by Al Lacy
He laughed so hard he cried, this time wiping genuine tears unlike those he’d shed in Blake’s office.
When he gained control of his mirth, he gleefully muttered, “Everybody at the bank thinks Haman Warner is such a nice guy! Well, they’ll never know any different, either! I’m too smart to get caught! Blake, ol’ pal, I’m gonna steal money right from under your nose, just like I did with your old man!”
He picked up the will and began scanning the document. When he came to the stipulation that the bank would become his property should Blake become incapable of directing the bank properly, his mouth dropped open. He read it again. And again.
A wicked smirk worked its way across his lips. “Well, whattaya know! If Blake dies, whoever he’s left his estate to will get it all. But! If he’s rendered incapable of directing the bank properly … well, now, this calls for a drink!”
He went to his liquor cabinet, poured himself a big shot of whiskey, and downed half of it in a gulp. “Except death, eh? All right. What if Papa Barrett’s little ‘born-again Christian boy was behind bars for a good long stretch? Like … ah … ten to fifteen years for stealing depositors’ money? There’s no way he could properly direct the bank from a prison cell!”
It would take some time to work out a foolproof plan, but before long he was going to own the Pacific Bank and Trust Company and have the riches he’d always dreamed about.
For the next several days, Blake Barrett thought about Ben and Minnie Roper and how they had found each other. Ben’s words came back over and over again: “Maybe your ideal young lady is back East somewhere, just waiting for an ad from a bank president who needs a wife.”
Blake wrestled with the decision for a few days, finally deciding it wasn’t for him. Certainly the Lord wouldn’t have him put advertisements in eastern newspapers in order to find a wife. He tried to dismiss the idea from his mind, but it kept coming back. Maybe the Lord was trying to tell him something after all.
Pastor Duane Clarke was in his office at the church preparing a sermon when he heard a light knock on the door.
“Well, Blake! What brings you here this time of day? Aren’t you supposed to be at the bank loaning money and that kind of thing? Come in.”
“You’re right, Pastor. That’s what I’m usually doing, five days a week. But since I’m the boss now, I can take off whenever I want. I need to talk to you. Do you have time now?”
“Of course. A pastor’s time is for caring for his sheep.” He closed the door behind Blake and motioned to one of the two chairs that stood in front of his desk.
When both were seated, Clarke said, “Now, what can I do for you?”
“I need some guidance about something.”
“All right.”
“It’s about the fact that I’m going on twenty-eight years of age, and I’m not even engaged, much less married. I’m lonely as a bachelor, and since the Lord said it wasn’t good that Adam be alone, and He made Eve for him, I feel that it’s not good for me to be alone, either.”
“Makes sense. I sure wouldn’t want to be without my sweet Nora.”
“My problem is, I wouldn’t want to marry someone who isn’t genuinely saved and living to please the Lord.”
“No, you shouldn’t be unequally yoked. God makes it clear in His Word that He wouldn’t want you to.”
“I know that, and I only want to please Him. It’s just that—”
“There are no available young women in this town who meet the qualifications?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Blake, the Lord has already chosen the right young woman for you. In Psalm 37:23, He tells us the steps of a good man are ordered by Him. If you’ll let Him order your steps, He will guide you to the woman He’s chosen for you.”
Blake nodded. “All right. Then this chosen lady must also be looking for the mate the Lord would have for her.”
“No doubt.”
“So, would the Lord put it on my heart to make a move in what seems to be the right direction—a direction that would result in bringing the two of us together?”
“He might do that very thing.” Clarke’s brow furrowed. “Have you got some move in mind?”
Blake scratched his head. “Well-l-l—”
“Something you’re not sure you should do?”
“Right. That’s why I’m here. I need you to tell me what you think of what I’ve got in mind.”
The pastor smiled and eased back in his chair. “I’m listening.”
Blake cleared his throat. “How about if I put ads in eastern newspapers for a mail order bride? Of course, I would specify that the lady must be a born-again Christian and ask her to tell me how she got born again. If I was satisfied with her answer, I would then lay down some other specifications, such as basic doctrinal beliefs, and living all out for the Lord.”
Without hesitation, Clarke said, “If you do it like that and pray hard while you’re doing your corresponding, the Lord may very well bring the two of you together in that way. May I ask what made you think of going the mail order bride route?”
Blake told him about the Ropers and that they seemed so happy. Ever since that day, he had not been able to get the mail order bride idea out of his mind.
“Pastor, I sort of figured you’d tell me right away not to pursue this course. But you seem to look at it favorably.”
“Number one, I look at it favorably because of the specifications you already plan to put in your ads. Number two, I’ve seen it work.”
“You know some Christians who were brought together through the mail order bride system?” Blake said, eyes wide.
“Yes, and so do you. They’re members of our church.”
“Who?”
“You know Mike and Rosie Brannan, don’t you?”
“Sure”.
“Well, when they came to talk to me about joining the church, they told me they’d found each other—as Christians—through an ad.”
