Armistead 1

Kevin Armistead

Mr. Shepherd

English II

18 March 2009

Only God Can Forgive Sins

“Who in here, in this here room has sinned this very fine day?” Pastor Shaw said in a

deep gravelly voice while curiously looking about the church. No one raised their hand. Pastor

Shaw spoke again “Are you to tell me that no man or woman in this room from our most

wonderful state of Georgia has sinned yet today?” Pastor Shaw’s hands raised in dismay “Have

we died and gone to heaven or am I in the presence of a church full of liars?” Jesse looked

around, everyone’s eyes were looking off away from Pastor Shaw, up, down, left, right,

everywhere, it didn’t matter, they were trying to avoid eye contact. Everyone except for Joshua

Rachman, the church’s only negro member, who looked straight ahead at Pastor Shaw rather

emotionlessly, his eyes were fixed on his. This caught Pastor Shaw’s attention, but for some

reason or another he seemed to move on. His face grew impatient and this time spoke louder than

before “I will ask again; who here has already sinned this very day?” A hand slowly raised in the

back, a wide grin grew on Pastor Shaw’s face whom some would say was almost devilish, but

everyone knew better than that. “Coby my boy!” Yelped Pastor Shaw “Come on down here and

tell us what you have sinned.” He raised his arms as if to greet Coby with a hug, Coby rose from

his pew, and walked slowly and nervously down towards the front of the church, Jesse couldn’t

help but feel sorry for him. As Coby got to the front Pastor Shaw placed his hand on his shoulder

and simply asked him “well dear boy, what was your sin?” Then with his one hand on Coby’s

right shoulder, turned Coby to face the awaiting congregation.

 Armistead 2

Speaking softly and stuttering Coby spoke “I…I, umm, I”

“Go ahead, you are among fellow sinners here today” Pastor Shaw broke in swiftly.

Still speaking softly but quickly “I stole from my sick mother’s purse while she slept

bedridden” said Coby who looked down in shame.

“The Church couldn’t hear you Coby, speak louder.” said Pastor Shaw.

“I…I stole money from my sick mother’s purse, while she slept helpless.” Coby said only

a bit louder.

“Look to heaven and yell it Coby! God can’t hear you unless you yell it!” Pastor Shaw

ignited “You stole from your sick, helpless mother while she lay sleeping”

Coby burst into confession and was now yelling “I stole from my sick mothers purse!”

“You stole from your mother for your own selfishness!” Pastor Shaw yelled, and kicked

the back of Coby’s legs bringing him to his knees, then moved in front of him and placed his

hand on Coby’s forehead and screamed at the top of his lungs “You are a greedy young man who

Satan has brought to sin!” There was a bit of commotion in the audience, Jesse looked around

and saw that Joshua Rachman had gotten up and was leaving. Pastor Shaw turned his head and

saw this but quickly turned back around.

Coby now in tears and screaming so loud his ill mother at home could hear him “I’m a

greedy young man who Satan has brought to follow his will!”

“You’ve been corrupted by Satan and made to hurt your already sick mother because of

it!” Screamed Pastor Shaw in his low gravelly voice.

“Satan has corrupted me and brought me to bring hurt upon my already hurting mother!”

cried Coby.
 Armistead 3

“You are sorry and now repent for your sin and will never follow Satan’s will again”

blasted Pastor Shaw.

“I am sorry God!” Coby cried out in more tears. “I have followed Satan’s will and repent

from doing so.”

Raising the hand that was not on Coby’s forehead into the air behind him and leaned

forward a bit “You are forgiven Coby!” Pastor Shaw’s hand began to shake a bit “And may your

sin and Satan’s will be cast from you forever!” Yelled Pastor Shaw once again and then using his

shaking hand still on Coby’s forehead, pushed Coby to the ground where he stayed weeping and

stood above him breathing heavily.

The church clapped and roared loudly with the shouting’s of many “amen’s!” and “praise

God’s!” and the occasional “God bless him!” Pastor Shaw stood by the door after the service as

usual to shake everyone’s hand as they left and have the occasional conversation.

“God bless you sir, beautiful service.” said an elderly man

“I thank God every day for sending you to us.” Said a middle aged woman with two

young children.

“Thank you” said Pastor Shaw in return “and I thank God every day for sending me to

you.”

“Wonderful service, when will we be working on donations to the church again?” said

another man.

“I’m always working on donations, you need only to ask to help” replied Pastor Shaw

rather loudly this time.

 Armistead 4

Then Pastor Shaw looked through some people and saw Jesse walking out towards the

exit and yelled out with open arms “Jesse my friend, I’ve been meaning to speak to you, does

lunch at one sound good?”

Surprised, Jesse, who had only spoken to Pastor Shaw maybe once before and was rather

shaken by the service to say the least, but maybe only because Jesse was new to the area, Jesse

said in return “umm sure, where’d you have in mind?”

