Journal: Priscilla Papers
Volume: PP 03:4 (Fall 1989)
Article: A Beautiful Spirit
Author: Leo J. Kwiatkowski

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A Beautiful Spirit

Leo J. Kwiatkowski

God abundantly answered our prayers for the effectiveness of our first national Christians for Biblical Equality Conference. A beautiful spirit of love and cooperation was everywhere evident As Mickel Maudlin, reporter for Christianity Today observed to me, “This conference just exudes health!” We thank God for this, as well as for the remarkable contributions made by all those whose labors of love made the conference a success. There were many comments.

“I’m so happy to have found this organization!” “I didn’t realize that so many other people looked at these issues in the same way that I do.” “It’s so good to be with like-minded people.” For many, it was their first exposure to the concepts of biblical equality.

And now:

The Story Behind The Song

I am still somewhat amazed that I was the one who penned the words since, like the prophet of old who protested that he was neither a prophet not the son of a prophet, I must confess to being neither a poet nor the son of a poet. Thus when Gretchen Gaebelein Hull tossed off her opening line in her plenary address on Friday morning of our conference, I gave it very little thought. If a song was to be written, it certainly would not be written by me. The only poetry from my hand was in fulfillment of an English requirement my senior year in high school back in 1953!

My mind was on Gretchen’s message when suddenly the line came to me: “Jew and Greek to Him belong, Racial barriers are all wrong.” I turned to a clean page in my note pad to write down these words and I had to think: “Just what was that line Gretchen said?” I hadn’t even written it down, but remembered it was “We are equal this we know, For the Bible tells us so.” Being familiar with Galatians 3:28, I wrote “Slave and free” on the next line and skipped a line to write “Male and female.” The remainder of these lines also appeared: “Slave and free no difference know, One in Him who loves them so. Male and female all are one, Saved by God’s own holy Son.” I knew then that I had the germ of a song and I turned my attention back to Gretchen’s address. If I had any thought in my mind at this time, it was to return to the words during the weekend and perhaps work them into an acceptable song.

After the message, I introduced myself to Gretchen as one who had sat under her father’s ministry and was now pleased to sit under her ministry. Since no one else was present, I showed her the words which came to me during her message and she enthusiastically removed the page from my note pad (without so much as asking!) and recorded my name from the name tag I was wearing.

Dur...

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