The Seventh Messenger

by Carol Costa

  “Yes,” Jacob agreed. “The Millennium is at hand. The Lord is testing us with this trial to see if we are worthy.”

  Mary wanted to scream at them and tell them what Evelyn said in court was true. The Millennium was all a big lie Benjamin made up to gather people into his own personal kingdom. She said nothing.

  When they arrived at Diamond House, Jacob and Mary helped Benjamin up to his suite and got him into bed. Mary instructed Louella to bring up some warm soup and hot tea for Benjamin as he had not eaten all day.

  Mary fed Benjamin several spoonfuls of soup and he seemed grateful for her attention to his needs. After he drank the hot tea, he slipped down under the covers and was asleep in a matter of minutes.

  Jacob was in the hallway waiting for Mary when she came out of Benjamin"s suite. “How is he, Mary?”

  “He"s resting now. I don"t know if he"ll have the strength to return to court tomorrow.”

  “We"ll see how he is in the morning,” Jacob said.

  Together Jacob and Mary went downstairs, where Louella served them mock steak with vegetables and warm apple pie.

  After dinner, Mary went directly to her suite again. Jacob went to check on Benjamin and then reported back to Mary.

  “He is sleeping peacefully,” Jacob said. “The awful cough seems to have left him now.”

  Mary thanked him and bid him good night. She was exhausted and her mind was reeling from the dreadful things that had been brought out at the trial.

  When the charges had first been brought against Benjamin, Mary had berated herself for not making a strong enough effort to dissuade Benjamin. After a few days of thinking that way, she came to the realization, that from the first day she saw him preaching on the road, Benjamin had beyond anyone"s control.

  Even as his wife, she never had the slightest influence over him; no one did. Benjamin Franklin Purnell was a master of manipulation. He knew how to get people to do whatever he wanted them to do and make them feel grateful to him for letting them do his bidding.

  In the years following Coy"s death, Mary had become more independent and forceful, but if she had grown as strong as Goliath or as wise as Solomon she still would not have been able to keep Benjamin from the path of destruction he had chosen.

  Mary carried her Bible to her bed with her that night. She fell asleep praying that despite the evil deeds that had transpired at the colony the Lord would have mercy on their people and lead them out of harm"s way.

  *** The next day, Benjamin was coughing again, but he looked better and seemed to feel stronger. The newspaper accounts of the courtroom events of the day before had caused even more people to gather on the streets in front of the courthouse.

  Once again, the House of David party had to be escorted into the building amid the jeers and shouts of the angry mob. When the trial resumed, Evelyn took her place in the witness box again. This time, she had to face the wrath of William Barnard.

  “Miss Warren, you and your daughter, Naomi, have remained at the House of David colony for ten years now. Obviously you have been well taken care of there. And I understand you held a position of some importance in the business dealings of the colony.”

  “Yes.”

  “What duties did you perform for the colony?”

  “I traveled some gathering converts to our faith. I also interviewed people who wanted to join the colony and reported to the Board of Directors on the funds and talents they could bring to the House of David.”

  “You did all this when you just testified that you were unhappy at the colony and did not really believe in Benjamin?”

  “Yes.”

  “Weren"t you living a lie, Miss Warren, and lying to the people you brought into the colony?”

  “Yes. It was the lie that Benjamin forced me to live when he raped me and got me pregnant with Naomi. It was the only way I had to support myself and take care of my child.”

  Barnard seemed sorry that he had asked the question and changed tactics again. “So, you admit that the colony has supported you all these years?”

  “Yes.”

  “Isn"t it also true that Benjamin Purnell gave you the opportunity to travel and a position of respect and importance in the House of David colony?”

  “He recognized my abilities and took advantage of them,” she replied defiantly.

  “That is your opinion. But the fact remains that you and your daughter have lived a comfortable life at the House of David. Isn"t that true?”

  “I suppose so,” she admitted.

  “Then I ask you, Miss Warren. Why do you now attempt to bite the hand that feeds you?”

