Samuel’s hand shook slightly as he hit enter, completing the transaction. He reflected for a moment on what he’d just done.
While researching he kept seeing references to “THE CRUMBLING FOUNDATION: A Critical Examination of the History and Teachings of The Word of God Foundation”, By Dr. James Kingsley. Kinglsey taught Philosophy and Religion at an East Coast college. Like most Disciples, Samuel knew of the book, but never read a single word until recently. Kingsley devoted his career to studying the Foundation, and publishing many articles and papers on the subject. The Crumbling Foundation was a compendium of all his research.
Some claimed that his parents may have been Disciples, later they became Forsakers. The Foundation did not ever comment on his criticism, and having never read his works, Samuel did not know. Disciples liked to talk about how he tore down every aspect of The Foundation’s Work, its leadership, the doctrine, even finances and administration. Kingsley, according to the Disciples, offered nothing positive.
Samuel now found it funny that all these people knew so much about a book they never read. But Area Servants, speakers from New Jerusalem, and articles in the Study Guide encouraged that attitude by repeatedly warning about the dangers of reading critical articles by false religious leaders, and worse, Forsakers.
He knew he wanted to read the book, but the library didn’t have it. It took him two days to work out a way to get his hands on the book without Judith discovering it. He ordered it from Amazon and had it sent to his work address. As soon as he completed the checkout, he called Irene at the front desk.
“I just ordered something personal from Amazon and had it sent here. Just let me know when it arrives and I’ll come up and get it.”
“Surprise for the wife I hope.”
“Yes, I’m sure it will surprise her.”
**
The midweek Gathering the week following Commemoration contained a last minute part, passed on directly to Caleb Larson, or so he claimed in his opening comments. He started by noting the Foundation prided itself on not asking for money. Donations were always voluntary. This was not strictly true, since 2008 The Foundation had issued general requests for money on at least three occasions.
Local Gatherings found themselves asking for money regularly. The rules required an accounting report every month. In most places, East Spokane included, these invariably ended asking for funds to cover a shortfall. Area and Grand Gatherings also heard an expense report for the convention. These always included money sent to New Jerusalem. Until now, Samuel had never questioned those expenses. He now knew he needed to look into this.
Tonight’s direct appeal felt and sounded different. The world headquarters asking for money marked a major shift in how it did business. Were sales of literature falling too low to support the Foundation? Maybe a change in the business outlook drove the changes Rodgers hinted at in his Commemoration night speech.
So Caleb stood before the entire Gathering and read a letter begging for funds. No one appeared to have a problem with this. He saw heads nodding all around him. Of course, New Jerusalem needed money how else would they fund the end of the world?
After the Gathering, Matt Edwards found him among the chatting Disciples, and asked if they could have lunch. He wanted a chance to talk, nothing serious. Samuel quickly agreed, they worked within a mile of each other and he’d wanted to talk since Commemoration. He wanted to sound out Matt and see what he thought.
**
The two men met the following day at a burger place between their employers businesses. For two or three minutes they exchange small talk about families and children. After their server took their orders, Samuel asked Matt what was on his mind.
“Well,” Matt started and stopped. His face showed his struggle with words and emotions. After a few seconds he started up again. “I hope we’re speaking confidentially. I don’t know who else I can talk to.”
“Go ahead. I can keep this between us.” Suddenly he laughed, “Well unless you’ve committed a crime.”
“No crimes, just confusion.” He took a deep breath before plunging ahead. “I’m not sure how I feel about being a Disciple. I mostly don’t have a problem with what we believe, I never did understand hell or the trinity. I liked the idea of living in Paradise, those were all ideas that attracted me when I became a Disciple.”
“Excuse me for interrupting, but weren’t you baptized at that big Grand Gathering in Seattle in 2007.”
“The one where Rodgers announced we’d be in Paradise the next year? Yeah, Laura and I were baptized together there. I still want to believe that Paradise is coming soon, but I find it hard. And I just can’t stomach what’s going on in the Gathering these days.”
The two men talked through lunch, finding that they shared many of the same concerns. Gloria Lighthorse’s treatment especially upset him. He’d arranged the meeting in good faith to hear her concerns and then it all spun out of control. He wanted to help, he thought it was the right thing to do. Now between her parents and the Servants, she wanted nothing to do with Disciples.
