BRUSSELS, Belgium — The words of the hymn, “Lead, Kindly Light,” filled the Grimbergen Ward, Brussels Belgium Stake, meetinghouse on Sunday, March 3.
“Lead thou me on!
“The night is dark, and I am far from home;
“Lead thou me on!
“Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
“The distant scene — one step enough for me.”
As each verse continued, the volume of beautiful rendition increased.
I sang and I listened, hearing something heavenly — lyrics shared in French, Dutch, English and Spanish simultaneously.
The threads of words wove together as they rose, forming a tapestry that became a powerful, diverse and united plea for comfort and guidance.
As President Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society general president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, stood at the pulpit a few minutes later, she called the song glorious.
The Relief Society sisters in the room each have their own unique challenges, opportunities, obligations and circumstances. Yet, the “universal message” is clear, she said. “We are led by the Savior, Jesus Christ.”
English theologian John Henry Newman penned the words to the hymn in 1833 while traveling in the Mediterranean. He was dealing with fever and homesickness when his ship became stranded. The resulting poem became his prayer.
“Shouldst lead me on.
“I loved to choose and see my path; but now,
“Lead thou me on!
“I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
“Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years.”
When I entered the women’s devotional in Brussels to cover President Johnson’s ministry, a local member greeted me. A nearby table was filled with translation headphones and hymnbooks, and he presented me with an English hymnbook. Posted at the front of the chapel were the hymn numbers for each language.
I was awestruck. The expectation was clear: I was to sing in the language of my heart, and others would do the same.
President Johnson’s words a few minutes later confirmed that reality. “I assure you that Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, love you,” she said. “They are intimately aware of your circumstances, your goodness, your needs and your prayers for help.”
Looking around the room I began to wonder about each woman. Although diverse, the congregation did not look any different from any congregation of Latter-day Saints across the globe. I wondered about their challenges. Were any, like Newman when he penned the words to the hymn, far from home or discouraged or depressed? I also sensed their joy.
Earlier I wondered how it would work for a congregation to sing in four (or maybe more) unique languages. But the result was powerful in its simplicity. I once heard The Rev. Amos Brown, pastor of the historic Third Baptist Church of San Francisco and a friend of the Church, speak about unity. He said in a world where some reference the strength of a “melting pot,” he prefers thinking about “a salad bowl.” Oneness is not sameness, he said. “The salad bowl is instructive because the ingredients never lose their identity.”
Every woman in the room was valued for her own experiences and talents. The Spirit confirmed each was welcome and appreciated.
“Will lead me on
“O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till
“The night is gone.
“And with the morn those angel faces smile,
“Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!”
As with all of God’s children, our Relief Society sisters in Europe face challenges and storms that may feel like “encircling gloom.”
There are times when we all relate to Newman’s own description of writing the well-known hymn — and his source of solace: “Before starting from my inn, I sat down on my bed and began to sob bitterly,” he wrote. When asked what ailed him, “I could only answer, ‘I have a work to do in England.’ I was aching to get home. … I began to visit the churches, and they calmed my impatience.”
During her remarks, President Johnson shared a message from Church President Russell M. Nelson. “I want the sisters to know that they are loved. I want the sisters to know that they are precious. And I want them to know that they are necessary.”
She added her witness to his. “That’s a message straight from the prophet for you,” she said. “You are loved by President Nelson, by our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, and by me. You are precious daughters of God, with divine identity and purpose, and you are necessary to prepare the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.”
Like the opening hymn, her message — for women united by a belief in Jesus Christ, His restored Church and His Prophet — resonated in every language.
— Sarah Jane Weaver is executive editor of the Church News.