Blake smiled broadly. “Whattaya know about that! Mike and Rosie. Since the Lord gave Mike a wife that way, He sure can do it for me!”
“I don’t know why not,” said the preacher. “Just be sure to keep those strict specifications in your ads, and pray a lot. You want this kept confidential, don’t you?”
“Ah … yes, sir.”
“Okay. I’ll be praying for the Lord’s perfect guidance for you.”
After they prayed together, Blake left the office and walked back to the bank.
Two days later, he sent advertisements to six eastern newspapers, stating his firm requirements. In the ads he said that he was a banker, without revealing that he was the owner and president of Pacific Bank and Trust Company. Wealth, he told himself, should not be a factor in something as important as this.
8
AT THE FORREST HOME IN BOSTON, Linda got up early and dressed each morning and kept herself occupied. She helped her mother with the many chores around the house, and when her mother went shopping she even did jobs that were ordinarily Adrienne’s.
The peace God had given Linda was real, and her parents were delighted that she no longer spoke of hating her sister or Lewis Carter. In fact, she seldom even mentioned their names. At the same time, she still could not bring herself to go out among people, which resulted in a dismal existence for her.
Although she was helpful around the house, she did her work almost by rote, as if she were in a daze. She ate little, and her dresses were beginning to hang loosely on her. No prompting from her parents could give her a better appetite.
Once her chores were done, she either went to her room or into the shaded backyard. Only recently had she ventured out the door. In either place, she sat in quiet solitude, thinking and praying for hours on end.
Nolan and Adrienne were deeply concerned about Linda’s obvious lack of interest in life, and they continually asked God for an end to this difficult time for her, and that He would give her total victory to be the girl she had once been.
Pastor and Mrs. St
anford came to the house at least twice a week to counsel Linda. Joline Jensen Simons was the only person Linda would allow to come any time she wished. Hence, Joline came almost daily. As time passed, Linda also allowed her two good friends Betty Madison and Shirley Wells to visit her. Betty and Shirley began coming to the house two and three times a week. Shirley was now engaged to a young man in the church.
One Saturday evening, the Stanfords showed up on the Forrests’ doorstep just after supper. Nolan led them to the parlor. “We saw you coming,” he said. “Adrienne has gone to Linda’s room to get her.”
“How’s she doing?” Pastor Stanford asked.
“About the same. She reads her Bible two or three times a day and spends a lot of time in prayer. She’s staying close to the Lord. It’s just … we can’t get her to go outside that front door.”
“The Lord has the answer for this, Nolan,” Doris said. “We’ve simply got to keep praying, and make sure she knows we love her and are here for her when she needs us.”
Adrienne appeared, saying that Linda would be along in a moment.
When Linda appeared in the doorway, Doris went to her and wrapped her arms around the girl, saying, “I sure do love you.”
Linda squeezed her tight. “I sure do love you, too.” Then she looked over Doris’s shoulder, and said, “That goes for you, too, Pastor.”
The preacher smiled. “Your pastor loves Miss Linda, too.”
When everyone was seated, Lloyd Stanford said, “Linda, Doris and I came by this evening especially because tomorrow’s Sunday. We’d sure love to see you come back to church. How about tomorrow?”
Linda’s face lost color as she replied, “Pastor, I … I wish I could do as you ask. But I just can’t. Please try to understand. I just can’t. The shame and embarrassment of being stood up at the church is still very much with me. I really appreciate your caring enough to come and give me a special invitation. But when I think of facing people who know what happened, I turn cold all over.”
“It’s only recently that she’s gone outside,” Adrienne hastened to add.
“And only to the backyard,” Linda said. “And even then, when I’ve seen the neighbors walk down the alley, they give me that stare.”
“’That stare,’ dear?” Doris said.
“Yes, as if they’re thinking, There’s Linda Forrest. You’ve heard about her, I’m sure! Got herself all gussied up to get married, and her groom ran off with her sister! Left her standing right there at the church, wondering where the groom and the maid of honor had gone!”
Adrienne swung her gaze to the pastor and his wife. “I’ve told her this is just her imagination, but she insists I’m wrong.”
Linda’s face twisted. “Mom, by now everybody in Boston has heard about the girl who got left at the altar. Certainly our neighbors know about it. And you haven’t seen their eyes. I’m telling you, they stare at me as if I was a freak or something.”
“Linda,” said the pastor, “I know this awful thing has gone deep into your mind. But the Lord can give you victory over it like He’s given you victory over the hatred you first felt toward Janet and Lewis. If you would just come to church and be among those who love you, and hear some Bible preaching and teaching, it would get you over it more quickly.”
“But Pastor, I can’t make myself go out among people who know about me. Please believe me. I’m not trying to be difficult. This is something the Lord alone can change. At this point, He hasn’t seen fit to do it.”
Doris looked at Linda with compassion. “Your parents are sticking with you on this, honey, and so are Pastor and I. It’s good that you also have Joline, Betty, and Shirley. We’ll keep praying, and we’ll keep coming to see you. The Lord will do His work in your heart and mind when it’s His time. Don’t forget … we love you.”
