Woodcutter's Revival (17 page)

“Sustained.”

“How do you know how long Mr. Taylor was home?”

“I saw him come in. I looked at the clock and it was about five after six. I heard him up in his room getting ready for supper, like he usually does. He washes his face and hands.”

“What was the next thing you heard?”

“Stewart came running down the steps, shouting for help. I woke up and watched where he went. He ran over to the construction site. A minute later, I saw Officer Nelson arresting him. It was so quick; there was no time for a fight. It had to have already happened.”

“How do you know the fight had not already happened and he came home for an alibi?”

“His shirt was clean when he came in, except for dirt from the construction site. He later got his shirt bloody attempting to help Mr. Erickson.”

Stewart was called to testify. He recounted how he saw the incident from his room. That was when he ran out. He identified the Knapp bothers as the attackers. Finally, Mr. Peterson asked, “Had you seen these men before?”

Stewart said, “I saw them, Mr. Townsend and Mr. Connor talking at a café about a week before the attack.”

Mr. Peterson handed a copy of the arrest report to Stewart. “Have you ever seen this?”

“No.”

“It was not filled out that evening with Officer Nelson?”

“No, he turned me over to the jailer and said, ‘That is the end of my shift. I will see you tomorrow.'”

“Your honor, it is too bad Officer Nelson is not here to verify the validity of this arrest report. By the date, it appears to have been completed the next morning, as the Knapp brothers were added as witnesses.”

“Objection, your Honor. Is the defense testifying?”

“Overruled, you may proceed.”

“Your honor, the defense moves to strike this report as invalid, since the officer was not called to validate it, and they did not even find the witnesses or talk to them that night, prior to their own arrests.”

“I will take that under advisement.”

At that moment, there was a commotion at the back of the court room. Sven was awake and being wheeled into the courtroom in a wheel chair. Judge Baldini exclaimed, “Order in the court or I will have this room cleared!”

“Your Honor, the defense would like to call Mr. Erickson to the stand.”

“Objection, the people have not been advised of this witness.”

“Overruled, Mr. Erickson may be sworn in.”

Sven was sworn in. “Mr. Erickson, did Mr. Taylor attack you or, to the best of your knowledge, have any reason to assault you?”

“No, it vas dose two,” Sven replied, pointing at the Knapp brothers. “One vas talking to me from der front, vile de udder snuck around und hit me from behind. I turned chust in time to see him swingin' der vooden plank. See, der gash ist right here across der side of my head.”

Mr. Peterson came to his feet, “Your honor, I move the charges against my client be dropped. I also request that a special prosecutor be called to investigate the connection between Mr. Connor and the Knapp brothers.”

Judge Baldini exclaimed, “The Court finds insufficient evidence to proceed to trial! The matter of calling a special prosecutor is beyond my jurisdiction. Case dismissed!”

All the observers in the court room cheered, except the Knapp brothers, Mr. Conner and Big Jim. Mr. Conner had some heated words for the Knapp brothers; although he was not loud enough for others to hear what was said. Townsend had already walked out. He looked at Big Jim and they shrugged their shoulders offering a disgusted look as if they were the victims.

James extended his hand to Mr. Conner, who did not extend his. James said, “This isn't over.”

Conner retorted, “You're just a fart in a skillet, some Johnny-come-lately, out to make a name for himself.”

“We'll see.”

Stewart could not hug Sven because of the wheel chair and bandages. They shook each other's hands and grasped their left hands across the top of their right hands. Stewart said, “I prayed a lot for you.”

Sven replied, “I know you did boy. Der doctor said it vas a miracle, especially dat first night dat I lived. He says I am doing fine. Chust need rest.”

“Will you go back to Townsend's?”

“I don't tink dey vant me. I vould not go back anyway. Dare are a lot of construction jobs in dis town.”

Stewart suggested, “Let's keep in touch. You know where I am.”

“I vill, boy! I vill.”

That night Stewart read: “I prayed to the Lord and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy, no shadow on their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and He listened; He saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; He surrounds and defends all who fear Him.”

Stewart prayed, “Thank you, Lord for protecting and defending me. You satisfy all my needs and take away all my fears. I have one more concern. I will not call it a fear, but I will probably need a job.“

Stewart decided to go to church on Sunday. He regretted that he had not been looking for a church since he left home. Then he remembered the verse, “Where two or more are gathered in My name, I am among them.” Stewart thought, “Michael and I were in church several times a week, not just on Sunday.”

Stewart asked Ma Peterson where they went to church. She told him the times of services and gave him directions on how to get there. He asked, “What denomination is the church?”

Ma Peterson chuckled a little. “I have not heard anybody ask about the denomination for some time now. It is non-denominational.”

He thought out loud, “Well, it's worth looking into.”

As Stewart entered the church building, he observed the people going in to worship. Everybody seemed happy and friendly. Several people greeted him warmly. He noticed that not everybody looked the same as him. There was a Chinese family in the pew in front of him. There were several families that were either former slaves or descendents of slave families. He also heard some Scandinavian accents and a different family that appeared to be Hispanic, consisting of several generations.

