Article December 1, 1951 Issue

MELODY IN THE HEART

JULIA SALOME KINNEY

Some of the world's greatest songs are to be found within the pages of the Scriptures, all of which have the same inspiring theme— that of the infinite goodness of God, His glory, power, and dominion. Paul may well have been thinking of this when he counseled the Ephesians (5:18, 19), "Be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." No doubt Paul remembered that in their supremacy as a nation the Israelites had large orchestras and choruses with which to celebrate their civil and religious feasts and festivals. He may have had in mind the rousing songs of Moses, Miriam, and Deborah. When he and Silas opened the prison doors with prayer and song, they must have been impelled with the spirit of the injunction (Ps. 100:2), "Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing."

To have melody in the heart it is not necessary to have a beautiful voice or to be trained in musical knowledge. Indeed, one need not know one note from another or even be able to carry a tune. For to have melody in the heart only the spiritual understanding of God and of man made in the image of his Maker is required. Paul, although having had no personal acquaintance with Jesus, had experienced the Christ-healing and had an exceptionally clear comprehension of the Saviour's teaching. Therefore he determined to bring the glad tidings of great joy to as many as possible. Daily he proved that with the melody of Christian love in the heart, of "on earth peace, good will toward men," marvelous results could be attained.

Mary Baker Eddy says (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 468), "Life is divine Principle, Mind, Soul, Spirit." And Paul declared (Rom. 8:2), "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." This statement shows that Paul understood sin, suffering, and death to have no more place in true Life than has discord in music.

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