by Sarah Price
If you see him transgress,
Committing a sin against you,
Kindly you shall beseech him,
Point out to him in love
Between him and you alone
Does he then repent,
You shall be satisfied.[3]
He let those words sink in giving the congregation time to reflect on them before he continued.“We forgive and let the sinners repent. If that person does not hear you, you must reveal the matter to the church so that we can approach that person to point out the need to ask for God’s grace.”
The bishop narrowed his eyes.“But if the sinner does not repent and does not listen to the church,”he said, his voice stern once more.
From him do separate yourself
Indeed the very same hour,
Keep him as a heathen
As Christ has proclaimed.
Paul also said without deceit and craftiness
Put him away from among you
Whoever is disobedient.[4]
The bishop paused. The message was clear. Even though Susie Byler had not become a baptized member of the church yet, the bishop was instructing everyone to help guide her. If she didn’t repent, she would not be permitted to join the church and that would be almost as bad as being shunned.
“We do not do this in anger or to punish. We do this without gossip or reproach,”he said as he lowered his voice.“Indeed, we do this in love.”
When the service was finally over, Priscilla could hardly contain herself. She wanted to speak to Anna and Sarah privately but knew better than to do so during the fellowship time. She didn’t want to appear as a gossiper but she was anxious and on edge. She simply couldn’t believe that the bishop had been so bold and so brazen as to address the issue in such a public manner.
It was clear that she wasn’t the only one. No one else spoke about the sermon. In fact, it was obvious that everyone was avoiding any discussion about what the bishop had said. Instead, everyone was reflecting on his words and doing their best to appear extra friendly and kind toward everyone. Even Susie Byler appeared withdrawn and subdued. Perhaps the bishop got through to her, Priscilla thought as she refilled the water glasses for the men during the first seating of the fellowship meal.
“Danke,”Stephen said as Priscilla refilled his water glass.“I will see you later, ja?”
She smiled, lowering her eyes that he had asked her that in front of his peers. She noticed that her brother raised an eyebrow.“I’ll be at the singing, if that’s what you mean,”she responded coyly. She didn’t want people gossiping about her budding relationship with Stephen Esh, although he didn’t seemed to mind if people knew that she was his girl.
“Heard you might take your sister’s kinnerto the pond,”he said.
Priscilla glanced at her brother and he shrugged his shoulders sheepishly.“Ja,”she admitted.“Would be helpful to watch them for Elsie a little.”
Stephen nodded his head, a thoughtful expression on his face.“I was thinking about heading over there myself.”He ignored the snickers from the other young men seated around him.“Mayhaps you could use some help with the kinner?”
This time, she smiled at him without feeling self-conscious.“That would be right gut, Stephen Esh.”
She continued moving down the table to continue refilling the men’s water glasses. Now she was really looking forward to the afternoon with Elsie’s kinner since Stephen was going to come along to help her.
Chapter Eleven
The big oak tree by the pond cast a wide circle of shade on the grass. True to Daed’s prediction, there were many other people already wading into the water while the children played and splashed each other. Priscilla set down the picnic basket that her mamm had packed with sandwiches, fresh peaches, and two jars of lemonade. She had even put in a shoofly pie for the children to enjoy after they had eaten their food.
Priscilla found a spot in the shade and spread out the old quilt that she had carried along. It was nicer to sit on the quilt than on the scratchy grass. Katie, Ruth Ann, and Ben were holding hands and splashing in the water. Priscilla watched them, her arms wrapped around her knees. She loved seeing how nicely they played. Their laughter warmed her heart. After such a crazy few weeks, she was glad to start feeling relaxed again.
“Did you just get here?”
Priscilla looked up to see Stephen Esh standing under the tree.“We did, ja.”
His knees cracked as he bent down beside her.“Brought some ice cream.”He set a brown bag down on the ground.“Thought the little ones might like it but they should eat it soon. Will melt quickly.”
“That was right thoughtful,”she said. His kind gesture touched her. Waving to the kinner, she called them back to the blanket. Katie plopped down next to her and grinned a toothless smile at Stephen Esh.“You have a special treat today,”Priscilla said.“Stephen brought you some ice cream.”
Ben whooped and did a little dance, causing a round of giggles from Katie and Ruth Ann. Even Stephen smiled at the little boy’s enthusiasm.
“Normally we’d wait until after our food but, seeing that it’s so hot, I don’t think we have much choice,”Priscilla said.
While the children ate their ice cream, Stephen sat down on the quilt next to Priscilla. He sat close enough that his arm brushed against hers. She liked how attentive he was toward her. She knew that many Amish youth were not as comfortable around women and were shy. She was sure glad that Stephen Esh didn’t behave in such an awkward manner.
“What did you think of the bishop’s sermon today?”he asked as he bit into his own ice cream bar.
“Oh,”she said, surprised by the question. She hadn’t expected him to come right out and ask her about it.“I…well…”she stammered.
He laughed at her.“That’s what I thought you’d say.”He turned to look at her.“You handled yourself quite well during that..”He hesitated. What should one call what happened?“Bizarre event,”he finally settled on.“It’s admirable that you maintained your distance and refused to take her bait.”