“I liked Gloria. She was good with the kids. They loved her, she liked to read to them. I know it’s wrong but I thought of inviting her over to sit with them again. She won’t return my phone calls. Nobody treated her well.
“I’d think a Christian organization would treat people better.”
Samuel agreed, and asked what Matt wanted him to do.
“Listen to me I guess. I doubt there’s anything we can do. It’s not just Gloria, its lots of problems. To be honest, I’d probably quit going to Gathering and take some time to sort out my feelings. I don’t think Laura will let me.”
Samuel studied Matt’s face for a moment, and decided the man was being honest. For a moment, he’d wondered if Matt was a plant, an attempt to trap him saying something against The Word. He decided he didn’t care, if Matt was a spy, it was one more piece of evidence about the true nature of The Word.
“I’m wrestling with similar feelings. I can’t sort out if it’s me or my religion. Am I a bad Disciple or a good person? I don’t know any more.”
The two men talked so long, their server had to ask them to finish their meal, she had customers waiting. They apologized, paid the check and left. As they walked out into the spring sunshine, they agreed to meet again the following week. Both agreed they would benefit from talking together. They shook hands and walked away to their cars.
For the first time in a long while, Samuel felt at ease. He had someone to confide in. He went back to work where he tackled another big new training program, and for the first time in weeks didn’t think about religion until he got home.
**
Another meeting of the Servants, including those taking over at South Hill. Luke looked nervous as they all took their seats. He’d been busy and out of sight lately. The investigators from New Jerusalem had left, only to return a few days later. Neither Samuel nor any of the others knew why. After the usual prayer and introductory comments Luke started bringing them up to speed on events. What he said shocked the assembled Servants.
“The review of the South Hill Gathering is complete. New Jerusalem has removed all Servants, starting with Norm Halbert. Ricky is subject to restrictions in the Gathering. I can’t tell you anything else about their disciplinary cases.
“The Foundation may pay some money to the young woman that complained. We do not admit responsibility, or even that anything happened to them. We…”
“I don’t believe it, The Foundation is paying these tramps hush money,” Sergei Ivanov snapped.
“I wouldn’t call it that,” Luke tried to respond, “We have much larger issues. The Apostles plan to introduce a new program at the Grand Gatherings this summer, they need to concentrate on that. They need all of us to focus on it. We can’t have Outsiders creating trouble, which they will, if possible.”
“It’s hush money,” Sergei asserted again, “I don’t like it.”
“Well we don’t have any choice. New Jerusalem decided what to do.”
“Is this why New Jerusalem needs money?”
That was the question Samuel wanted to ask, but didn’t have the nerve. The questioner was Benjamin Oldendorf, probably the least imaginative man in the room. No one would think for a second that he harbored doubts about The Word. Luke hesitated for a second.
“I don’t think so. The letter went to every Gathering in the world.” Another hesitation. “From what I understand, the proposed settlement is small. The request from New Jerusalem involves getting this new program off the ground.
“And no, don’t ask. I don’t know what it is.”
Luke concluded quickly. The current Servant arrangements would remain in place for a few weeks. Luke said he would spend the next two or three weeks visiting all the Gatherings, to try to recover from the disruption created by the shuffling of positions. After that, he hoped it would all settle down through the summer Grand Gatherings.
As the men filed out of the Gathering House, Samuel asked Luke one more question quietly. Did the proposed settlement of the legal issues include Gloria Lighthorse?
“Why should it? She’s effectively Cast-out. She’s a minor and her parents have already said they will obey the scriptural rule not to take Disciples to Outsider courts, and there was a determination that Ricky did nothing wrong.”
“Maybe it should include her. Ricky hurt her too.”
“She’ll get unhurt if she humbles herself, and displays remorse to her review committee. You should know that.”
Luke looked around to see if anybody else could hear them talking.
“Look,” he said in an undertone, “the Halbert mess runs all the way up to the Apostles. Big things are about to take place, this isn’t the time for trouble. It needs to come to an end, and quickly.”
With that, he turned for the door, leaving Samuel wondering.
Armageddon’s Slaves © Jeffrey Thomas All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. All events and characters are
products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living
or dead is purely coincidental
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