Earle, From: "Incidents Used ... In His Meetings," published in 1888

From: SELECTED SERMON ILLUSTRATIONS From The Writings of Absalom Backas (A.B.) Earle And The Writings of J. Wilbur Chapman

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