  “Because after I saw what Benjamin did to Lenore Sullivan, I realized that he was a mad man, and that my own daughter could be the next young girl to be raped by him.”

  Despite the Judge"s earlier warnings, the spectators went wild and some began yelling for Benjamin to be lynched. William Barnard shook his head, aware that his last question had backfired on him.

  The Judge stood up and banged his gavel and called in the sheriff and his deputies to clear the courtroom. Benton Harbor didn"t have enough deputies to police Benjamin"s trial as it had garnered nation-wide attention, so deputies had been called in from adjacent towns like St. Joseph to fill the void.

  As the spectators were herded out of the courtroom, Mary came to the uncomfortable realization that Evelyn"s last statement was the perfect introduction to the testimony that was to follow hers.

  Lenore Sullivan was scheduled to testify next and Judge Finley knew that if Evelyn had incited the crowd with her words, a child like Lenore would make them uncontrollable.

  Mary thought that she and Jacob, Silas and Cora would be banished from the courtroom too, but the Judge allowed them and Nathan Sullivan to stay. Mary looked over at Nathan and once again saw the rage that simmered so close to the surface. The Judge thought he had made the courtroom safer but he had allowed the most dangerous person to stay.

  Barnard made one final attempt to discredit Evelyn Warren.

  “Miss Warren, isn"t it true that you hate Benjamin Purnell and have always wanted to cause trouble for him?”

  “Yes, sir,” Evelyn answered honestly.

  “And isn"t it also true that the girls who testified previously were all coached by you and told what to say on the witness stand?”

  “They didn"t need to be coached to tell the truth. They already knew that Benjamin Purnell is an evil man.” Evelyn turned her gaze towards the defense table and glared at Benjamin.

  “I have no more questions for this witness, your honor,” Barnard said.

  “The witness is excused,” Judge Finley said.

  Evelyn stood up and walked over and sat next to Nathan Sullivan. George Nichole rose slowly to his feet. After a brief pause he called Lenore Sullivan to the stand.

  The door to the hallway opened and Lenore was led into the courtroom by one of the deputies. She looked younger than Mary remembered and then realized that her hair and clothing had been fixed in a way that made her appear younger than her actual years.

  With only a few spectators left in the courtroom, it was eerily quiet. The clerk swore the girl in and she took her seat on the witness stand.

  The first girls who had testified against Benjamin had soiled his reputation. Evelyn Warren had dragged it through the mud, and Lenore Sullivan"s story turned the mud into quick sand.

  Mary didn"t see how anything the defense presented could keep Benjamin and the House of David from being pulled under and suffocated.

  When Nichols turned his witness over to William Barnard, the defense attorney had the good sense to say he had no questions for the girl.

  The court was adjourned for lunch and once again the House of David group went to Barnard"s office and partook of the food he had arranged to be sent in for them.

  As they ate, Barnard admitted that the prosecution"s case had been stronger than he had anticipated. “It"s very difficult to get young women to testify in these types of cases,”
he said carefully. “But Nichols has presented all these witnesses and all of their stories have been similar. The Judge will not be able to ignore that fact.”

  “What are you saying?” Silas had the courage to ask.

  “I"m saying, Mr. Mooney, that Benjamin will be convicted unless a miracle occurs.”

  “I am the Seventh Messenger,” Benjamin said suddenly. “My enemies will not prevail against me.” The emotion in Benjamin"s voice caused him to start coughing again and it was several minutes before he could stop and catch his breath again.

  After the mid-day recess, the Judge allowed the spectators and the newspaper people to return to the courtroom. Evelyn and Nathan sat together, but Lenore had been sequestered in Nichols" office with some of his staff to take care of her.

  Nichols rested his case and it was William Barnard"s turn to defend Benjamin and the House of David. His challenge was to present testimony that was favorable enough to offset some of the damage the prosecution"s witnesses had done.

  One by one, the witness for the defense were called to the stand.

