With Your Zion’s Harps Now Chiming, Praise the Lord!
The following account shows how GOD can lead souls in and out through life’s events, and that He never forgets the prayers and desires of those who seek Him. It is a true story, and the couple in the story, who have now gone to their reward, were personally know to many Apostolic Christian (Nazareans) in America.
The story begins in the late 1930’s in the country of Yugoslavia, in a typical small town were a young teenage girl, Elizabeth, and a boy, Adam, lived. There were of German descent as their forefathers had come to Yugoslavia many years before. Elizabeth and Adam learned to know each other, perhaps in school or the Catholic church they both attended, and eventually were drawn to each other in friendship. As their relationship grew, they often visited each other’s families on weekends and enjoyed being together, sitting out in the yard on warm summer evenings.
In the same town lived a group of Nazareans (known as Apostolic Christians in America), and they often came together on the weekends for singings, sometimes sitting out on the porch of their home in the evenings to sing Zion’s Harp hymns. In that time and place, European house yards were often surrounded by high walls for protection and privacy, and you couldn’t see over the wall.
Occasionally as Adam and Elizabeth would sit outside, they would hear the singing of beautiful hymns floating across the wall from their neighbors’ porch, and they would listen, wondering about the people who were singing these harmonious and peaceful melodies. When they inquired about it, one of the parents told them, “Stay away from the wall and don’t listen to the singing. Those neighbors are strange religious people called the Nazareans, and you don’t want to get involved with them.” They continued to listen to the beautiful melodies anyhow, which became ingrained deep into their hearts.
In time, Adam and Elizabeth decided to get married and were happily living together, when the news came that Adam would have to leave and go into the service of the German army in Yugoslavia as a soldier. During those awful wartime years of World War II, there was a period of time when they lost track of each other, but finally, after a long period of loneliness, the war ended and by GOD’s mercy they were able to find each other again. After considering the adverse condition in their country, they decided to emigrate to America to get a new start.
As this couple was making a new home for themselves in a strange country, they decided to try to find a Nazarean Church* to attend. They searched out one church after another, but no one seemed to be able to help them find the Nazarean Church which sang those beautiful hymns. Well-meaning acquaintances invited them to various churches, but they would only consider going to the Nazarean Church that sang those holy, reverent songs that they had heard in the old country. Adam and Elizabeth moved to Mansfield, Ohio, and continued looking, but to no avail. After a period of time, they became discouraged and stopped going to church.
Near Adam and Elizabeth’s home in the city of Mansfield lived a group of believers who called themselves Apostolic Christians. They were kind to their neighbors, helping others whenever they could. A single Apostolic Christian sister started helping a needy family in the area when one family member had cataracts and could hardly see. This compassionate sister would help with housework on Saturdays and would help out with the children, of whom she became very fond. Eventually, she asked the children if they would like to come to church in the Apostolic Christian Church, which they did. The children enjoyed going and wanted their parents to come to a program. Soon the mother was attending the Apostolic Christian Church regularly. (Eventually, she and one of her daughters started to repent, were converted, and baptized.) Then the children wanted to ask their neighbors, who happened to be Adam and Elizabeth, to come to an upcoming program. Adam and Elizabeth were not especially excited about attending since they were disillusioned about finding the Nazarean Church, but they consented to come to the program for the sake of the neighbor children.
As they entered the sanctuary that evening, Elizabeth sat among the sisters, and Adam sat across the aisle with the brothers waiting for the program to start. In the few minutes before the children were to file in, a song number was announced, and the song leader began leading the people in congregational singing. The whole group raised their voices in four-part a cappella singing. But wait! What was this melody? Somehow a certain familiarity struck a chord from years ago, and as the song progressed, a revelation swept over Elizabeth. Could this be it? Is this one of the hymns that come floating over the wall years ago? Maybe—just maybe—this is the church they had been searching for! She glanced across the aisle at her husband. He returned the look and quietly whispered, “This is it! We are in the right church!” “I know it!” she mouthed back. They listened with wonder to the same beautiful hymns they had heard back in the old country on summer nights decades ago!
After the program, Adam and Elizabeth inquired among the members about the name of the church. It was explained to them that the Nazarean Church in Yugoslavia was called the Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) in America, but the denomination was the same. Feeling that GOD had led them there after so many years, they began to attend the Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) in Mansfield regularly. In time, both Adam and Elizabeth repented, became converted, and were baptized, rejoicing in their newfound salvation.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of GOD! How unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out!
Romans 11:33
*Not to be confused with the Church of the Nazarene, a well-known denomination in America today.