“How ‘bout my house, you know where that is don’t you.” Pastor Shaw spoke back.

“That works for me and yes I think know.” said Jesse. Of course Jesse knew where Pastor

Shaw’s house was, it was the largest and most elegant in town, on top of the highest hill

nonetheless. Jesse shook his hand and wondered what it is Pastor Shaw would have that he’d

want to talk about.

“Well here’s my card with my address on it in case you can’t recollect.” Said pastor Shaw

in return and with his usual smile. Jesse took the card, the name read: Shaw Daoi, Pastor of 1st

Georgia Church of Saul. It was a very nice card, very professional; the letters were all printed in

gold, real gold too no doubt.

“Thank you.” Replied Jesse “I’ll surely be there.”

The walkway up to pastor Shaw’s house was quite nice too as to be expected, a man so

good only deserved to live so well. The walkway was lined on both sides with beautiful looking

bushes and shrubberies assorted with all sorts of varying flowers, and all matching. They were all

perfectly trimmed as well. Jesse couldn’t help but think of how perfect a man Pastor Shaw was,

generous to the world, and the world generous to him. Jesse rang the doorbell, still with no idea

why Pastor Shaw would have asked to have lunch together. The door opened “Jesse, do come

in.” Pastor Shaw Greeted “Be sure to take your shoes off, the floor dirties easily. The table is
 Armistead 5

already set, it’s around the first corner and to the left, you can’t miss it. Go ahead and take your

seat, make yourself at home”

“Thank you Pastor” Jesse said while removing the forbidden shoes and then walked

down the hall and easily found the table fully set, food and everything, just as Pastor Shaw had

said. It was odd though, for Jesse knew Pastor Shaw had no wife, and he had no servants to any

knowledge; he had only been home maybe thirty to forty minutes yet had prepared a large filling

meal for two in that time, roast beef and all. He was truly a man of many talents. Jesse went

ahead and took a seat, and looked around some more; the large window to the left had a perfect

view of the street crossing perpendicular to the main street which one could look directly down

all the way to the church at the other end; from that room one could see all that was going on in

town.

“How do you do today Jesse?” Pastor Shaw asked as he entered the dining room.

Jesse replied “fine I presume, as good as usual, no worse”

“Splendid, no reason to feel bad is plenty reason itself to feel good I always say.” replied

Pastor Shaw. He took his coat off, placed on the back of the chair directly across from Jesse, sat

in it, placed his hands on the table before him entwined as if he were to pray but leaned forward

looking straight at Jesse instead. “Your somewhat of an artist I understand aren’t you Jesse?”

Pastor Shaw said to Jesse in more of a proposal than a question.

Jesse grinned “Why yes, I do believe I am, the best in north Georgia, at least to what I’ve

seen of my competition.”

An almost equal grin spread across Pastor Shaw’s face “Absolutely Splendid!” he

continued with another proposal like question “I’m sorry to inform you I have not seen much of

your work, but if you would so be inclined to tell me my friend, have you much experience with
 Armistead 6

drawing houses or buildings?” He leaned back in his chair, put his hands behind his head and

relaxed a bit.

Jesse replied “Well I’ve been more accustomed to doing landscapes, but I have been

known to do the occasional house or two.” Curious, Jesse asked “Why, would you like for me to

paint your home for you?”

“Heavens no.” replied Pastor Shaw “This old thing.” He said in almost disgust despite his

home’s beauty. “You see Jesse, our church has grown, it hardly fits the congregation within its

tiny little walls anymore.”

Jesse was curious and spoke back slowly “I’m following.”

“Good!” said Pastor Shaw “My church…our church has grown past its current physical

boundaries. We need a new building, a bigger building, we need a new church Jesse, that’s what

we need. I’d like you with your expertise as an artist to design that new church for us Jesse,

could you do that for us? I sure do hope you will agree.”

“I don’t know Pastor” Jesse replied “I’ve never designed a building before, that’s

architecture, drawing is more copying what you see, that’s more of creating what you want to be”

Pastor Shaw rejected “Nonsense! It is all the same principle in the end. You’re my first

choice Jesse, please accept. I am fully confident you can design it, I would not have considered

to trust you with such a monumentous task had I not thought you capable”

Jesse couldn’t turn the good Pastor Shaw down, smiled and said “Of course I accept; I

can have it done in six weeks.”

“Splendid!” yelped Pastor Shaw while he slapped the table with joy, shaking all the plates

on the table. “Just wonderfully splendid, six weeks it is, the power of God growing just excites
 Armistead 7

your bones does it not? Oh, I almost forgot about lunch” he said as he picked up food to offer to

Jesse. “I do hope your hungry?”