  A female witness, Salena Smith, spoke with conviction. “I was a member of the Inner Circle. All that has been said about Benjamin is blasphemy. He is pure and good, an angel chosen by God to lead our people.”

  “As a member of the Inner Circle, did Benjamin purify your blood?” Nichols asked her when he was given the opportunity to challenge her testimony.

  “Benjamin purified my mind and my soul with love and goodness. He treated me as kindly and gently as my own father.”

  “Did you have sexual intercourse with him?” Nichols asked being more specific.

  “No,” the girl said defiantly.

  Joshua and Sadie Smith had come to the House of David when their house in Michigan City had burned to the ground. Joshua"s lungs had been permanently damaged from the fire, making him unable to work and support his wife and four children. Benjamin had accepted them into the colony although they had no earthly possessions left to donate to the treasury. They were good people, who would always be grateful for their place in the colony. Joshua did odd jobs whenever he felt up to it, and his wife and children cheerfully accepted any work that was assigned to them. Salena was the oldest of their four children and the one who remembered the terror of the fire the most. She was fiercely loyal to Benjamin and the House of David. Mary knew that the girl had lied under oath, but understood why she would do so. Many of the colonists were convinced that the laws of the country and state did not apply to them because they had removed themselves from the world in general when they joined the House of David colony.

  Nichols gave up and sat down again as the next witness for the defense was called to the stand and testified. “I met Benjamin when he was traveling in Australia. From the moment I heard him speak, I knew he was the symbol of the true faith. I followed him here and I can swear to his goodness and honor.”

  Nichols waived his right to question the man.

  Then, Silas was called. It was established that Silas had been with Benjamin and Mary for many years and had helped them create the colony in Benton Harbor and he told the Judge about that. “When we came to Benton Harbor, we settled in a desolate, barren area on the outskirts of town. Through the grace of God, and the leadership of Benjamin Purnell and his wife, Mary, we have transformed that area into lush farmland, and a wonderful amusement park. Through our efforts this community has prospered and we have asked nothing in return except to be left to our way of life.”

  The Judge seemed impressed with Silas and his testimony. What Silas said was true. The city of Benton Harbor had benefited greatly from the amusement park because it brought tourists from all over the country to the area. These tourists spent money in the town"s restaurants, hotels and retail stores, boosting the economy and income of the area.

  Jacob was the next person called by Barnard. As Mary knew that he would, Jacob spoke emotionally about Benjamin. “Everything Benjamin has done is for the welfare of our people. He has brought us to the true faith and taught us to live as brothers and sisters in love and peace.”

  Jacob"s words brought Daisy to Mary"s mind. Jacob"s unconditional belief in Benjamin had caused Jacob to lose his wife when he tried to make her live as his sister. Fortunately for Jacob that had happened before Evelyn Warren came to the House of David or Daisy might have appeared in court for the prosecution to denounce Benjamin for his part in destroying her marriage. Somewhere across the country Daisy might be reading about the trial and thinking that Benjamin was finally paying for the heartache he had caused her.

  When Barnard was finished with Jacob, Nichols took his turn at the man. As Nichols approached him, Jacob"s face turned as pale as his snow white hair and beard.

  “How long have you been a follower of Benjamin Purnell?”

  “From the beginning,” Jacob answered. “I"m not sure how many years it is.”

  “And before that you were a disciple of a man named, Michael Mills?”

  Jacob"s eyes widened in surprise wondering how Nichols had found out about the Flying Rollers, but he answered affirmatively.

  “Michael Mills also claimed to be the Seventh Messenger, did he not?”

  “Yes,” Jacob answered softly.

  “And Michael Mills also kept a harem of young girls.”

  “It was not a harem,” Jacob said emotionally.

  “Of course not,” Nichols said sarcastically. “But isn"t it true that Mills did surround himself with young girls, daughters of his followers, who were supposed to help him do the Lord"s work?”

  “Yes.”

  “And aren"t the young girls in Benjamin Purnell"s Inner Circle supposed to help him do the Lord"s work, just as Mills group, known as the God-Head helped him?”