A few days later, Linda was sitting in a rocking chair on the back porch, reading her Bible. She heard voices in the alley, and presently two elderly women appeared, walking along slowly.
Linda recognized them. They were widows who lived together in the same block, at the other end of the street. They were speaking in low tones, and Linda couldn’t make out what they were saying. When they glanced her direction, she closed her eyes and whispered, “Please, Lord, help me.”
When she opened her eyes, they were out of sight.
“There you are!” a cheerful feminine voice greeted her.
Linda turned, and a smile broke across her face. “Hi, Joline.”
“Hi, yourself.” Joline sat down in another rocker beside Linda. “How you doing?”
“Okay, I guess.” Linda closed her Bible and held it on her lap.
“One of these days you’ll go out in the front yard, sweetie,” Joline said with assurance. She began talking about the church services over the last few weeks, the good preaching the pastor was doing, and what was going on in some people’s lives at church. She named at least a dozen people who had mentioned Linda of late, saying they really missed her.
“You’re so sweet to tell me, Joline,” Linda said. “I’m glad they miss me at church.”
“The door is always open,” Joline said softly.
“I know. I just can’t go through it.”
“Honey, the Lord gave you the grace to get over the hatred toward Lewis and Janet you were harboring, didn’t He?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t you think that same grace can take you through the church door to see all the people who love you?”
Linda thought on it a few seconds. “Yes. But He hasn’t given it to me yet.”
“He will.”
“I’m waiting.”
Joline nodded, then closed her eyes.
Linda squinted at her. “Is something wrong, Joline?”
“I can’t really call it wrong, honey. But right now I’m facing something quite difficult.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well … I’ve got something to tell you that isn’t pleasant.”
Linda straightened in the rocker. “What is it?”
Tears misted Joline’s eyes. “Frank has been offered an excellent job in Pittsburgh. We’ve prayed about it for almost two weeks now. Frank asked me not to say anything to anybody until we made our decision about it. We both got real peace yesterday, and we feel the Lord is in it. Its a tremendous opportunity for him. He wired them this morning that he would take the job.”
Linda’s face looked desolate. “H-how soon will you be leaving?”
“They want him there day after tomorrow. So we’re leaving on the first train in the morning. Six o’clock.”
Tears flooded Linda’s eyes as she rose from the chair and laid her Bible on the seat. Joline stood up and wrapped her arms around her friend, and they wept.
When their crying had diminished to sniffling, Linda said, “Honey, I’m glad for Frank—the job and all—but I’m going to miss my best friend something terrible!”
“I’m going to miss my best friend something terrible, too! That’s why I said I had to do something unpleasant. I didn’t want to upset you!”
Adrienne came out the back door with a worried look on her face.
“Joline and Frank are moving to Pittsburgh, Mom,” Linda said. “They’re leaving tomorrow morning.”
“Pittsburgh! Why are you going to Pittsburgh?”
Joline told Linda’s mother about the job and that she and Frank could see God’s hand in it. After telling Joline she would miss her, Adrienne said, “I’ll let you two best friends have your time together. Come and let me hug you good-bye on your way out, won’t you, Joline?”
“I sure will.”
When Adrienne had gone back inside the house, Joline said, “I have to go in a few minutes, but I want to repeat to you what I’ve said before. The Lord has a special man all picked out for you. Right now, it seems like nothing’s happening. But honey, God’s hand is working even though you can’t see it. He loves you, and He’s going to give you that special man at just the right time.”
Once again, Linda and Joline hugged each other tightly.
“Now, you write to me, Linda, especially when that man walks into your life, all right?”
“Yes.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
For the next two days Linda cried a lot over Joline’s move to Pittsburgh. But finally she adjusted to the fact that life was full of change, and this was just one of those changes. She was happy that Frank had landed such a good job.
Joline had been gone a little over a week when Adrienne went shopping with Frances Diamond and Betty Madison appeared at the Forrests’ front door.
This was the first time Betty had visited without Shirley Wells. Linda looked past her and said, “Where’s Shirley?”
“Oh, she and her fiancé are out buying things for their wedding. I’ve been wanting to see you alone, so I took advantage of this moment to come by.”
“Well, trot your little self in here. I could use some company.”
“You miss Joline, I’m sure.”
“Yes. But I’m so glad I still have you.”
Betty looked down for a moment and then said, “Where would you like to talk?”
“How about the parlor?”
When they were seated facing each other, Linda studied her friend’s face and waited for her to speak.
“Linda,” Betty began, putting her hands together and interlacing her fingers, “there’ve been some pretty big things happening in my life that I haven’t told you about on these visits.”
“Oh?”
“It isn’t that I wanted to keep something from you, I just wanted to be sure that what was appearing to be God’s will for my life was really so before I told you about it. It’s the biggest thing that’s happened to me, other than being saved.”
“Makes sense,” Linda said, giving her a slight smile. “Better to have something that important settled before telling your friends about it. So, now that you know it’s the Lord’s will, let’s hear it.”