Still smiling, Jesse took the food and said replied “Yes, yes I am, I did not eat breakfast

this morning”

Pastor Shaw’s grin faded a little and he quickly picked up another plate of food to give to

Jesse “Well in that case you should’ve said something, we could have talked as we ate, sorry to

keep you waiting. Jesse took the tasty looking food and began to eat. Pastor Shaw looked out the

window onto the town below. His eyes focused in on one man and his eyebrows tilted inward in

slight anger. Jesse of course took this as the good pastor having bad eyesight. Pastor Shaw spoke

“You see that negro man down there, the one unloading the sheered sheep wool, do you know

who he is?”

“Yes, that’s Joshua Rachman I believe. Seems like a friendly fellow, though as I saw

earlier, not to fond of your service” Jesse did not dare mention they were of similar opinions on

the topic.

Speaking crankily like he’d just been woken up Pastor Shaw replied “hmm, doesn’t

surprise me. You know that man makes as much money as anyone here in town off raising and

sheering those sheep of his, yet he prospers none off it. He refuses to give to the church as well.”

Pastor Shaw’s voice was becoming tense “He gives it all to poor folks he sees as he passes them.

Says its better spent that way. Well, shows what little he knows” Pastor Shaw was now staring

down intently at Joshua who had stopped unloading sheep wool to help an elderly man carry

some cumbersome supplies of some sort across the road. Jesse looked up and followed the

Pastor’s eyes to Joshua and back several times, chewing the food slower as the tension seemed to

increase. Pastor Shaw looked up at Jesse then quickly down to Joshua, then back to Jesse and to
 Armistead 8

avoid ill thoughts from Jesse he moved rapidly to serve his plate with food almost

embarrassingly and spoke “At least they mean well.”

Jesse couldn’t help but think what the good pastor had meant by “they” but bad thoughts

of the good pastor quickly passed. Jesse had finished eating the wonderful meal Pastor Shaw had

provided, looked up and said “Well I suppose I best be leaving now. Thank you kindly for the

great food and wonderful offer” though Jesse was still nervous about the latter. “Its time I’d be

getting home now, I have a great idea for that new church and need to draw it out before I lose it”

“Yes of course, wouldn’t want to lose that now would we?” Pastor Shaw eagerly replied

as he stood up to walk Jesse to the door. He reached down to pick up the jacket off the seat, it

looked so soft.

“If you don’t mind me asking pastor; is that coat of yours made from sheep’s wool?”

Jesse asked and stood up to make an exit.

Pastor Shaw grinned once again and said “It certainly is, the finest sheep’s wool at that.

It’s all I wear to keep warm now. Besides, the children like to play with it when they think I’m

not looking. A member of my previous church sends one to me once a year as a gift of gratitude.

I have six now. They were so sad when I left to come here, but I believe it was for the better.

People here need God as much as anywhere as you saw in this morning’s service, wouldn’t you

agree?”

Though not quite sure of it, Jesse replied anyway “Yes I presume they do.”

“Good then, I’m glad were on the same page” replied Pastor Shaw as they walked to the

door. He opened it for Jesse as they approached and said “Good day Jesse, I am so pleased you

have agreed to design our new church.”

 Armistead 9

Jesse walked through the door, looked back and replied “As am I pastor, I am glad to

help.” Pastor Shaw waved goodbye with his right hand and a slight tilt of the head, then closed

the door with his left. He went back to the dining room and watched from that window Jesse

walk down the walkway to the street below, smiling has he followed along. Then he saw Jesse

walk over and speak to Joshua Rachman. The smile faded into disgust then he let out a bit of a

grunt first and then spoke out loud in a harsh still gravelly voice “Hmm. Dirty Nigger!” then he

turned around away from the window and walked away, leaving all the food left to sit on the

table and spoil.

“Excuse me. Its Joshua isn’t it?” Jesse said to the man he already knew to be Joshua

Rachman.

Joshua was unloading the last bit of Sheep’s wool as he looked up “That’s what they call

me, your Jesse, the artist, aren’t you, is there something I can help you with?

Jesse replied “ Yes I am, and I believe so, you live up on that road going out south

towards the pasturelands do you not?”

“Mhmm, sure do.” nodded Joshua

“Well I live not far down that road, on the dirt one that forks off about a mile down yours,

if it would not be too much trouble could you drop me off there at that fork. I would walk, but

you see I have an idea for a project of mine and I need to record it down as soon as possible.”

Jesse replied.

Joshua had turned away placing down the last load of wool for the general store to come

pick up. Then turned around and opened the passenger door to his truck, and with a smile that

seemed extra illuminated in contrast to his black skin “Of course I can, just hop in, try not to

mind the mess, I wasn’t expecting company.”