  “I don"t know. That was a long time ago,” Jacob said, looking at Barnard hoping he would somehow save him from this line of questioning.

  Barnard who knew nothing of Michael Mills and the Flying Rollers finally realized that Nichols was leading the witness somewhere that could be detrimental to Benjamin. “Objection,” he yelled as he jumped to his feet. “This line of questioning is irrelevant, you honor.”

  The Judge turned to George Nichols who quickly defended the questions he was asking of Jacob. “Benjamin Purnell and Jacob Whitehall met when they were members of an organization called the Flying Rollers. Their leader was a man named, Michael Mills, who also claimed to be the Seventh Messenger. Their past association with the Flying Rollers and Mills has a direct bearing on this case, your honor. I ask your indulgence while I make the connection.”

  “Objection over ruled,” Judge Finley said. “Proceed.”

  “Mr. Whitehall can you tell the court what happened to Michael Mills?”

  “I don"t know where he is now,” Jacob replied, trying to avoid answering the question.

  “Where was Michael Mills when you and Benjamin left the Flying Rollers?”

  “In jail,” Jacob admitted so softly the prosecutor ordered him to speak up louder. “In jail,” Jacob repeated in a louder voice.

  “And why was Michael Mills in jail?”

  Jacob shook his head. His eyes were full of fear. The Judge ordered him to answer the question.

  “He was convicted of raping a young girl in the colony.”

  “And was this young girl a member of Mills" God-Head?”

  “Yes.”

  Nichols turned around and walked to the table where the assistant he had brought with him today handed him some papers.

  “Your honor, I place into evidence, newspaper accounts of the trial and conviction of Michael Mills.”

  “Objection,” Barnard shouted. “The defense had no prior knowledge of this evidence, your Honor.”

  The Judge called both lawyers to confer at the bench. When they were through, he made a ruling. The newspaper accounts of Michael Mills" trial and conviction would not be accepted into evidence.

  “Very well, your honor,” Nichols said, seemingly unperturbed that the ruling
had gone against him. “I have a few more questions for this witness.”

  “Proceed,” the Judge said.

  Mary"s chest was constricting with apprehension. The testimony Nichols had elicited from Jacob had done the damage. Nichols didn"t need the newspaper articles to prove his point.

  “So, Mr. Whitehall, Michael Mills had a group of young virgins he called his God-Head. Benjamin Purnell had a group of young virgins, he called his Inner Circle. Michael Mills was supposed to be the Seventh Messenger but he was sent to jail on the same charges that have been brought against Mr. Purnell who now claims to be the Seventh Messenger. Is that correct?”

  “Michael was not the true messenger,” Jacob said.

  “I did not ask you that, Mr. Whitehall. Please answer the question you were asked.”

  Although Jacob was Benjamin"s most loyal supporter, unlike the Smith girl, Jacob was incapable of telling an out and out lie. He was an expert at ignoring the truth, but he probably had never told a lie in his life.

  Nichols repeated the question again and Jacob murmured “Yes.”

  “And you do not believe that Michael Mills was an angelic messenger, but you do believe that Benjamin Purnell is the true Seventh Messenger?”

  “Yes.”

  “How did you find out that Benjamin was the true messenger?”

  “Benjamin was transported to the throne of God where it was revealed to him.”

  “And did you go to the throne of God with him?”

  “No. I am not an angel. Only an angel may be transported to the throne.”

  “So, I ask you again. How did you find out that Benjamin was the true Seventh Messenger?”

  Jacob looked over at Benjamin. “He told me it was so.”

  “Thank you. No further questions,” Nichols said.

  Barnard stood up. “I have questions, your honor.”

  Before Barnard could ask his questions, Benjamin fell forward, hitting his face on the table. Jackson Fuller tried to raise him up again, but Benjamin was unconscious.

  “It would seem that the defendant has gone into another trance,” Nichols said coldly.

  “My client is very ill,” Barnard protested. “I request a recess, your honor.”