Free The Believer by Ann H. Gabhart

animosity.
    "The people are accustomed to us here," Brother Issachar said when Ethan noted the friendliness of a man passing on horseback. "They know our intention is to live in peace:"
    "But peace is not always in their hearts,' Ethan said. At times the Shaker traders were set upon by those who wanted nothing but to cause trouble. Brother Henry had even been robbed of his products on a trip to Louisville the year before.
    "We will pray that will not be so on this day. We will pray our trip will be peaceful and profitable:"
    "Do you always pray such prayers when you go out into the world?"
    "Yea. It's only right to do so" Brother Issachar looked over at Ethan. "To pray that the world will do us no harm and that we will likewise do it no harm"
    His words surprised Ethan. "How could we do harm to the world?"
    "With an unkind word, perhaps. Or an unfair price for our products. Doing anything that might cause strife. By not doing the good that we are able to do"
    "But Brother Martin says most in the world don't want the good we can do them. That they reject our ways" Ethan glanced over at Brother Issachar as the horses kept up their steady pace forward. They needed little guidance on the familiar road.
    "There are many ways to do good besides converting those of the world to our ways:" Brother Issachar reached out and caught a maple leaf off a branch that hung out over the road.
    "But is that not what we should do? Encourage those of the world to walk the road of peace with us as Mother Ann teaches:' Ethan stared over at Brother Issachar who had placed the leaf on his knee and was tracing the veins running through it. "Brother Martin says the world is a miry pit of sin that swallows up those who don't believe:"
    "Brother Martin has spent much time studying the Believers' tenets' Brother Issachar kept his eyes on the leaf. "That is as it should be since he has long been a teacher of the young brethren. He suffers greatly each time one of them goes to the world:" He suddenly crumpled the leaf in his hand and dropped it on the road.
    "Do you not mourn the loss of our brothers to the world?" One of the brothers two years younger than Ethan had left for the world just the month before. He and Ethan had grown up together as brothers. Ethan had done his best to keep William from leaving, but William's head was set. There was no dissuading him from turning and walking away from his life as a Shaker. Ethan missed him.
    "Yea, but in a different way." Brother Issachar looked off toward the trees for a moment before he went on. "I have seen much of the world in my time. While Elder Joseph would surely take me to task for saying this, the truth cannot be changed simply because we wish it changed. All cannot be Believers:"
    "Brother Martin says more could be if they would choose the path of right living:"
    "So he does;" Brother Issachar said mildly. "It could be he is right. It's the path choosing that is difficult for many."
    They had delivered their wares to the store at White Oak Springs and were on the way to Harrodsburg before the sun was halfway across the sky. Brother Issachar was telling Ethan of a shady lane not far down the road where they could stop their wagon to eat the midday meal the sisters had packed for their trip when a young woman stepped out of the trees beside the road in front of the horses. She held the end of a rope tied around a black and white dog's neck. The dog barked and jumped forward toward the horses, causing them to shy to the side away from her. She quieted the dog with a word, but didn't move from the road.
    Ethan steadied the horses and looked over at Brother Issachar to see what to do next. Ethan had very little occasion to speak with any of his sisters at Harmony Hill. The sexes were kept separate, using separate doors into the buildings and separate staircases to keep even accidental contact at a minimum. He did sing and labor the worship dances at meeting with his sisters along with all the brethren, and