thing as it is our duty to tend with serious minds to our appointed tasks, Brother Henry and I enjoy a laugh now and again.”
“You seem to be always smiling,” Isaac said.
“In the world, a smile can oft turn away trouble. Especially for one such as myself. One who wishes to live in peace with all.”
“Trouble is not always so easily shed,” Isaac said.
“Perhaps not in the world, but if you can leave your grief behind and return to Harmony Hill with me, your troubles will become less burdensome. And there are our bountiful tables to consider.” Brother Asa raised his eyebrows at Isaac.
“How long would I have to stay?”
“There is no requirement for a period of time. All who come among us are free to stay or leave at any time. We hold none in bondage as some of the world do. The desire for true salvation is all that binds us.”
Isaac looked at the man in front of him and bit back his words of unbelief. There was no salvation. No God who cared what happened to Isaac. That was more than evident, else he and Ella would be happily building a new life out in the western territories.
Brother Asa must have read his mind. “Worry not, young brother. You are only required to listen. Your heart will be free to make its own decisions of the path you choose to follow, but I pray for a decision of joy for you and not one of worldly sorrow.”
“She’s only been gone a few months. Don’t you think I’m supposed to be sorrowful?”
“Indeed. In the world that may be so. But at Harmony Hill you will become a different person. The worldly Isaac will fade away and Brother Isaac who embraces peace will come forth. The sorrows of the world will be dead to you.”
“There are many ways to die.”
“And it seems you have pondered some of them. But the death of which I speak, the death to the world a Believer embraces, delivers one into a new life of abounding love from our Mother Ann and the Eternal Father as we give our hands to work and our hearts to God. That is the Believer’s way.” Brother Asa slowed his step and peered up at Isaac.
“Marian has told me it is a good way. At least for her.”
“Then it is settled. You will go with me when my business is concluded at the waterfront later today.”
Isaac hadn’t actually said he’d go with Brother Asa, but neither did he contradict the little man now and say he wouldn’t.
Brother Asa stopped in front of a shop and pulled money out of his pocket to buy a new set of clothes for Isaac. When the shopkeeper narrowed his eyes and stared long at Isaac’s face before turning them away, Brother Asa stuffed his money back in his pocket as he cheerfully claimed that Mother Ann must be guarding the Shaker coin.
“The clothes made by our sisters at Harmony Hill will serve you better than anything we might buy here.” He glanced back over his shoulder toward where the shopkeeper stood in the door staring after them. “He looks to be regretting turning away good coin.”
“Or only waiting until a policeman comes by to send a message to the judge.”
Isaac moderated his step to match the little man’s shorter stride even as he kept his eyes on the street ahead. The last few weeks he’d slipped back into the shadows whenever he spotted any of the watch. It just seemed the better part of wisdom to stay away from the law. A man with no place to lay his head was a vagrant, and other bums on the street warned him that vagrancy was oft considered a crime. A one-way ticket to the inside of a prison cell, especially in the judge’s courtroom.
He glanced over at the man beside him. The food so recently in his stomach sat uneasily as he thought about how it was surely only a matter of time before the judge found out about Brother Asa showing him kindness. When he did, he’d find some reason to have the strange little Shaker brought before his bench.
“Who is this judge? The one so determined to keep you hungry.” Asa peered up at him with a good bit of
“You seem to be always smiling,” Isaac said.
“In the world, a smile can oft turn away trouble. Especially for one such as myself. One who wishes to live in peace with all.”
“Trouble is not always so easily shed,” Isaac said.
“Perhaps not in the world, but if you can leave your grief behind and return to Harmony Hill with me, your troubles will become less burdensome. And there are our bountiful tables to consider.” Brother Asa raised his eyebrows at Isaac.
“How long would I have to stay?”
“There is no requirement for a period of time. All who come among us are free to stay or leave at any time. We hold none in bondage as some of the world do. The desire for true salvation is all that binds us.”
Isaac looked at the man in front of him and bit back his words of unbelief. There was no salvation. No God who cared what happened to Isaac. That was more than evident, else he and Ella would be happily building a new life out in the western territories.
Brother Asa must have read his mind. “Worry not, young brother. You are only required to listen. Your heart will be free to make its own decisions of the path you choose to follow, but I pray for a decision of joy for you and not one of worldly sorrow.”
“She’s only been gone a few months. Don’t you think I’m supposed to be sorrowful?”
“Indeed. In the world that may be so. But at Harmony Hill you will become a different person. The worldly Isaac will fade away and Brother Isaac who embraces peace will come forth. The sorrows of the world will be dead to you.”
“There are many ways to die.”
“And it seems you have pondered some of them. But the death of which I speak, the death to the world a Believer embraces, delivers one into a new life of abounding love from our Mother Ann and the Eternal Father as we give our hands to work and our hearts to God. That is the Believer’s way.” Brother Asa slowed his step and peered up at Isaac.
“Marian has told me it is a good way. At least for her.”
“Then it is settled. You will go with me when my business is concluded at the waterfront later today.”
Isaac hadn’t actually said he’d go with Brother Asa, but neither did he contradict the little man now and say he wouldn’t.
Brother Asa stopped in front of a shop and pulled money out of his pocket to buy a new set of clothes for Isaac. When the shopkeeper narrowed his eyes and stared long at Isaac’s face before turning them away, Brother Asa stuffed his money back in his pocket as he cheerfully claimed that Mother Ann must be guarding the Shaker coin.
“The clothes made by our sisters at Harmony Hill will serve you better than anything we might buy here.” He glanced back over his shoulder toward where the shopkeeper stood in the door staring after them. “He looks to be regretting turning away good coin.”
“Or only waiting until a policeman comes by to send a message to the judge.”
Isaac moderated his step to match the little man’s shorter stride even as he kept his eyes on the street ahead. The last few weeks he’d slipped back into the shadows whenever he spotted any of the watch. It just seemed the better part of wisdom to stay away from the law. A man with no place to lay his head was a vagrant, and other bums on the street warned him that vagrancy was oft considered a crime. A one-way ticket to the inside of a prison cell, especially in the judge’s courtroom.
He glanced over at the man beside him. The food so recently in his stomach sat uneasily as he thought about how it was surely only a matter of time before the judge found out about Brother Asa showing him kindness. When he did, he’d find some reason to have the strange little Shaker brought before his bench.
“Who is this judge? The one so determined to keep you hungry.” Asa peered up at him with a good bit of
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