1634: Turn Your Radio On (15 page)

"Welcome, brothers and sisters of Jena!" Waiting till the new eruption of applause died down, Jennifer continued, "Welcome to our first Jena Christian Revival. We welcome you Lutherans! We welcome you Catholics! We welcome all of you; no matter what church you normally attend. The Lord brought us all here to share in His good will.

"Now, to help us get started, my choir and I are going to sing a song you might have heard us do on our morning devotional about the unity of the family of God. It's called, 'Jesus Loves the Little Children of the World.'" Jennifer turned to her choir and raised her arms over her head and signaled the sopranos to start it off.

Another song followed that one, then Reverend Fischer was introduced. As he came up from behind the choir, two spotlights made from automobile headlights focused on him and his new up-time styled white suit. Again the congregation burst into applause and this time it was Fischer who raised his arms above his head to quiet them.

When they had returned to some kind of order, Fischer pulled his microphone out of his jacket, brought it close to his mouth and began, "Welcome, brothers and sisters! I am Reverend Dieter Fischer, and
I am a sinner
!"

Thus began his first revival without the comforting presence of John Chalker. Fischer confidently preceded through the touchstones of the message that Chalker and he had worked out as the best way to spread the Word through this land; a culture that was not used to differences of religious opinions—peaceful differences of religious opinions, that is. He praised the Lutheran faith and let it be known that he had been trained at the University in Wittenberg himself. He praised the Catholic Church for having spread the word of Christ around the world in the first place, and noted that even when they found themselves in error, they were just men doing what they believed was God's will. He praised the Anabaptists and the Calvinists, pointing out the many beliefs that were still shared by all of the differing Christian denominations. Then, he added, "If you want to be a Christian in your heart . . . if you find that you are being spoken to by the Holy Spirit inside you right here tonight . . . if you feel the need to spread the Word to the ends of the world, start in your church this Sunday!"

This was to be the central point of the revival. The intention was to get the converts they found to become more active in the official church of their own town in attendance and in giving. In this way, Chalker had reasoned that the established churches wouldn't be happy with them, but would find their offering plates filled so much more that they wouldn't know what to do about it.

The real continuation of the revival would be weeknight Bible studies held in the homes of the new converts to Pentecostalism. Just like the first century church, the Pentecostals planned on building their churches in the homes of the believers, and out of the prying eyes of the established religions.

Now finished with his opening, Fischer again turned the service back over to Sister Jennifer and her choir for the more emotional, gospel song portion of their service. Several of these songs were choreographed to be sing-along, and the rest of the Grantville church members who weren't in the blue choir robes or purple band outfits, were dressed in scarlet robes handing out flyers with the words and verses on them so the new visitors could follow along.

Again, Fischer took command of the service, "You can only die once if you are born twice."

Striding rapidly to the front edge of the altar, he continued, "In Revelations, Chapter Two, Verse Eleven, it is written, 'He who overcometh shall not be hurt by the second death. You can only die once if you are born twice.'"

Holding up his Bible as he hurried to the other side, he thundered, "Are you saved tonight? Are you safe from the second death? Who is to know when Christ will come? Are you guaranteed a tomorrow?

"The Lord wants you to know that he feels your pain. The Lord is talking to me tonight!" A number of the Grantville church members in scarlet and choir members in blue raised their right hands to the sky and shouted out, "Praise to the Lord!" and "You tell them, Preacher!"

Fischer lowered the Bible to his side, and turned his head quizzically, "What's that, Lord? There's someone here tonight who is hurt and needs to be healed?" Then, in a louder voice, he called out, "Is there someone here tonight who has broken a limb? Maybe you can't quite get the work out of it that you used to?"

Peering out into the crowd, shading his eyes from the spotlights that continued to track his movements on the altar, Fischer saw a movement. It was an older woman. As she made her way to the aisle, a church member ran over to her and helped her walk up to the stairs. Fischer came down to her and helped her up and asked who she was and what was her problem.