Stories of Faith and Courage Volume 1, page 103
The following account shows how GOD can lead souls in and out through life’s events, and that He never forgets the prayers and desires of those who seek Him. It is a true story, and the couple in the story, who have now gone to their reward, were personally know to many Apostolic Christian (Nazareans) in America.
The story begins in the late 1930’s in the country of Yugoslavia, in a typical small town were a young teenage girl, Elizabeth, and a boy, Adam, lived. There were of German descent as their forefathers had come to Yugoslavia many years before. Elizabeth and Adam learned to know each other, perhaps in school or the Catholic church they both attended, and eventually were drawn to each other in friendship. As their relationship grew, they often visited each other’s families on weekends and enjoyed being together, sitting out in the yard on warm summer evenings.
In the same town lived a group of Nazareans (known as Apostolic Christians in America), and they often came together on the weekends for singings, sometimes sitting out on the porch of their home in the evenings to sing Zion’s Harp hymns. In that time and place, European house yards were often surrounded by high walls for protection and privacy, and you couldn’t see over the wall.
Occasionally as Adam and Elizabeth would sit outside, they would hear the singing of beautiful hymns floating across the wall from their neighbors’ porch, and they would listen, wondering about the people who were singing these harmonious and peaceful melodies. When they inquired about it, one of the parents told them, “Stay away from the wall and don’t listen to the singing. Those neighbors are strange religious people called the Nazareans, and you don’t want to get involved with them.” They continued to listen to the beautiful melodies anyhow, which became ingrained deep into their hearts.
In time, Adam and Elizabeth decided to get married and were happily living together, when the news came that Adam would have to leave and go into the service of the German army in Yugoslavia as a soldier. During those awful wartime years of World War II, there was a period of time when they lost track of each other, but finally, after a long period of loneliness, the war ended and by GOD’s mercy they were able to find each other again. After considering the adverse condition in their country, they decided to emigrate to America to get a new start.
As this couple was making a new home for themselves in a strange country, they decided to try to find a Nazarean Church* to attend. They searched out one church after another, but no one seemed to be able to help them find the Nazarean Church which sang those beautiful hymns. Well-meaning acquaintances invited them to various churches, but they would only consider going to the Nazarean Church that sang those holy, reverent songs that they had heard in the old country. Adam and Elizabeth moved to Mansfield, Ohio, and continued looking, but to no avail. After a period of time, they became discouraged and stopped going to church.
Near Adam and Elizabeth’s home in the city of Mansfield lived a group of believers who called themselves Apostolic Christians. They were kind to their neighbors, helping others whenever they could. A single Apostolic Christian sister started helping a needy family in the area when one family member had cataracts and could hardly see. This compassionate sister would help with housework on Saturdays and would help out with the children, of whom she became very fond. Eventually, she asked the children if they would like to come to church in the Apostolic Christian Church, which they did. The children enjoyed going and wanted their parents to come to a program. Soon the mother was attending the Apostolic Christian Church regularly. (Eventually, she and one of her daughters started to repent, were converted, and baptized.) Then the children wanted to ask their neighbors, who happened to be Adam and Elizabeth, to come to an upcoming program. Adam and Elizabeth were not especially excited about attending since they were disillusioned about finding the Nazarean Church, but they consented to come to the program for the sake of the neighbor children.
As they entered the sanctuary that evening, Elizabeth sat among the sisters, and Adam sat across the aisle with the brothers waiting for the program to start. In the few minutes before the children were to file in, a song number was announced, and the song leader began leading the people in congregational singing. The whole group raised their voices in four-part a cappella singing. But wait! What was this melody? Somehow a certain familiarity struck a chord from years ago, and as the song progressed, a revelation swept over Elizabeth. Could this be it? Is this one of the hymns that come floating over the wall years ago? Maybe—just maybe—this is the church they had been searching for! She glanced across the aisle at her husband. He returned the look and quietly whispered, “This is it! We are in the right church!” “I know it!” she mouthed back. They listened with wonder to the same beautiful hymns they had heard back in the old country on summer nights decades ago!
After the program, Adam and Elizabeth inquired among the members about the name of the church. It was explained to them that the Nazarean Church in Yugoslavia was called the Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) in America, but the denomination was the same. Feeling that GOD had led them there after so many years, they began to attend the Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) in Mansfield regularly. In time, both Adam and Elizabeth repented, became converted, and were baptized, rejoicing in their newfound salvation.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of GOD! How unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out!
Romans 11:33
*Not to be confused with the Church of the Nazarene, a well-known denomination in America today.
Stories of Faith and Courage Volume 1, page 103