Dawn broke over the horizon on a clear Sunday morning, and sunlight shined down upon the people. Most quarters of Adams were empty, as they had all agreed to make Sunday a day of rest even though this was not the tradition of all. By ones and twos, by threes and fours they all left their homes and made their way to the church. Although all had not been raised with this tradition either, they had all adopted it. For it was far more than just a religious service to them, and Jacob’s comments held far more meaning than mere observance of the transient forms of any particular religion. The First Unitarian Church of God on the Plains was a place where threads of many colors were knit into a single community, and every heart found hope and encouragement in Jacob’s words.
The people greeted one another as they walked down the streets, making their way westwards and thus recreating the journey that brought them all together. But this pleasant conversation usually came to a halt once they passed through the portal of Jacob’s church, as it was a moving sight to behold inspiring awe, silence, and contemplation. It now looked quite different than it did on the day it was first consecrated. It had to be enlarged, for one thing, as Jacob had not counted on the people coming in such large numbers. But many hands made that work pass quickly. The windows were put in by very skilled artists, and the stained glass scenes inspired much reverence and reflection. The hymnals in their pews could not be found in any other church, as Jacob had enlisted the help of many musicians and composers in producing a completely new one. The songs in it were drawn from the traditions of Cassius’ folk and many others represented in their community. Indeed, it had become a church unlike any other.
76Soon the sanctuary was so full it seemed as if the people would have to climb up to the rafters in order to find more room. At a nod from Jacob, Two Rivers walked up to the pulpit to issue the call to worship. The murmur of quiet conversation was hushed as Two Rivers, unaccompanied, began the service with a traditional chant of his people. There were no words, as the chant was intended to communicate that which transcended the power of mere words to describe. The hush continued after he was after he was finished. All who heard the chant were convinced that it was important, that it meant something, even though the sense of what exactly it meant escaped them. Two Rivers was seated, and Jacob stepped up to the pulpit to greet the people.
“Come, one and all, young and old, rich and poor. Every man, woman, and child; you are all welcome here. Come all who labor, here you shall find rest. Come all who mourn, here you shall find comfort. Come all who seek, here you shall find. Here we shall all share in our sorrows and our triumphs, together. Here let us gather to take one another by the hand, to lift one another. Let us worship.”
There was a great deal of singing in the service. Jacob had always been a lover of music. Cassius sat in the front row and sang with such enthusiasm he put the choir to shame. He could read neither the words in the hymnal nor the musical notes, but he did not have to. He could feel the music. He could feel it in his heart, he could feel it in his bones, and he could feel it right down to the very core of his being. He could feel it in his soul. His fellows sometimes laughed at his expressive zeal, but these cool northerners always appreciated the warmth their southern comrade brought to their services. Jacob found his sermons punctuated by the occasional “Yes!” or “Amen!” or “Preach it Brother!” He also found himself quite glad to finally have confirmation that the audience is listening. The time for music passed, and Jacob returned to the pulpit to begin the sermon.
“Brothers and sisters, we gather here in the shadow of a grave and growing darkness. We gather under the constant threat of danger, for the wolf is always at the door. The real danger does not come from the guns and knives of our enemy, for those things can only kill our bodies. The real threat is to our immortal souls. This threat stems from the message of our enemy. This is the message that the things of this physical and mundane world is all that there is. This is the message that worldly goods and prestige among our fellows will make us happy. This can never be, for those things are fleeting and of no ultimate consequence. To believe this lie is to cut off our souls from the anchor of meaning and drift alone and lost across the endless sea of nihilism.
“But I believe that we who gather here today have not fallen victim to that lie. I believe that we stand firm. We stand firm in the knowledge that we suffer, and that we will continue to suffer. For it is through strife that God creates, and it is through suffering that God teaches. If we seek to distract ourselves from this suffering through pretty little baubles or through mindless and meaningless entertainments, then surely our suffering has no meaning. But if we accept our suffering, if we seek to learn the lessons that it has to teach, then our suffering is quite meaningful. For then we may grow, we may transcend it, and we may offer our hand in friendship to our brothers and sisters who suffer with us. For truly the bonds formed by common trial are stronger than those forged of iron. I tell you the truth, who suffers the most, is who God loves the most, as it is through suffering that we are initiated into His service.
“We stand firm in the knowledge that if we do not all stand together then surely we shall all hang separately. It has ever been the strategy of rich and powerful men to divide and conquer. Our only hope of survival is to have courage. We must have the courage to look one another plainly in the eye, see that we are different, and to accept each another despite that difference. It matters not what name we call God by; be it Christ or Yahweh or the Great Father. It matters not whether we pray to the Holy Ghost or the Blessed Virgin. It matters not whether we pray in Hebrew, in Greek, in Latin, in German, or in English. It matters only that we do pray, and that we do call on God. For we are all beautiful, and we are all created in the image of God no matter how we are created. If God had wanted a world filled with machines all steaming along in lockstep then that is what He would have created. But he chose to create each of us just as unique and beautiful as a snowflake. Our strength, and our only hope as a people, is that we remain undivided. I tell you the truth; it is only by standing together as one nation, one family, one tribe, that we may ever hope to weather the coming storm.
“We stand firm in the knowledge that ours is a God of love. Nay, I spoke wrongly. We stand firm in the knowledge that God is Love. I tell you the truth; whenever you feel love for another, what you feel is God coming to dwell within your heart. Whenever you show love to another, then you show them the face of God. Surely God’s presence is among us for he dwells in every kind deed, in every kind word, and in the laughter of every child. If you seek meaning, then look to your left and to your right, for you need look no further than your neighbor. If you seek strength, then you should also look towards your neighbor. If you seek life, then you need look no further.
“Brothers and sisters, do you not see? Salvation lies not in any church or synagogue. It dwells not in holy wafers or stone tablets. It cannot be found by doing any good deeds or by living in accordance with any just laws. It is through love that we come to the law, not the other way around. God does not live in a church, He lives in our hearts. Heaven lies not in some far-off land beyond the clouds, Heaven is in your heart. Salvation lies in embracing one another. For by embracing one another, we embrace love. And if we embrace love in this life, then Love will embrace us in the next.”
At the conclusion of the service, the congregation rose and joined hands for the benediction. Jacob bowed his head and folded his hands for the closing prayer.“Lord, we now leave this church of wooden walls to go forth into the real church, which is the world. We pray that whatever strength we have found here we will take with us as we return to the everyday struggle. Both the struggle for freedom as well as the greater struggle, which is the struggle within. The struggle to purify our hearts that we might live in accordance with Your spirit, which is love. We pray as we go walking back to our homes and our lives that you will walk with us that we might have a closer walk with Thee. In Your blessed and wonderful name we pray. Amen.”
At these closing words the bell began to ring and the choir began to sing. Ruth waved to Cassius to indicate she wished for him to join her in the choir. There were very few dry eyes in the congregation, and there was much embracing. Jacob went walking down the aisles and out the door. The congregation followed him, convinced now more than ever of the rightness of their decision to leave their old lives behind and follow him. The choir was singing them on their way. They began to clap their hands and sway back and forth; their voices filled with a new emotion. They sang as if they had only just discovered the joy of song. With Peter walking on his right and Two Rivers walking on his left, Jacob led a procession through the streets of Adams. The people walked closely behind them, so close to Heaven they felt as if they could reach up and touch it.