The slaves sang to help them endure unthinkable conditions, but they also sang as a way of encoding messages of encouragement. So many of the slave songs were about heaven, the hope of moving on to glory. To the unknowing slave-owner, these songs seemed harmless. On the surface they seemed to be about heaven. But they were actually used to inflame the embers of courage, and to fuel the passion for survival. Their hope was not just about heaven, but for the freedom that would have been provided to them on the underground railroad.

Poelinitz’s arrangement of “City called Heaven,” although somber and weighty, has a driving force that symbolizes the tenacity of those who wanted to fight fear, to stand up against oppression and to expose the insidiousness of slavery. The victory comes in the middle section, when the choir sings the words “Sometimes I’m tossed and I’m driven.” It’s not fear that drives, it’s hope. Fear can take the wheel for a while, but it will eventually crash and burn. It’s hope that drives human existence, and you cannot stop it, even though people have tried. The human spirit longs to be free. Even Victor Frankel understood this, while being held captive in a concentration camp in the Second World War. Under deplorable conditions, he found significance and meaning in life, he spoke of the power of hope, and he understood the resilience of the human spirit.

Fear cannot be used to permanently oppress another, nor can it ever declare victory. History has shown us this time and time again. The resolve of the human spirit cannot be suppressed nor taken away through war, violence, or enslavement. Fear cannot stop the imagination either. The slaves were inspired, under horrendous conditions, to create clever music encoded with messages that would ultimately free them. This music sharpened their courage, and helped them rise up, right in the face of fear. When you oppress another, you will eventually fuel their creative spirit. History teaches us that no segment of God’s people will ever be held captive for very long. You can argue, pass laws, and beat your chest all day long, but the human spirit cannot be bound by fear. This music reminds us that hope will always pierce the darkness, and that the only way to treat another human being is with love. Soli deo Gloria!