Chapter 2

On the first row of pews to the right of the speaking platform, Pastor Alexander Cayden chuckled at the reverend’s comment. Sister Samantha Gladstone did have a lovely voice. He hadn’t realized Henry Gladstone had two daughters. But when Samantha sat down with her family, Lex noticed a girl who, all but for her red curls, looked just like Samantha. Twins maybe? Nah, probably not. The ginger one had a look of elder sister about her.

Silence pulled Lex out of his thoughts. What was wrong? The reverend just stood there at the podium. His head bent and his eyes tightly closed and he mumbled, “Yes Lord. Yes, Lord.” Was he praying to himself? This was unusual behavior, even for Begley. Why was he waiting so long? He should ride the energy Samantha had lifted with her amazing voice. Go with the flow of God’s presence. What was he doing? All that energy and spirituality of the moment faded. And faded fast.

Finally, Begley lifted his face and drew in a long slow breath.

“Brothers and Sisters.” He spoke so slowly, Cayden seriously wondered if he had had a stroke. “I had another sermon prepared this morning, but as Sister Samantha performed her special song, the Good Lord spoke to me of a Great Eeeviill that has taken root in our community.”

Cayden cocked his head to one side. Where was Begley going with this?

“As His humble minister, I must share with you what HE has shown me. Turn in your Bibles to Deuteronomy, Chapter 18, and we will start reading in Verse 10. Listen to the WORD of the LORD MY CHILDREN, it states: ‘There must not be anyone among you who passes his son or daughter through fire; who practices divination, is a sign reader, fortune-teller, sorcerer, or spell caster; who converses with ghosts or spirits or communicates with the dead. All who do these things are detestable to the LORD!”

Begley glared at the congregation. Then he lowered his head and continued reading. “It is on account of these detestable practices that the LORD your God is driving these nations out before you. Instead, you must be perfect before the LORD your God. These nations you are displacing listened to sign readers and diviners, but the LORD your God doesn’t permit you to do the same! The LORD your God will raise up a prophet like me from your community, from your fellow Israelites. He’s the one you must listen to.’”

Cayden leaned forward with his elbow on one knee. He listened intently. This was not the Rev’s ordinary style of sermon. Lex’s gut told him it was aimed specifically at someone. But who? He glanced to his left through slitted eyes. He couldn’t blatantly turn his head and scan the congregation, but he sure wanted to. He’d been with this ministry less than a year. He wasn’t aware of anyone practicing divination or sign— There was that shop downtown. What was it called? He pulled a vision from his memory of the little bright-blue shop. Mysti’s Crystals and Gifts. Surely he wasn’t speaking about whoever owned that shop? Why would he do that?

“Let us pray.” Begley continued. “Oh Great and Just God, Lord and Creator of all that is Holy and Good. I ask that you empower me to speak without fear the words of warning you showed me this morning. May the mouths of those controlled by Satan and his legion of demons be shut as YOU speak through me, your humble servant. In the most Holy and Sacred Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.”

The congregants chanted “Amen.”

Except Lex. He couldn’t agree with or endorse Begley’s prayer. In fact, he questioned his agreement in this whole line of preaching. Maybe Begley really did have a stroke and it affected his mind. Lex glanced right and left. What would be the least spectacle-causing method to sweep Begley off the dais and out a side door?

“You may wonder” —Begley began to pace behind the podium— “why God gave me this Word of warning this morning. I’ll tell you, Brothers and Sisters. BECAUSE we have allowed these very things to enter our community. Not only have we allowed it to enter, we have permitted it to take root and live here.”

Whoa! Lex nearly stood. He had to do something and soon. But what? He’d be fired for sure if he acted as he knew he should. An urging ached in his heart to stop his superior. But he questioned the reality of physically restraining the older man and dragging him into a hallway.

Begley’s face reddened. Spit flew from his lips as he vehemently continued. “This passage is clear that We, as the Children of God, are to have nothing to do with the abominable workings of those who are possessed and controlled by the devil” —Begley’s eyes glared at the Gladstone family on the front row— “and his demons.

“Who are those, you might be asking? Our passage tells us. ‘They are those that practice divination, who read signs, and tell fortunes. They are sorcerers, witches who cast spells, and talk with spirits and the dead.’”

Lex’s eyes darted left and right. Were the ushers nearby? Could anybody help him, if Obadiah resisted?

The reverend stepped out from behind the podium. He came down one step, then two. He paced the floor before the first row pews. “We have those here in our little town of Gladstone! Most of us pass by that den of demons every day and laugh about the pretty blue storefront with the weird bells and magic rocks.

“But God. Isn’t. Laughing.

“NO, GOD calls it an abomination! It’s witchcraft and idolatry all in one convenient stop.”

Lex stood, still questioning what he should do. But he had to do something. He heard shuffling. The congregants had followed his lead, and stood, too. Some men were crying out, “Amen! Hallelujah!”

Oh No! This wasn’t going right at all. Lex turned to look at the people standing behind him. He wanted to wave his hands to tell them to sit back down. But now, he figured it might be better that they were standing. Not as many could see him take down their Reverend.

Begley glanced a reprimanding look toward Lex but continued. “Let me be plain, Saints. I don’t care if you call it harmonics or chakras. If you say it’s Mother Earth or the Easter Bunny. If it isn’t from God, it’s from the devil. They may call them ‘healing crystals’ but their spells are from one source only. That little shop-of-sin may smell like fragrant oils and teas, but it’s the stench from the darkest pits of HELL!

“Call it a ‘psychic reading,’ if you want to make it sound pretty. GOD CALLS IT FORTUNE TELLING.

“Why Moses was told by God to inform the Children of God to take those that practiced such abominations outside the city” —Begley stopped pacing abruptly and directly in front of the curly redhead who sat beside Samantha Gladstone. His eyes bore into her— “AND KILL THEM.”

The pour woman glared back at Begley. Her foot swung and her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The whole Gladstone family looked stunned. But Cayden saw Mr. Gladstone’s fists drawing tight. Lex had to stop Begley, now, or Henry was going to punch the man in his face.