“Stephen,”she said softly.“I don’t know if I’m comfortable talking about this.”
He nodded.“Understood and that’s exactly what I mean. I just want you to know that you proved yourself to be a good Christian during it and I, for one, was proud of you.”
“Proud?”she whispered.“I think we have learned about pride.”
He shook his head.“Oh no, there’s a big difference, Priscilla.”He finished his ice cream and wiped his hands on his pants.“Pride in oneself is sinful. But being proud of others is natural. Don’t confuse the two.”
She digested that for a minute. How many times had her mammlooked at her with pride in her eyes? Could that feeling be the type of good pride that Stephen meant? There were even times when Priscilla watched Katie, Ruth Ann, and Ben interact and she was proud of their good, Christian values. They rarely fought and were usually most helpful…well, not always feisty Katie but she was still a good girl. Perhaps Stephen was right.
“I guess you have a good point,”she said. But she was still embarrassed that he had confided in her. No one had ever come right out to say that they were proud of her. Not in so many words.
“The trick now…”he said, waving his finger in the air.“Is how we can all prove to Susie that we support her in order to help her.” He rested his chin on his knees.“I heard that the bishop went to her home and talked to her. Hopefully she will learn her lesson and be a nicer person.”
But Priscilla wasn’t so certain. To be honest, Susie hadn’t looked remorseful at all after the sermon. She had helped with the fellowship meal in silence, her eyes narrow and her chin lifted high.“We can only hope so,”she said slowly.“And pray.”
For the rest of the afternoon, Priscilla and Stephen played with the kinner in the pond. There was a lot of laughter and splashing, chasing and dunking. By the time the afternoon began to wan, Priscilla was pleased to see that all three children looked tired and worn out
. They would sleep well tonight, despite the unusual heat wave that was pressing down upon them.
Stephen walked with them back toward their farms. He carried the quilt while Priscilla carried the now empty basket. They walked the kinner across the road to Elsie’s house, laughing as the children gushed about their exciting afternoon at the pond. Then, as they crossed the street back to her daed’s, Stephen seemed to slow his pace.“It was a great afternoon, Priscilla Smucker,”he said.
“That it was,”she admitted.“I can’t thank you enough for bringing ice cream. That was such a special treat, Stephen.”
He smiled back at her but didn’t comment about that. Instead, he asked,“I trust you’ll be at the singing tonight?”
She nodded.“Ja, I’ll be riding over with Jonas.”
He frowned for a moment, looking up into the sky. He appeared to be thinking of something as he accessed the still hot sun that was slowly making its way to the horizon.“It sure is awful hot to ride over to the singing in a closed buggy, don’t you think?”
She watched him carefully, wondering what he was planning. She was starting to know him well enough to figure out that he spoke with purpose.“It might cool down,”she said slowly, still watching him.
He shook his head.“Might be better if you rode over to the singing in an open buggy,”he said then turned to look at her. She recognized the mischievous sparkle in his blue eyes.“I could pick you up in mine, if you’d like.”
She tried not to smile and lowered her eyes.“I suppose that might be nice, too.”
A broad grin broke onto his face. He handed her the quilt when she was ready to go into the house.“That might just be the ending to the most perfect day,”he said. Then, hesitating, he added as if an after-thought,“So far anyway. I have a suspicion that they will only get better from here.”
She laughed as he hurried down the lane, pausing once to turn back and wave. He had left his horse and buggy in the shade of the tree by the pond and needed to return there to fetch it.
Walking back down the lane, Priscilla paused as she passed her garden. It was still growing well, despite the heat. She noticed that there were new green tomatoes growing on the stalks. God is amazing, she thought. With a little love and a lot of hard work, the plants would continue to provide new tomatoes for the rest of the summer. She would continue to work in the garden, nurturing all of the vegetables. She’d can as much as she would be able to for the winter, so that her entire family would enjoy them.
Sighing, she shut her eyes and lifted her face to the sun. It was amazing to her how much had happened in the past few weeks and all of it centered on the tomato patch. Indeed, for when she thought that she had only been planting vegetables, she had truly been cultivating the seeds for her new life.
Smiling, she hurried down the rest of the lane, eager to tell her mamm about the afternoon while they prepared the family supper meal. Then, she had to get ready for the singing since Stephen Esh would be certain to pick her up earlier so that they could spend more time alone. He was right, she thought as she climbed the steps to the front porch, this was indeed the perfect day.
Part Two: The Quilting Bee
Chapter One
After a long summer, Priscilla Smucker was looking forward to the upcoming autumn. Cooler weather and shorter days meant that the apple trees would soon produce ripe, juicy fruit, perfect for making applesauce with her mamm. She loved to ride in their buggy with her mamm to the local market and bring home bountiful bushels of freshly picked apples. They would spend the day lovingly peeling them, coring them, cooking them, smashing them, and canning them. Afterwards, a hundred clear glass pint jars full of applesauce would line the shelves in Mamm’s pantry, just waiting for the winter months, when they would be at their best. The creamy gold of the applesauce would contrast nicely on the shelves next to the dozens of canned red beets and chow-chow that they had already canned during July and August.