 Armistead 10

“Thank you so much.” Replied Jesse who then hopped into the cab, pushing away a few

cluttering items to the middle seat. They drove out of town towards their home quiet and not

speaking when Joshua broke silence “In all the time I’ve lived here I don’t think I’ve ever met

someone who lives down that road.”

“Well, I haven’t lived there long and I can’t speak for the others who have called it their

home.” Replied Jesse.

“Fair enough.” Joshua agreed

Jesse looked around the cab and saw an extremely weathered and used Bible on the

dashboard, riddled with notes sticking out from the side. This seemed odd to Jesse whom had

just recently heard the good Pastor Shaw, a very righteous and religious man, speak none too

fondly of Joshua’s church practices.

Jesse was curious “Is that your Bible?” and nodded towards the one on the dashboard.

“Yes it is.” Joshua nodded.

“Its quite used, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one quite so used.” Replied Jesse

“I read it every day, as all should. If I ever feel angry or mad towards someone, I just

come out to my truck here and crack open the good book and my anger is gone.”

Jesse was intrigued “Wow, it’s rare to ever see someone so content with life”

“All you have to do is to follow what’s in that there book and anyone can be the same!”

Joshua responded with a hint of assertion. He continued “I pick a verse from it every day” he

began reaching in his coat pocket and fiddling with around presumably looking for something. “I

write it down and carry it with me all day to remind me that my life, however miniscule it might

be, is from God, and I am to do with it as God told us” he nodded once again to the Bible then

continued “to live as God taught us, and just as importantly to treat others as our savior taught us,
 Armistead 11

Love your neighbor as yourself, that’s what he told us and that’s what I intend to do.” After some

tedious effort, Joshua drew a small piece of paper from his pocket “Ah, here’s today’s verse,

Psalm 22:1.”

“I see.” said Jesse unsure of what else to say in return, but thankfully realized that they

were not but a hundred yards from the fork which was to be the end of the ride.

“Well here’s my stop.” Announced Jesse but immediately following heard the blinker to

the truck turn on and Joshua turned down the fork towards Jesse’s home.

“You don’t have to take me all the way, you only had to drop me at the beginning of the

fork.” said Jesse.

“No, it’s no problem for me to drive you all the way, it takes what, ten minutes out of my

life?” said Joshua

“I was just saying that you needn’t bring me the whole way, you did not even have to

give me a ride if you didn’t want” Jesse said back.

“Nonsense, I’ve already come this far, what’s a bit farther? Regardless it would be

pointless for me to let you out now when I’d have to drive to the end to turn around anyway.”

He had a good point; Jesse argued no more and rode silently the rest the way home.

Joshua stopped in front of Jesse’s house and Jesse got out and thanked him once again “Thank

you so much, I am in your debt.”

“You’re welcome and no debt necessary, you would have done the same.” Joshua replied

with a smile then drove around the turn around and headed back down the dirt road. “hmm”

Jesse sighed looking on, then turned around and headed inside where the work on the design of

the new church began immediately.

 Armistead 12

“Ladies and gentleman, believers and nonbelievers, members and visitors of 1st Georgia

Church of Saul” Pastor Shaw began “Today we gather here to celebrate, not only the presence of

God, but the growth of it. As you can tell our church building here, bless it’s heart, has grown to

small for our congregation”

From the back one of the baker’s dozen or so men who was forced to stand for there were

no seats gave a loud “Amen!” and laughter spread throughout the church.

Pastor Shaw smiled and carried on pleasantly “Glad to see we’re in agreeance Tate. Six

weeks ago I asked a fairly new, yet very talented member of our town and church to help us with

this, and by God’s graciousness our good friend Jesse agreed to use the fortunate gift of artistic

skill to design us a new church.” Pastor Shaw explained as he stuck out an arm pointing to Jesse

who was sitting in the second pew from the front at the end far end closest to the middle aisle. A

man behind Jesse patted Jesse on the shoulder in congratulations. Pastor Shaw carried on “Well

Jesse has worked endlessly since that time to design and paint for us a drawing of that new

church. Jesse is the only one who has seen it, not even I have taken a look at it beforehand.”

Pastor Shaw paused for a moment and looked directly at Jesse “That is how much trust I have for

my good friend.” He stared at Jesse a moment longer then looked back up “Well, it is time we

see what our future church shall look like don’t you think?” Pastor Shaw yelled out with his arms

open and extended into the air “Boys, bring her in!” Immediately the double doors entering the

church opened and two men carrying a six by eight foot canvas, covered with a sheet to keep its

picture hidden draped over it, walked down the middle aisle and placed it on a pair of easels

already up by the pulpit. “Jesse may you give us the honor?” Pastor Shaw asked Jesse.

