Read Online A Baby for Hannah by Jerry S. Eicher - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jerry S. Eicher
Ads: Link
can’t carry all the weight of the world’s burdens, Jake.”
“I have to carry the ones that are my fault.”
“This wasn’t your fault, Jake. Believe me, it wasn’t.”
“I wish it were that easy. Bishop John wants to discipline Will, maybe make him do a church confession. He said we can’t have people disrespecting the ministry like that.”
“It was disrespectful. But I don’t know about discipline. That could make things worse. And poor Rebecca. She already took it hard enough the way it is.”
“I know,” Jake said. “And there are their two children to think of. I don’t think it’s good for young boys to see their fathers in trouble with the church.”
“Maybe Bishop John will accept a private apology—if you ask him to?”
“I already said that, but I guess we will have to see. Will might not even back down that far. And with that Mennonite revival coming, well, it could just pick off any of our discontented members.”
“They are the only reason Will is acting up,” Hannah said.
“Do you really think so?”
“I do. And isn’t there something that can be done about that? Can’t you go to the Mennonite leaders, whoever they are, and speak with them? Surely Ben Stoll would know who they are. You could ask them to call this meeting off.”
Jake laughed dryly. “I don’t think that would work from what I’ve heard. There’s this movement sweeping across the Mennonite communities right now, and a lot of them are into this kind of thing. I don’t think they’ll stop just because the people they want to convert object.”
“Convert? That’s sounds awful. What are we supposed to convert to?”
Jake shrugged, “It’s a good word—if what you are converting to is good.”
“You wouldn’t ever convert, would you, Jake?”
He laughed, slapping the reins. “Now, why do you ask that?”
“Well, you’re a really gut preacher. My guess is they’d put you right to work preaching all over the country in a fancy new car they might even buy for you themselves!”
Jake shook his head, laughing again. “You are full of strange ideas, Hannah. But don’t worry, I’m not converting to their way of doing things.”
“Are you going to attend the meetings? You said once you wanted to see what goes on.”
“I was teasing,” Jake said, turning up their driveway. “I have no plans to go.”
“What does Bishop John say about people going? Is he going to forbid it?”
“We talked about that,” Jake said, allowing Mosey to walk up the hill toward the cabin. “He wants a rule against any attendance, and Mose feels the same way.”
“And you?”
“I don’t know. I’m afraid it will be perceived as too harsh and it might backfire.”
“But what if people go? From the talk today, I’d say Will is going to drag Rebecca there whether she wants to go or not.”
“It’s the end result we have to keep in mind. The summer will be over in a few months, the Mennonites will be gone, and we will have to live with ourselves.”
“So you will defy Bishop John’s opinion?” Hannah asked, her hand shaking a bit on Jake’s arm.
He turned, a weak smile on his face. “I just gave my opinion. Bishop John can do what he wants.”
“You know he wouldn’t want to go against your opinion. Can’t you tell him you’ve changed your mind? Betty thinks it’s time for harsh measures with all the trouble we’re having.”
“It’s always time to do what’s right,” Jake said, pulling to a stop in front of the barn.
Hannah climbed down and took the tugs off of her side of the buggy, holding the shafts while Jake led Mosey forward. She watched him disappear into the barn before she walked toward the house. Jake was always right and had a way of saying things that made one shut one’s mouth. Still, Betty wouldn’t be convinced, but Hannah had done her duty. She had advised Jake not to be soft on Will.
Jake was taking an awful risk in holding to a different stand than Bishop John.
“I have to carry the ones that are my fault.”
“This wasn’t your fault, Jake. Believe me, it wasn’t.”
“I wish it were that easy. Bishop John wants to discipline Will, maybe make him do a church confession. He said we can’t have people disrespecting the ministry like that.”
“It was disrespectful. But I don’t know about discipline. That could make things worse. And poor Rebecca. She already took it hard enough the way it is.”
“I know,” Jake said. “And there are their two children to think of. I don’t think it’s good for young boys to see their fathers in trouble with the church.”
“Maybe Bishop John will accept a private apology—if you ask him to?”
“I already said that, but I guess we will have to see. Will might not even back down that far. And with that Mennonite revival coming, well, it could just pick off any of our discontented members.”
“They are the only reason Will is acting up,” Hannah said.
“Do you really think so?”
“I do. And isn’t there something that can be done about that? Can’t you go to the Mennonite leaders, whoever they are, and speak with them? Surely Ben Stoll would know who they are. You could ask them to call this meeting off.”
Jake laughed dryly. “I don’t think that would work from what I’ve heard. There’s this movement sweeping across the Mennonite communities right now, and a lot of them are into this kind of thing. I don’t think they’ll stop just because the people they want to convert object.”
“Convert? That’s sounds awful. What are we supposed to convert to?”
Jake shrugged, “It’s a good word—if what you are converting to is good.”
“You wouldn’t ever convert, would you, Jake?”
He laughed, slapping the reins. “Now, why do you ask that?”
“Well, you’re a really gut preacher. My guess is they’d put you right to work preaching all over the country in a fancy new car they might even buy for you themselves!”
Jake shook his head, laughing again. “You are full of strange ideas, Hannah. But don’t worry, I’m not converting to their way of doing things.”
“Are you going to attend the meetings? You said once you wanted to see what goes on.”
“I was teasing,” Jake said, turning up their driveway. “I have no plans to go.”
“What does Bishop John say about people going? Is he going to forbid it?”
“We talked about that,” Jake said, allowing Mosey to walk up the hill toward the cabin. “He wants a rule against any attendance, and Mose feels the same way.”
“And you?”
“I don’t know. I’m afraid it will be perceived as too harsh and it might backfire.”
“But what if people go? From the talk today, I’d say Will is going to drag Rebecca there whether she wants to go or not.”
“It’s the end result we have to keep in mind. The summer will be over in a few months, the Mennonites will be gone, and we will have to live with ourselves.”
“So you will defy Bishop John’s opinion?” Hannah asked, her hand shaking a bit on Jake’s arm.
He turned, a weak smile on his face. “I just gave my opinion. Bishop John can do what he wants.”
“You know he wouldn’t want to go against your opinion. Can’t you tell him you’ve changed your mind? Betty thinks it’s time for harsh measures with all the trouble we’re having.”
“It’s always time to do what’s right,” Jake said, pulling to a stop in front of the barn.
Hannah climbed down and took the tugs off of her side of the buggy, holding the shafts while Jake led Mosey forward. She watched him disappear into the barn before she walked toward the house. Jake was always right and had a way of saying things that made one shut one’s mouth. Still, Betty wouldn’t be convinced, but Hannah had done her duty. She had advised Jake not to be soft on Will.
Jake was taking an awful risk in holding to a different stand than Bishop John.
Similar Books