A cool breeze brushed against her face and Priscilla lifted her chin as she turned to face it. She shut her dark eyes and breathed in the crisp air. It was almost as if she could taste autumn in the air. When she opened her eyes, she looked around at the remnants of her garden that was already withering and brown. Yes, she loved autumn and making applesauce. Yet, she knew that this year, the applesauce canning wasn’t what really excited her so much.
For the past few months, she had been courting Stephen Esh. He was as constant as milking cows…always there to pick her up and take her home from the Sunday singings. There was, indeed, no doubt that Stephen Esh had something a little more serious on his mind than just short buggy rides and occasional volley ball games with the other youths. And the thought that, mayhaps, her first come-calling friend would be her last certainly did not upset Priscilla the least.
She smiled as she thought about the handsome man that she secretly considered her beau.
Oh, how she enjoyed his company! She loved hearing his laughter and listening to his stories. He was older than her and already well-established in the community. While he still lived at home with his daed and mamm, he also had his own farm. Everyone thought quite a lot of Stephen Esh but he never once let that get to his head. He was modest about how hard he worked, helping his daed during the mornings and working his own farm in the late afternoons.
And he was wise. She loved when he gave her advice. Despite their age difference, he was never condescending. Instead, he would listen to her and think before he spoke. When he did speak, he grounded his words with the Scripture. He explained things to her, his voice soft and gentle. She always felt that he truly had her best interests at heart.
Priscilla stared at her dying garden. It had been a lovely season with wonderful, tasty vegetables. She would miss working in the garden, feeling the soil beneath her fingers, and smelling the beautiful scent of fresh tomatoes and zucchini and squash. But she knew that it wouldn’t be long before she would be rebuilding the garden for the next season, perhaps her last one living at her parents’farm.
The thought made her blush. Just recently, Stephen had begun to tell her that he was fixing up the farmhouse. He even drove her by it one afternoon before the Sunday singing. They hadn’t gotten out of the buggy to go explore the empty house. That would have been improper, for sure and certain. But he had pointed out the different locations such as the kitchen window, the canning room door, and corner of the house with the sitting room.
There was a distant look on his face as he stared at the house, quiet for just a few moments. She could tell that he was thinking hard about something and she gave him that time for reflection. Watching him, she noticed the straight line of his cheekbone and the firm tilt of his chin. He was such a hard worker and so determined to do well for his family, community, and church. His eyes seemed to travel across the farmland and she knew that he was taking in the commitment he had made to the land. She wondered whether he was excited or fearful of that prospect.
The answer was clear when he turned his head to look at her and he smiled.“Ja,”he had said.“That’s my future home.”
That, too, had made her blush. They had only been courting for four months. While she knew that was enough time for some couples, she also knew that she wasn’t quite seventeen yet and certainly not ready to make a commitment. She needed more time but, since Stephen never mentioned anything about baptism or marriage, she tried not to presume that he was hinting about it, either.
Leave it to her mammto take matters into her own hands, she thought. Mamm had suggested that they start thinking about making a quilt for Priscilla’s hope chest. Her family had given it to her on her sixteenth birthday, a gift that her father had made with her brothers when she was busy in the house helping Mamm. Now, Mamm was hinting that they start thinking about filling it with household items that Priscilla would need for when she finally got married.
And that was what Priscilla was most excited about: attending a quilting bee. In the autumn and winter, many of the families with young unmarried d
aughters had quilting bees. It was a time for the community to come together, to contribute to the making of the quilt that would, one day, cover the marriage bed. Quilting bees were a time for women to engage in fellowship, sharing stories and recipes, reminiscing about their own lives, and providing good advice for the young women. She hadn’t been to many of them. Only three last year. But she hoped that they would be invited to a few this winter.
Whenever the women gathered for canning or baking, Priscilla tried to be there. She loved being around them. She found the older women to be interesting and lively with their sparkling eyes and warm laughter. She absorbed their energy for life as much as she could, trying to remember everything that they had said.
Afterwards, she would hurry to her room and eagerly write down the different things that they had shared with her. Recipes for making cheese, pickling beets, smoking beef, and canning meatballs were among her favorites. Her Mamm always laughed at her, reminding Priscilla to add all of the different recipes that they had made together over the years, lest she forget. Priscilla would just smile, too embarrassed to tell her mamm that those recipes were the first ones in her collection.
“Priscilla!”someone called from the porch.
She looked up, surprised to see her brother, Jonas, standing on the edge of the porch, waving his arm toward her.“Mamm says to come in now,”he yelled.
With a quick glance back at the garden, she turned and hurried back to the farmhouse. Certainly it was getting close to suppertime and Mamm needed her help with preparing the food and setting the table. What she couldn’t understand was why Jonas was already in the house and not helping Daed with the evening chores in the dairy barn.
The screen door slammed behind her as she walked into the canning room. It was a large room off the kitchen, the place where she would work alongside her mamm during the late summer and early autumn months for canning vegetables, fruits, and meats. It always had a fresh smell to it and was one of her favorite rooms in the house.