Jesse stood up, nodded, and proceeded towards the large canvas up front. Pastor Shaw

traded places and sat down where Jesse had stood up from. Jesse stood to the left of the canvas,
 Armistead 13

grabbed the guarding sheet from top and bottom with each hand, took a deep breath, and pulled

back revealing the large picture of the new church placed right next to the current one in the field

next to it. The church went completely still and silent, a long pause occurred that seemed to last

eternity. A single clap rung out, it was Pastor Shaw. He stood up clapping once again in the

process, then when fully erected, then speeding up his clapping gradually from slower to faster.

Another man stood and did the same; a woman quickly and similarly followed. Soon people

were rising left and right, all clapping, and no one was showing a hint of letting up. After a whole

minute had passed, the whole church was giving Jesse a standing ovation, the painting and more

importantly, the new church, was the most beautiful thing they had ever set eyes on. Pastor Shaw

began to walk to the front; he wove both hands in front of him up and down to signal the

congregation to conclude and retake their seat, even with Pastor Shaw giving the signal, the

action still took a good minute or so. This seemed to frustrate Pastor Shaw and he began to wave

his harms with more force to get the church to stop; they got the message.

Pastor Shaw looked to heaven “God! Holy righteous God! You have provided us dearly

with a great gift, that gift is Jesse, we are forever grateful” He walked to Jesse and put his arm

around him. “Today, our church has received another great gift, Jesse here hath provided. Funds

for this magnificent church” He pointed to the painting “will start being collected immediately,

Jesse will be the one leading that as well as the building of our new church” Pastor Shaw turned

his head and grinned at Jesse. Jesse smiled back, not knowing anything to say, the honor just

bestowed, by Pastor Shaw nonetheless, was too great for words. “A year from today we break

ground, may God be fruitful in his gifts to the church in that time.”

That day Jesse stood with Pastor Shaw at the exit of the church and shook people’s hands

as they left. That day however, most the handshakes were for Jesse.
 Armistead 14

“I can’t wait for the new church, I can only thank God for sending you to help us as we

grow.” said one woman as she shook Jesse hand.

“Are you an angel?” asked one little boy

“No” replied Jesse leaning down to be at eye level with the little boy “not even close.”

“Well my mom always said that angels come and make right what’s wrong with the

church, it seems to me you are making this church right.”

Pastor Shaw came up and tousled the little boy’s hair “Isn’t that just cute” he said and the

little boy looked up at him, looked back to Jesse, then back to the good pastor, and then walked

away. Announcing proudly and loudly “I sure did make a good choice for the spirit of God to

grow didn’t I?”

“That you did” said another man who was walking over and patted Pastor Shaw on the

back, then turned to Jesse “You are a gift from heaven my friend, I sure hope the church will be

as beautiful as your painting”

“I sure hope so too” replied Jesse

“I have no doubt it will be” butted in Pastor Shaw “I have the utmost confidence”

The man looked pleased “Then so do I” he said “I’ll be happy to provide you the honor of

donating first to the building of the new church.” said the man as he stuck out his hand to shake

Jesse’s

Surprised, but happy nonetheless Jesse responded “Why thank you, it will be well used, I

guarantee it.”

“I sure do hope so” said the man as he ripped off a check, handed it to Jesse, smiled and

walked away. Jesse held up the check to look at it.

 Armistead 15

Pastor Shaw looked over Jesse’s shoulder to see the check “Five thousand dollars, you

prove more useful everyday Jesse.”

Of course Jesse took great compliment to this and replied “Thank you pastor, I do try.”

“I bet you do.” said Pastor Shaw as he left to catch the last few remaining members

leaving the church.

A year had passed, and fundraising for the church had been successful by any definition

of the term. There was an outside picnic held by the church that Sunday after the regular service

to celebrate in the field where the new church would be built. Pastor Shaw stood on a chair and

bellowed “Everyone! Everyone please quiet down! The moment we’ve been waiting for has

finally come” all attention turned to the good pastor. Pastor Shaw picked up a shovel that was

propped against the chair he was standing on and held it high in the air. “Today my friends, our

church begins a new chapter in its great story. I will delay now longer.” he looked out and

spotted Jesse in the middle of the largest table. “Jesse! I believe this is your job now” and thrust

his arm holding the shovel out towards Jesse. Jesse stood and walked to where Pastor Shaw

stood and took the shovel, held it in the air for all to see, then with great force dug it deep into

the ground picking up much dirt and setting it aside. Everyone clapped and Cheered “Well done”

exclaimed Pastor Shaw who was stepping down from the chair “you have done a great service to

God.” Jesse looked out and savored the moment of praise, not a soul wasn’t celebrating, at least

Jesse thought for the moment. Jesse continued to look out and saw one man not cheering or

clapping, it was Joshua Rachman.

Jesse went to him and curiously asked “Joshua, are you not happy our church has grown?