Anna was suffering from arthritis, she said and when she had heard that the Great Reverend Fischer was coming to town and had the power to heal the sick, she knew that God was sending him for her. As Fischer smiled and hugged Anna, encouraging her to continue to share her life story, he could practically feel the emotional response of the gathering before him.

"Anna, do you
believe
? Do you
believe
that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost have the power to make a true believer well?"

With tears beginning to stream down her face, Anna cried out, "Yes, Reverend! I believe, I believe!"

"Anna, do you
believe
that you have to be born twice so as to only die once?"

"Yes, Reverend!" Dropping to her knees before Fischer, she pulled his hand holding the Bible to her cheek and cried out, "Please, help me, I believe, I believe, I believe."

Looking up at Fischer's face, Anna was startled to see a pale white scar almost jump out from the normal skin color of his forehead and for a moment, thought she saw fire gleaming in his eyes.

Handing off his microphone to a church member who appeared at his side, Fischer placed his other hand on the afflicted shoulder and lowered his head. "Then, Anna, the power of the Holy Ghost is already inside you. It has heard your cry and in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ,
you are healed
!"

Fischer pulled his hand off her shoulder, raised it over his head then slapped it back down tightly around Anna's arthritic shoulder.

Screaming, Anna slumped to the ground. As Fischer knelt down to help her up, she screamed again, "
I'm healed
! My arm, my shoulder, they are no longer locked."

Anna jumped up, and flapped her arms up and down, all the time crying out her thanks to the Lord and Reverend Fischer for having cured her. In the congregation, you could have heard a pin drop. Many just stood there dumbfounded, but as Anna made her way back to her seat, others started to come forward with their own disabilities.

Taking back his microphone, Fischer looked out at the congregation still standing in shock throughout the tent and the courtyard outside. "Are you ready to accept the power that the Lord shows you tonight? Are you ready to pledge your life to your Lord? Are you ready to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit in your heart? Then come to this altar tonight. Come and be born again. Come and accept the second birth and be confident in your eternal life!"

Many were healed that first night. Many more came forward to accept the invitation that Fischer offered. Fischer turned none away, but made sure the credit was given to the Holy Spirit and It's power in the individual life, so no one could say that Fischer was a miracle healer himself. Some, who came up with missing legs or severe wounds, were disappointed when Fischer told them that they were not to be cured that night, but that the Lord had a different plan for using that injury to His will.

Finally, at the end of the service, Fischer pointed to the courtyard outside, "Now, tonight's revival is over. But, we'll have Elder Johann Friedrich and his team of church members outside at foot washing stations to help you shake off the dust of your old life. We'll have church members there to hear your needs and to add you to our prayer list. We'll have church members there as long as we need to go to make sure that when you travel home tonight you know that you are safe from the second death.

"Just do one thing for me, though." Fischer placed his right hand over his heart. "The spirit has told me he has great things planned for you. Yes, you! If you will only surrender to His will. We will be here every night for the rest of the week and maybe the revival will continue into the week after that. If you truly want to become a spirit-filled prayer warrior here tonight, place your right hand over your heart like I'm doing now."

As seemingly everyone in the crowd placed their hands over their hearts, Fischer continued, "Now say it with me as we raise our hands to the sky, 'We are born twice, to die once.'"

The crowd took up the chant as Fischer repeated it, moving their right hands smoothly from their left breast to straight overhead. "Born twice . . . To die once!"

After several minutes and repetitions of this, Fischer wrapped up. "Now, join me in praying that the sinners present will return tomorrow. Join me in praying for the lost who are leaving here tonight at the risk of eternal damnation because they have hardened their hearts to the word of God. Join me in praying that they might have just one more chance to come to the loving Savior. As you rise up in the morning, join me in praying that the men and women who need to hear His Word will find their way to our gathering.

"Now, I am not going to dismiss, because the revival is ongoing. Bring a neighbor with you when you come back tomorrow night. Come back praying and expecting great things. Since I am not closing in prayer, lets sing our way out the door.

