Free Peace Shall Destroy Many by Rudy Wiebe Page B

which they, living beside us for fourteen years, had never felt. How can they believe us? Was it wrong to tell them we realized our failure—”

    “You,” charged the Deacon, the scar at his right temple a dull red, “having lived here nine months—”
    Thom surged to his feet. “He is a member of this church and can speak! Every person who heard at the lake was convinced that we should do—”
    “Brother Wiens,” Block slit Thom’s speech, “after your tantrum at the ball game, it were best you remained inconspicuous.”
    “Brethren, brethren!” Reimer interjected.
    “What are we trying to do here?” a new voice sounded. Thom, sagging stunned, dazedly recognized the high voice of Aaron Martens. “Point fingers at personal failings? Then fewof us could do the pointing. And there is some truth in what Brother Dueck has said. We need some self-examination, not accusations.”
    “I agree,” Herman Paetkau’s voice was strong. “What have we done for them?”
    “Brethren,” the Pastor rose in calmness, but the lines of his face seemed more deeply scored, “such shouting and personal reprimands are most unbecoming to achurch meeting held among Christians. We wish to discuss this most serious matter, true; but in love, as Christ behooves us. We all, old as well as young, want to believe our brother that what he said at the lake he believed to be the truth. He acted impulsively, but who is perfect. I am sure that many good things were said at that meeting. If the brother will apologize for some of the unwise statements he made thatnight, and heed himself to be more judicious in the future, I’m sure we are all ready to forgive and forget.”
    Block was firm: “I ask pardon for my impulsive words. And I gladly and wholly agree with Brother Lepp. It is getting late. What harm has been done cannot be helped now.”
    There was a rustle as Joseph arose for the last time. Beyond his own numbed incapacity, there welled in Thom the overwhelming feeling that something of immense value was being abused here. As if Joseph’s beliefs were being used to coerce him into the virtue of asking forgiveness where there was nothing to forgive. Only two, from the back benches, had supported the teacher; there was no further sound now. The leading men Thom could see before him, erect and half-turned to Joseph, waiting: Rempel’s face ham-like, Block’s sharp and clean as a knife, Reimer’s gleaming head, Pa hopeful, pen poised; the younger men, Ernst, young Franz, Pete,the Rempel twins beyond, had their eyes hard on their shoes. Across the aisle only Annamarie’s head was erect among the girls. Despite his personal shame, Thom stared fiercely at the front of the pulpit as Joseph spoke:
    “How can I think that my saying two words, words I could not ever mean, would make all well? How can two words of mine erase all that has been done in Wapiti for fourteen years? How can man’s
words
ever change anything?
    “This year has meant a great deal to me. Personally, the warmth of your welcome—all of you—could not have been more Christ-like. But we Mennonites, every one of us, are not better than other men. There can be no other reason for our being spared war duty and possible death on the battlefield than that we are to be so much better witnesses to Christ here at home. Understanding the truth only brings with it greater responsibility of action.
    “I had not planned to say any more, but since we are apparently at the point where we must separate, let me clarify my position. I hope someone will be willing to carry on the Sunday afternoon Bible class that I began with the non-Mennonite children in school, for my army call, which was postponed during last winter because of teaching—as was explained to the School Board when I came, I was really only ‘on loan’ from the draft—my call has come again and I must leave on June 30. I will go into training in the Restricted Medical Corps. As a Christian I must
do
something