This is a time to celebrate.” Joshua looked sadly at Jesse and replied “The money for that church

could have been much better used; many people in our own state went without food last night
 Armistead 16

because they could not afford it. And what do we do, we build a new building.” He turned and

walked away back towards his truck to leave. Pastor Shaw looked at them from across the picnic

and could only grin. Jesse did not know what to say but shrugged it off as a misguided opinion,

for Pastor Shaw himself had wanted this church to be built, and what the good pastor said was

always in our best interest.

The weeks passed into winter and the new church being built was the talk of the town,

especially after a couple of months when it was beginning to show the beauty it had shown in the

painting but was not done yet. Everyone admired as they passed, all except for Joshua. Jesse and

Pastor Shaw noticed this one day from the dining room window in the good pastor’s house as

they ate dinner. While they watched him he did not even glance towards it as he walked passed

it, but kept straight ahead.

“How ungrateful can one be?” exclaimed Pastor Shaw in disgust.

“I don’t know” responded Jesse “I think he just keeps to himself and wants to be more

independent, that’s all.”

Joshua stopped to help a group of men working on the road unload some wood for a new

sign they were putting up. He was down there often; he was spending the night next-door for a

twenty four hour caned food drive. “Keep to himself eh?” asked Pastor Shaw “No that man has

no respect for the church, and all we do for him too. Ungrateful! That’s what he is, nothing else,

you remember that Jesse, you hear me?”

“Ehh, well maybe so.” Said Jesse

“Jesse” said Pastor Shaw moving on “I’d like for you to spend the night at my house

tonight, there’s something about the new church I’d like to work on in the morning, first thing.”
 Armistead 17

“Sure, but I can just come in the morning from my house, it takes no more than forty five

minutes to walk to the church. What would be so important to get started immediately anyway?”

“Nonsense” replied Pastor Shaw “No need in making you walk so early in the morning

when you can wake right here, for what you’d be walking or waking for is a surprise though, you

mustn’t know what it is quite yet.”

Taking Pastor Shaw’s word “Well alright, I do hope its as important as you say”

responded Jesse.

“Great! We’ll finish dinner and head straight to bed, it will be an early rise tomorrow”

exclaimed Pastor Shaw.

“Exactly how early?” asked Jesse.

“You’ll know when you wake up won’t you Jesse?” replied Pastor Shaw.

“Yes. I suppose I Will.” said Jesse while standing up after finishing dinner, and continued

“Good night pastor I’m anxious for tomorrow.”

Pastor Shaw nodded and answerd “Good night Jesse, you should be”

Jesse left the dining room, Pastor Shaw still sat there looking out down the town towards

the building of the new church and repeated softly to himself “You should be.” and grinned.

“Jesse! Jesse!” Pastor Shaw rushed into the guest room Jesse was staying in, in the dead

of night and a bit dirty and sweaty at that.

Jesse groaned “uhhh, what? What’s going on?”

“Something’s happened to the new church Jesse, quick you must hurry! Put on some

clothes and hurry!” Pastor Shaw shouted.

Jesse whose eye’s spread wide open, jumped from the bed and scurried to put on clothes

as fast as possible, this only took but half a minute. Jesse then rushed downstairs; Pastor Shaw
 Armistead 18

was waiting, when Jesse came he swung the closet door open and headed back down the hallway

to grab a franticly grab a few more things and not turning to yell back, but yell back he did “It’s

cold outside, take a coat!” There was a sense of urgency. Something was wrong. Jesse reached in

the closet and grabbed one of the five neatly hung sheep wool coats, leaving four.

“What’s happening? What’s going on?” exclaimed Jesse shutting the door “Is this the

surprise you were talking about?”

Pastor Shaw turned around in all seriousness, looked Jesse in the eye and with his low

gravelly voice commanded “No! Just follow me.” and headed down the hall to the front door.

Jesse followed, and paused to peer through the dining room window towards the new

church, something was different, something was radiating about it, and then Jesse realized what

it was. “Smoke!” exploded Jesse “The church, it’s on fire!” Jesse rushed past the door and got

into Pastor Shaw’s Mercedes which he had brought out and was waiting for him. “Hurry

screamed Jesse, the church, its burning!”

“Yes I know!” Pastor Shaw who was wearing only jeans and a long sleeved shirt, yelled

back and they sped down the main street of town to the slowly burning church. Jesse looked

down, the pastor had a black handgun in his lap, Jesse did not care to ask. When they got there,

the flames were not evident yet, but the smoke had grown stronger. They didn’t bother parking

the car correctly, and both hopped out running towards the church. They ran, as they approached

they heard coughing from the inside, and just then Joshua Rachman burst through one of the side

doors coughing with smoke pouring out from behind him. He was carrying a little boy who was

coughing also. He put the boy down at a safe distance. Jesse recognized him, he was the little

boy who had asked if he was an angel.

