Music is a Universal Language
In days gone by I tried every means to learn Music, through the Ceylon Salvation Army which had a powerful music band. As I was heart and soul in athletics and was a famous soccer player I could not honestly devote any time to the music.
My taste for music started when in Colombo we were traveling in the bus full of people of different nationalities when there arose a big fight among those in the bus and all were involved. Each showed their national hatred. When the bus halted there was a blind man sitting on the platform playing a beautiful tune on a Hawaiian Guitar near the bus stand. Suddenly there was peace and silence on the bus. We all forgot our differences and jumped from the bus and ran to the spot to hear the great blind man who held us all in rapturous music. Everyone was filled with love and wished each other and the hatred spirit was driven and all stood spell-bound hearing the music emanating from the skillful handling of the strings of the Hawaiian Guitar. When he stopped we all exclaimed, “Music is indeed a universal language.” Then I developed taste for music and appreciated good musicians and helped them.
Later on, I was invited as one of the four speakers ( I was to represent India) to the World Divine Healing Ministers Conference at Glasgow in Scotland. I met many musicians and especially listened to a great lecture on music by a representative from the U.S.A. Research Foundation proved by many photographs of the plant and animal kingdoms and examples that music touches everything, even the plant world. He also explained clearly how a plant can grow rapidly through the water, manure, music, and prayer. I made a study of music and learned how kings and prophets used all kinds of musical instruments to give them peace, inspiration, and victory over great wars.
As I was traveling in Chicago there was a costly accordion and many were asking the music shopkeeper to sell it to them and I found the music coming from that accordion to be extra good. At last, though many westerners were demanding it, it was offered to me as a gift by a lady in Chicago saying you may not know to play it but maybe someday your children may find it a blessing. It was lying idle in my home for quite a while and we got the services of some paid accordionists for our meetings but they were seldom helpful or cooperative: so I asked my third son to make use of it and master it. To my great surprise, he mastered it in three months and played in our massive Madras Moore Market S.I.A.A Grounds meetings. I knew my son one day will be a great musician.
Very often, if and when I used to get very much dejected in the Ashram I ask my son to play his accordion and this helps me and uplifts me greatly spiritually and brings courage and faith. Further to my amazement when we played music “On the Love of Jesus” the people were filled with power, the love of God touched them and their bodies found great relaxation and were healed of their sicknesses and were delivered from all kinds of demons power.
We love people of all religions, castes, colors, creeds, or nationalities and want to bring blessings to their souls through our music band. My third son Deva Dayavu Sanjeevi Lawrie is the Music Director of the Team who has mastered now more than nine instruments.
On behalf of the Manujothi Ashram “Soundarya Lawrie International Orchestra” I welcome you to the Ashram if you ever happen to come to this side down to South India. We will give you a real treat of music while you are here and we will patiently listen to all that you have to say to learn from you. We are only Learners in this passing world and stand adamantly for the Truth.
Since the westerners returned to their own countries after their five-year course for Study on World Religions, we now have a branch in Anderson, South Carolina, U.S.A., and the Orchestra is efficiently managed by Billy and Johnny Haywood, and Ted Clarke and their brothers and they are taking care of the R.P.Lawrie Meditation Centre there.
Since the westerners returned, the Indians were trained and now we have a powerful orchestra and we are presumably the best in India and we are invited for major functions of all religions. God has given many centers to us all over the world and we are encouraging all to form music groups. We have been invited by Muslims, Hindus, and others and in every program, I am offered about 30 minutes to tell others about the great love of God and the power in the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. All the Orchestra members know the Lord Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit.
R.PAULASEER LAWRIE
Founder of Soundarya Lahari Orchestra