A swirl of steam from Joseph’s coffee rose from his mug as he sipped the beverage, sitting in a hickory rocker in Bishop Judah Hostettler’s home. Or rather his son Joshua’s home. Bishop Hostettler and his wife occupied the one of the small dawdi hauser connected to the large main house. Joshua’s aged in-laws occupied the other small dawdi haus.
Joseph briefly wondered what it would have been like to grow up in a district such as this. They still valued the same things: God, family, and community, but there was an element of grace that had been missing from his former district. The People here seemed happier, freer. Yet at the same time, they had a set of rules and traditions, or perhaps a common bond of faith, woven together by love.
“So, you were raised Amish, you say?” Judah Hostettler asked.
“Swartzentruber.” Joe nodded.
“I see.”
Joseph swallowed hard. He admitted to himself that he was nervous, although he’d been assured he didn’t need to be. “I have been excommunicated.”
Judah nodded. “I see.”
“Uh…I wouldn’t repent.” Joe clarified, slowly finding his voice. “They had a lot of rules – unnecessary rules, I’d thought. But I was shunned because I went to the Englisch authorities on a matter.”
Judah’s eyebrows lifted. “What was this matter?”
“My aldi. Her brother was a very depraved man. He did things to her that he shouldn’t have. I went to the elders and they put a restriction on him, but other than that, nothing was done. This man was wicked and he needed to be dealt with.” A bead of sweat formed on his brow as he explained the situation. “I didn’t want to see Mary violated. No person should have to live in fear in their own home. In the place that’s supposed to be a safe haven. I figured going to the Englisch was better than me killing him – which is probably what would have happened eventually.” Heat rose in his veins as he remembered Mary’s wicked brother.
“This man, the brother, he went to jail?”
“No. Mary ended up dying in an accident before she could testify. The case was dismissed. They said they could not prosecute without a witness. As far as I know, he still lives in Bishop Burkholder’s district.”
A scowl crossed the bishop’s face. It seemed as though he shared Joseph’s thoughts. “You did the right thing, son.”
“I did?” He’d always thought it was the right thing. What else could he have done – turn a blind eye like everyone else? But hearing a bishop say the words gave Joseph’s actions validation.
“I believe I would have done the same thing.”
Joe released a contented breath. “So, if I decide to join this district, I will have a good standing?” Joseph’s hopeful expression caused the Judah to smile.
“Most definitely.” Judah’s countenance then sobered. “Of course, there are certain tenets that you must adhere to. I will have my minister, Jonathan, give you a copy of our creed. Our Ordnung. If you agree to it, then we will proceed with your membership.”
“Will my membership be transferable?”
“Were you wanting to join here or in one of the other districts I oversee?”
“I’m unsure yet.”
“I see. Your membership will be transferable to any of the districts I oversee. Our doctrine is one and the same.”
Joseph agreed, ready to take the next step in becoming a member.
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“You are awesome!”
Joseph stared at Minister Fisher with his mouth agape. He’d never heard any Amish leader speak this way before. “I am?”
“You’d better believe it. Do you know how many people have the courage to stand up and do the right thing? Not very many. Most folks are concerned with themselves and how it will affect them. But you – you stood up for what was right even though you knew you would probably be facing the Bann.” Jonathan held out his hand for Joe to shake. “You left everything for the sake of the truth and right.”
“Jah, I guess I did.”
“Maybe you’ll be the next bishop of this district. Of course, God’s the one that does the choosing. But after Judah leaves us, which I hope is a long way off. I love that man – he’s my father-in-law, you know – just don’t tell him I said that, the love part. He’ll give me a hard time for sure and for certain.” Jonathan grinned.
“Okay, I won’t.” Joe still experienced a bit of nervousness, although Jonathan was easygoing.
“Now, Judah sent you to me because you want to become part of the flock. Am I correct?”
“Jah.”
Minister Fisher seemed to compose his relaxed demeanor some. “First things first. If you were to die right now, are you certain sure you’d go to Heaven?”
This question certainly wasn’t what Joe was expecting. But, then again, nothing in this district had been as he’d suspected. And he found himself liking it. He thought on Jonathan’s question. “I can’t say I am sure. I mean, I hope that I’ll get into Heaven. Besides being shunned and falsely accused for things I didn’t do, I don’t think I’ve been too bad.”
“So, you believe you’ve been pretty good?”
Joseph nodded.
“Just a minute.”
Joseph watched in confusion as Jonathan walked out of the room. He returned shortly with an old, dirty tooth brush in his hand. He held the toothbrush out to Joe. “Here, go brush your teeth with this.”
Joseph’s mouth hung open. “What?”
“Brush your teeth.”
Joe shook his head, thinking Minister Fisher must be ab im kopp. “I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“Because. That toothbrush is disgusting. I wouldn’t want to stick that dirty thing in my mouth.” Joseph cringed at the deplorable thought.
“Why is it that you, being a mere man, will not accept a dirty toothbrush, but you expect a holy and perfect God to accept your filthy rags?”
“I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”
Jonathan nodded. He reached for a Bible on the end table next to his chair, then opened it up. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…” He turned to another place. “There is none righteous, no, not one.” He set the Bible down. “When you offer your good works – or righteousness – to God, he sees it as a filthy rag.”
“He does?”
“Yep.” He opened his Bible again. “Look at this. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…” Jonathan flipped to another passage. “For by grace are ye saved though faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Joseph scratched his head as the truths Jonathan was sharing dawned on him. “So, if I get to Heaven by being good – which is impossible – then I would have something to boast about.”
Jonathan clapped his hands together. “That’s right. God doesn’t want us bragging about ourselves, He alone deserves glory. But even more shocking is this verse here: I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. You see, if we could simply get to Heaven by being good enough, then Jesus Christ would have died for nothing. And trying to get to Heaven by our own works is an insult to God. I say that because he has offered us a free gift: full payment for our sins through the blood of Jesus. Bringing our filthy rags to God as payment for our sins is rejecting God’s perfect sacrifice.”
“Oh, wow! I never thought of it that way. That means that Jesus is the only way to Heaven.”
“Bull’s eye. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me,” he quoted John fourteen verse six.
Joseph laughed. “I think you can put your dirty toothbrush away now. I won’t be needing it.”
“Good, I hoped not. I hate looking at that thing. It’s gross.”