“Joshua what are you doing here?” screamed Jesse still running.
 Armistead 19

“I was next door for the canned food drive, cough! I heard crying, cough! and came

running” replied Joshua

“Liar!” Pastor Shaw roared “You were not here saving that child, you started that fire!”

“I did not, you selfish, lying, poor excuse for a preacher, Cough! I was here as I said I

was, I would do no such thing!” Joshua shot back.

“You expect me to believe you would run into a burning building like some sort of hero!”

rejected Pastor Shaw “That stuff doesn’t happen in real life, least of all here!” He looked to Jesse

and continued screaming “This man is not a man of God! He’s been corrupted by Satan himself

and brought to destroy our new church! This is a man of the devil!”

Joshua, stunned looked to Jesse in support. Jesse was split, not knowing who or what to

believe. Instead of taking an immediate side, Jesse bent down to the little boy and asked “Did

you see who started the fire?” the little boy still to scared to speak only nodded. Pastor Shaw’s

face tightened, Jesse continued “Could you tell me who started the fire?” the little boy nodded

again but this time sat down, raised his knees and put his head between his legs and started to

cry. “Please tell me who started the fire, this is important” said Jesse more assertively, this time

grabbing the boys shoulder. He looked up unable to speak, with tears running down his face,

took in a deep breath, and blurted out one word “Sheep!” he cried and then put his head back

between his legs. Pastor Shaw, out of Jesse’s sight, grinned. Jesse looked up at Joshua; the

church was now in full flame.

“Ah! Only sheep farmer in our county, and a devil one at that” cried Pastor Shaw

pointing to Joshua. Joshua was speechless, there was nothing he could bring himself to say in

defense. “Jesse! Satan has called this man to destroy God’s work.” Jesse looked to Pastor Shaw
 Armistead 20

who reached out his hand holding the handgun. “Jesse! This man is evil, he cannot live, you must

kill him, kill this son of Satan.” Jesse looked stunned for a moment.

“You wouldn’t” said Joshua in disbelief

Pastor Shaw ignored him “Kill him Jesse, he has brought evil upon us, and destroyed our

beautiful new church… your beautiful new Church!”

Jesse looked back at Joshua, then to the burning church, then back to Pastor Shaw, then

down to the handgun, he took it.

Joshua began backing up “No! No Jesse, I was only trying to save the boy I did not start

the fire.” he tripped and fell to his knees trembling. Jesse approached him slowly with the gun

out drawn pointing at Joshua’s face.

“Sheep?” asked Jesse now emotionless.

“Kill him Jesse! He is a corruptive servant of Satan; he has no right to live.” Interjected

Pastor Shaw.

“No don’t, I did nothing wrong!” cried out Joshua beginning to tear and tremble even

more.

“I’m afraid you did” said Jesse who was now directly in front of Joshua and pressed the

gun to his forehead and glanced back up to burning church. Jesse was now under the full control

of Pastor Shaw. Joshua looked past Jesse and made eye contact with Pastor Shaw, who grinned

widely, devilishly.

Joshua reached in his pocket grabbed a piece of paper, closed it in his hand, drew his

hand from his pocket and put both hands behind his head, closed his eyes, stopped tearing and

trembling, took a deep breath, stuck his chest out high and raised his face towards heaven and

cried out, “Forgive him father, for he knows not what he does” then raising his hands towards
 Armistead 21

heaven and spoke contently, some would say almost happily “Father, into your hands I commit

my spirit.”

BANG! A shot rang out and Joshua’s body fell limply to the ground. At the same time a

large support beam in the church fell, collapsing the middle of the church. Jesse stood in place

for a moment, not moving an inch, not even to breath. Then to make sure the job was done, he

lifted the gun once more and shot Joshua in his side; the job was done. He squatted next to the

body and opened up Joshua’s hand and took out the paper he had removed from his pocket

before he died, opened it and read at it, it read Matthew 7:15. He squatted ruminating for a

moment then a look of sudden shock came over his face, he gripped the paper tightly in his hand

squeezing it until it hurt. He looked down at the coat he was wearing and said spitefully outloud.

“Sheep!”

Jesse stood turned to Pastor Shaw who also stood there only he stood without emotion.

Jesse asked “Where’s your coat pastor, you know one of the nice sheep’s wool ones?” Pastor

Shaw seemed confused.

“I’m not following Jesse?” replied Pastor Shaw.

“ You mentioned to me when I first came to your home that you owned six of the finest

sheep’s wool coats, when I grabbed mine from your closet” Jesse lifted the breast of that coat for

a moment using the muzzle of the handgun “I counted five including this one, you are not

wearing one, so I am asking where is your coat…Pastor?”