He enjoyed the music as the opening hymns were
Amazing Grace
and
It is Well with My Soul
- his absolute favorite hymns in the world. The emotion of worshipping in a church building with an organ player, combined with the long absence from formal church; the friendliness of the congregation members; the joy of Sven's recovery; and, the charges being dropped made it impossible for Stewart to conceal his tears of joy.

The preacher stood up and smiled, as he motioned the congregation to take their seats. “Today, I want to conclude my sermon on
Radical Christianity
.” Do you remember what the word 'radical' means? Radix is the word for 'root.' Radical means going back to the original meaning of what we learn and do. Radical also means reform that goes back to the roots. It is chopping out a bad tree by the roots, rather than constantly raking the leaves. To eradicate is to take something out by the roots. We are not Protestant. We are pre-Protestant Christians!

“I want to keep politics out of the church, but when you discuss something with somebody and they do not agree, they may resort to labeling you rather than discussing the issues. Even in this great land of ours, people will still attempt to dominate your thoughts, try to convince you to think like them and even control or suppress you if you think differently.

“If you disagree politically, they will label you progressives, muckrakers, reformers, radical, and the dreaded - socialist. They will hide behind Democrat, Republican, Liberal, and Conservative. What is the answer in these trying times? Go back nineteen hundred years. What did Jesus say? Was Jesus Catholic, Mormon, Methodist, capitalist, or socialist? There are some truths, although partial truths in all of these philosophies and religions.

“I won't attempt to tell you the difference between philosophy and religion - they are too similar. Jesus said, ‘Your treasure is where your hearts is.' James said, ‘Out of the abundance of your heart, your tongue speaks.' That which you worship will be your god. That which you think is serving you, is your master.

“I can tell you the difference between religion and faith. Religion is making God into our desired image of Him through rules, regulations and traditions of men, and ‘good' living. Religion keeps more people from God than any other man-made institution. Faith is reaching out to God as a sinner and asking for forgiveness. It is asking Him to dwell in your heart and, through the Holy Spirit, inspiring and empowering you to live beyond your abilities and limitations.”

“Amen! Preach it, Brother!”

“Did Jesus talk about politics? Did He talk about social reform? Did He address the worker and employer relationship? You tell me. I will share a few passages. On being radical, He said your life should reflect your faith. James, one twenty-two through twenty five says, ‘Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.' Do what it says. ‘Anyone who listens to the word but does not do it is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does.'

“So, 'Do the Word!' What are some other examples? Proverbs thirty-one eight and nine says, 'Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the right of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.'

“Do not love money. Paul tells us in First Timothy, chapter six, verse ten, 'The love of money is the root of all evil.'

“About the employee-employer relationship, James says:

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.

“Bosses and company owners, learn what James had to say about how to treat your employees. There will be no need for people to organize. Bad management makes good unions. There will be no need to control peoples' free choice. They will follow you gladly.

“Workers, Colossians says, ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.' Work to receive your reward from God. Work the same when your boss is watching as when he isn't because God sees all.

“Was Jesus a tax reformer? In His time, tax gatherers were some of the most corrupt people around. They were used as an example with prostitutes, drunkards, gluttons, and other people of questionable character. On two occasions people tried to test Him to see if He was a tax evader, or if He would call down the supernatural to reform the system. On one occasion, He simply asked, ‘whose picture is on the coin?'

“They said, ‘Caesar.'

“He replied, ‘Give unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar. Give unto God that which belongs to Him.' God wants the hearts of men and women.

“The other time, a disciple asked Him if they should pay taxes. Jesus told him to go catch a fish, look in his mouth and retrieve the coin. ‘Then pay taxes for you and Me.'

“In closing, don't try to change people. Don't label them if they think differently than you. Change your mind. Be radical. Seek to understand before you attempt to make somebody understand you.

“He wants you to renew your mind. Paul, in Romans twelve, one and two, said, ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and prove what God's will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will.'”

On his walk home, Stewart thought, “These are the things Michael and I discussed so often. How can I live them?”

When he returned to the boarding house, James Peterson was there for Sunday dinner. He told Stewart that he had drafted a letter to the governor requesting a special prosecutor in the connection of Mr. Connor, the Knapp brothers and the Pinkerton agency.

Stewart asked, “Do you think it will get anywhere?”

“Not unless we try. These people are so brazen about their feelings of entitlement that whether we can stop them or not, we need to put some public pressure on them. I have given a copy of my letter to the press, too.”

“Well, we tried.”

“Besides, Stewart, Governor Dan Mitchells is anti-union. There is talk that he made his fortune ripping-off an employee fund when he was working in the private sector. If the legislature does not stop him, he will sell off public land set aside for conservation and recreation. He says the state could benefit from the sales, and publicly owned property is Socialism. From his record, we know who would benefit from the sales.”

James continued, “Fortunately, the Federal government will not let him sell federal property. Yes, Stewart, there is one other thing I want to talk to you about.”

Ma Peterson gave James a look to indicate he was getting a little close to overstepping his bounds in further discussion of business on Sunday. “I am sorry Aunt Irene, this is really not business. It is something personal.”

“Alright, I suppose.”

“Stewart, you are looking for a job, aren't you?”

“Yes, I don't think Townsend will be asking me to come back, especially since we implicated him in the corruption charges.”