THE RIGHT TIME TO FLY Some years ago several friends and I had the opportunity to visit Death Valley. On the final day of our visit we hiked Wildrose Peak - a mountain rising nearly…
Sermon Illustrations
PREACHER AS THE LIGHT OF THE WORD During the French Revolution political prisoners were herded into dungeons. In one place a prisoner possessed a Bible. His cell was crammed with men who wanted to hear…
COUNTING THE YEARS A friend and I took my little daughter, Ellen, to a movie for her birthday. After we left the theater, while I was bundling up Ellen against the cold wind, my friend…
AGREEMENT OR UNEMPLOYMENT The new pastor had not even finished putting away his books when the Minister of Music rushed in and began to complain about the Minister of Education. The string of complaints were…
LOOKING FOR LOOPHOLES An old Quaker discovered a burglar in his home late one night. The thief was emptying the contents of the Quaker's safe into a sack. The Quaker tiptoed out, got his shotgun,…
RELEVANT MUSIC More than two hundred years ago, a young man with the sophisticated bearing of an Oxford don climbed the steps of a stone monument called the "market cross" in the industrial ghetto of…
A KINDER, GENTLER PEOPLE I wish to see all arts, principally music, in the service of Him who gave and created them. Music is a fair and glorious gift of God. I would not for…
NEVER SAW IT BEFORE Arturo Toscanini was once the most famous orchestra conductor in the United States. In 1931, during the days of radio, NBC invited Toscanini to conduct a concert tour of Latin America.…
LIVES OF THE GREAT COMPOSERS: GEORGE FREDERICK HANDE L. . . Handel was one of the fattest of major composers. He wrote much of his music in bed; if he dropped a page of music…
LIVES OF THE GREAT COMPOSERS: SERGEI RACHMANINOF F. . . While Handel was one of the most pious of composers, Rachmaninoff was surely one of the most obnoxious. He was rude and moody. Born in…
LIVES OF THE GREAT COMPOSERS: Richard Wagner, while deep in conversation, would sometimes sit back and listen to the beautiful eloquence of the speaker. After an awkward silence, he would suddenly realize that the speaker…
DO YOU KNOW? The noted conductor Reichel was taking his choir and orchestra through their final rehearsal of Handel's beautiful and inspiring "Messiah". When the soprano soloist came in with the refrain, "I know that…
SILENT VIOLINS Luigi Tarisio was found dead one morning with scarce a comfort in his home, but with 246 exquisite violins, which he had been collecting all his life, crammed into an attic. In his…
WE'LL STAY OUT OF THE WAY! The Call to Worship had just been pronounced starting Easter Sunday Morning service in an East Texas church. The choir started its processional, singing "Up from the Grave He…
THE VALUE OF ENCOURAGEMENT The young Polish lad wanted to play the piano. It had been in his thoughts since childhood. He dreamed of becoming a great concert pianist. Yet, when he tried to play,…
BRING OUT YOUR BIBLES Some of our best stories originate from our most trying experiences. Such is the case with the following. . .We had scheduled a teenage girl from the church to play her…
THE GOLDEN BARGAINS One of the nice parts about heading toward middle age," notes Ken Floyd, "is that you can find all your favorite music in the bargain bin." By Burton Hillis, in Better Homes…
ANOTHER OPINION Swans sing before they die; 'twere no bad thing Should certain persons die before they sing. By Coleridge, from 4800 Wise-Cracks, Witty Remarks and Epigrams for All Occasions, edited by Edmund Fuller, published…
A MUSICAL CLOCK A certain trumpet player never hesitates to hock his watch or clock. He explains, "I live in an apartment house, and when I want to know what time it is during the…
"YOU'VE GOT TO FACE THE MUSIC!" Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord', shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 7:21…