“I’m sorry I must have miscounted, since when is that a sin?” rebuked Pastor Shaw

“What does that have to do wit…”

“There was no surprise tomorrow was there?” Jesse cut him off and continued. Pastor

Shaw’s face went pale. Jesse persisted “A bit odd for you to come wake me in the dead of night
 Armistead 22

fully clothed, sweating, and already a bit dirty isn’t it pastor?” Pastor Shaw was now speechless.

“Where were you before you came to wake me pastor? Wait! You need not answer, you were

here weren’t you, it was you who set the church ablaze, Jesse pointed to the dead body laying on

the ground and yelled “not poor Joshua Rachman!” Then pointing to the burning church that’s

where your coat is, you must have lost it somewhere in there, not miscounted you son of a

snake.”

Stuttering, Pastor Shaw attempted to defend himself “Ya, ya…you have no proof of this

ca… conviction!”

Jesse walked over and stood next to the little boy who still sat with his head between his

legs and nudged him with his foot “How did you get into the church tonight? What were you

doing there?”

The boy looked up, face full of tears, he grabbed Jesse’s coat, pointed to Pastor Shaw and

cried “Sheep!” he tugged the borrowed sheep’s wool coat twice.

Jesse raised the gun to point straight at Pastor Shaw, the pastor’s face went expressionless

and his body stiffened. Jesse asked “Why pastor? Why would you have me design you a church

only to burn it down? Why would you waste so much of your own congregation’s money for

this? To kill Joshua?” he pointed to Joshua’s body again “is that why you did all this?”

Pastor Shaw broke into shouting “Yes that’s why Jesse! I could not have some… church

hating nigger as part of my church! And no, I Didn’t do it to kill him, I did it for you to kill that

abomination to my church.”

This put Jesse back for a moment but quickly responded yelling “You would give up all

the people’s money and hard work, my hard work, to kill a man, he was no abomination to the

church, you were!”

 Armistead 23

“I an abomination? Look at him” he pointed to Joshua’s body “he was a son of Canaan,

his people were cursed to be our slaves! He would not support the church for heaven sakes! All’s

he was, was some black smudge on the pure white cloth of my holy church!”

“He was a man of God!” Jesse rejected harshly “Far more a man of God than any other I

ever met, I see now why he did not support the church, he saw through you, saw who you really

are, your nothing but a greedy, lying poor excuse for a preacher. I hope God has mercy on I and

anyone else that ever listened to you.”

“He a man of God? I a poor excuse? Have you not heard my sermons? I have cast Satan

from countless helpless souls. I have helped the poor, I have prayed for those who didn’t deserve

it, I have done more for God in this world and forgiven more sins than anyone alive today! Ask

anyone of my church, they have all seen me do it!”

“They have seen, and they have been deceived! Listen to yourself, you speak of forgiving

sin when you have just tricked someone into murdering a good man, a holy man!”

The church engulfed in even more flame and another part of it collapsed once more. All

the sudden Pastor Shaw’s face relaxed from one of anger to a relaxed one of some obscure

emotion and said softly “Yes. Your right Jesse, I have sinned.”

Jesse moved closer still pointing the gun at Pastor Shaw “Yes that’s right you have sinned

pastor.” said Jesse.

Pastor Shaw fell to the ground and began shouting “I have sinned!”

Jesse shouted back moving closer with the gun pointed at the pastor’s head “You have

sinned and had an innocent man murdered for your own selfish racism!”

“I am a racist lord! And have had this innocent man murdered because of it!” Pastor

Shaw yelled form his knees, his eyes beginning to tear.

 Armistead 24

“Yes pastor you have sinned, Satan has corrupted you your whole life!” Responded Jesse

who now held the gun trembling on the pastor’s forehead.

Pastor Shaw looked up to heaven and shouted “Satan has poisoned my heart God! I am a

sinner, Oh lord I am a sinner!”

“Louder!” yelped Jesse.

“I am a sinner lord!” shouted Pastor Shaw with a face full of tears.

“I said louder pastor, heaven must hear you!” yelled Jesse looking down upon the man

once so respected.

Now screaming at the top of his lungs “I am a sinner lord, I have sinned, oh Jesse please

forgive me, please cast Satan from my heart” He spread his arms wide open and looked up to

Jesse “please Jesse, please forgive my sins!”

Jesse looked down at him spitefully and said to him harshly “Only God can forgive sins.”

Bang! Another gunshot rung out, another limp body collapsed. Jesse did not pause this time, he

walked over to the little boy, both of their eyes filled with tears, and picked him up. The boy

smothered his tear ridden, sobbing face in Jesse’s shoulder, gripping tightly to the back of Jesse’s

shirt. Jesse looked down at Joshua’s dead body then patted the boy on the back of the head and

said comfortingly “It’s okay to cry, a good man has died here today."