The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

An Outstanding Performance!

by Dessa Rodeffer
Quill Editor/Publisher

14 July 1999

"God Bless the USA!" ......were the final words to a performance Monmouth Director Leo Ramer and his high school and college Ecumenical singers presented at the Raritan Baptist, Biggsville and Stronghurst United Presbyterian churches around the 4th of July.

The group of 16 girls and 10 boys of area high schools and colleges around Monmouth were outstanding in presenting a tribute to God and country. They stirred the hearts of those who hold dear the United States of America, and the God whom they trust.

"Didn't that just move you to tears," I heard one gentleman say. "It renews your faith in the kids of this nation after hearing so much bad about them," he continued. "They were just outstanding, the cream of the crop."

Most felt this way about this group of youth that choose to make their spare time count for something. When they sign up for Leo Ramer's choir, they are expected to give it their all, show up for practices, be attentive, and perform as people invite them.

Their reward is a great satisfaction inside as they bring so much pleasure to others as well as an amazing growth in the art of music. They also benefit by traveling to special invitational events. Last year they performed over the 4th of July in Washington D.C. upon special invitation.

Next year they have been invited three different places. One possibility is the Vatican in Rome, Italy for the Pope.

The youth of today in the United States have so much opportunity. It istrue that many turn their back on opportunity and many choose entirely a road of foolishness and fun rather than work and accomplishment. Their talents, in other words, are wasted.

Leo Ramer's group gave their all to the performance, and it was moving.  They sang and performed on musical instruments. They read and performed solos and ensembles. They sang acappella as well as with organ and piano, their drums and brass ensemble.

The arrangement of The Battle Hymn of the Republic was especially moving asthey dramatically slowed down the tempo during the third verse and sang it without accompaniment.

And as a finale to the song, the trombonist came down to liven up the chorus of "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!" for a ragtime, knee slappin' ending.  Some performers from both Union and Southern schools were part of this group. Their gifts of music and their sacrifice of time and hard work to be able to give an excellent performance, paid off for the audiences in the three churches were greatly moved.

I read an interesting note about the grace of giving. According to authors Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell, MD in the book "The Five Love Languages For Children," the English word gift comes from the Greek word charis, which means "grace," or an undeserved gift. That means a gift is never a payment for anything but an expression of love for the individual freely given. It is not something given for personal gain.

In this world of :"I'll do it if you pay me," :truly it is impressive to see teenagers give a part of themselves to society as a gift. Whenever this happens, the givers are the winners in the long-run.

I received an e-mail this week that truly emphasizes that what you give comes back to you and that does make one "the cream of the crop." It is as follows:

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to eke out a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death. The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.

"I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life."

"No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer.

At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel. "Is that your son?" the nobleman asked.

"Yes," the farmer replied proudly. "I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll grow to a man you can be proud of."

And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin. Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia.

What saved him? Penicillin.

The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill.

Someone once said: What goes around comes around.