"Sister Jennifer. Lead us off into 'Amazing Grace' if you would." The musicians fell silent, and the clear voice of the song leader started with the words "Amazing Grace . . . " which was picked up by the congregation as they passed into the night.

April 1634, Grantville, State of Thuringia-Franconia, United States of Europe

"Has Jen heard anything from Roy about how people over at Fulda are taking the outcome of the election?" Belle spooned drippings over the top of the lamb shank roast while Susannah finished draining the Swiss chard pot liquor. The fresh baked biscuits and steamed carrots were already on the table as was the tossed salad. "I was talking to Marc Kronzburg. He was very excited that Franconia voted to join the state."

Susannah shook her head. "She hasn't said anything. Jen's not really interested in politics. Ready, Belle?"

Sybella nodded.

"Okay, boys! Soup's on!" Susannah called out as she finished ladling her greens into the serving bowl. "How can it be that almost two years have gone past since the first time I called these friends to this table with those words?"

Belle laughed. "Time flies. Pete was just so excited to find an unopened jar of mint jelly after all these years. He said we were going to 'freak out' on just how good this stuff tastes on lamb."

By the time the ladies placed their loads on the dining room table, Belle's children, Tony and Vicky had, as usual, found their places and tucked their napkins into their collars. Susannah called the men for the second time, "Pete, Dieter, Anton, get in here right now before we throw it all to the hogs!"

"Mama, I'll eat it," Tony cried out as his face signaled to one and all that he didn't want to be passed over for some smelly pigs.

Susannah was barely able to avoid laughing out loud as she said, "Tony, you and Vicky are the hogs we might just have to throw it to!"

Six-year-old Vicky was very upset at this, "Aunt Su-Su, I ain't no hog!"

"No, you're my little piggy and don't you forget it!" Anton said as he rounded the doorway holding their newest addition, one-month-old Michael Magdeburg Beyer. Anton just beamed with pride at his little girl and her prissy little personality. Truthfully, he beamed with pride over his entire family, wife and children included. They had experienced a very big turnaround in their fortunes since fleeing burning Magdeburg three years ago.

With Pete taking his place at the head of the table, and Fischer in his usual position at the foot, they all sat as Dieter said grace.

"Let me make the first toast," Pete announced, raising his wine glass. When the others raised theirs, he continued, "To our wonderful Reverend and friend, Der Fischer! May he save as many souls as there are stars in the sky!"

"Hear, hear! To Der Fischer!" Anton clinked his glass against Fischer's and the others. "I don't know what a revival was up-time, but I do know that nothing like this has been seen in this world since Paul was taken into Roman captivity."

"Thank you all. I've been blessed with good fortune and the wonderful mentoring of Reverend Chalker and the love and support of all my friends here in this church. I'm just the messenger for what you all are doing," Fischer responded before draining his glass. "You know, I feel funny being here tonight and not at Bible study.

Pete smiled, "I'm sure Johann will do fine. If we're going to expect laymen to start teaching Bible studies in all the towns we're about to move into, we've got to start learning how to do it here."

Johann Friedrich was a member of the Elder Class of 1633 who worked as a caregiver at Manning Assisted Living Center.

Conversation continued as dinner was served. Little Michel fell back to sleep in his mother's arms. Miracle of miracles, Tony and Vicky failed to get into a food fight with the lettuce salad.

"So, Fischer, where's the tour taking you next?" Pete asked between bites.

"Reverend Chalker believes we should schedule along the rail line to Magdeburg first, one revival stop per week. That way, the choir and roadies can have enough time to rest between stops, and we can have the time to work with our newly recruited Bible study group leaders here at the church in between. Sister Jennifer and Brother Slater believe they can find enough substitutes to cover for cast and crew members who can't take that much time off from their regular jobs." Fischer cut a second helping of lamb for his plate before continuing, "With this schedule, Reverend Chalker believes we should be able to build towards a big event crowd in Magdeburg by late April or early May. That depends on how close the rail company keeps to their construction schedule, of course.