Louise stepped outside the back door and filled a kettle with water from the pump. When she returned, she placed the kettle on the stove.
“This is a dream for you, isn’t it? To have your very own kitchen.”
“It is.”
“I’m happy for you, Amalie, that you’ve been blessed with this kitchen. And that Matthias built it for you.”
“He didn’t build it for me.”
“Oh yes, he did.”
Amalie shook her head as she sprinkled salt into the boiling beef. “He did it for you and Brother Carl and for his future wife.”
Louise retrieved the potato masher from the cupboard and placed it on the table. “You think Matthias is going to marry Hilga?”
Amalie hesitated, the saltshaker suspended in her hand. She avoided gossip, and she didn’t know Louise to be a gossip either. Was this what mothers and daughters did, as part of friendly conversation, or was Louise fishing for some type of information?
Amalie set the saltshaker beside the masher and turned to spoon the softened cabbage into a bowl. Then she sprinkled oil and vinegar over it. “I cannot comment about the state of his heart.”
“Neither can I, but a mother knows her children, and Matthias’s heart is conflicted.”
As she added dried parsley to the coleslaw, Amalie thought back to her conversation with Sophia weeks ago. Had Matthias changed his mind about Hilga? Perhaps his heart had changed to love another woman. Sophia would be pleased by the news….and so would Niklas.
She turned away from Louise, setting the oil and vinegar back on a shelf. She should be happy for Matthias and the others, but her emotions warred inside her.
She didn’t even understand the state of her own heart.
Let Thy grace, like morning dew falling soft on barren places,
Comfort, quicken, and renew our dry souls and dying graces.
Christian Knorr von Rossenroth
Chapter Twenty-Six
The Bruderrath met every month in one of the seven villages, and this morning the board of thirteen elders gathered in a small room off the stone meetinghouse in Amana. Fifteen minutes before they were scheduled to begin, Matthias walked into the meetinghouse beside Jonah Henson.
Jonah sat on a wooden bench in the lobby, but Matthias paced the floor. He wouldn’t allow himself to predict what the council would decide, but he wanted to collect these goods, for himself and for Friedrich and on behalf of the sacrifice Jonah and so many other men were making for their country. Friedrich had given up his life for their country, and part of Matthias wished he could go fight. But another part of him knew his motives would be all wrong.
“Welcome, Brother Matthias,” Brother Schaube said as he opened the door. “Jonah.”
Jonah stood up and shook the man’s hand while Matthias went into the room. Society members were rarely allowed to petition the Bruderrath; outsiders were never allowed to speak to the board. Still, Jonah wanted to wait for Matthias outside, prepared to answer any questions the elders might have about the soldiers in Tennessee.
Brother Schaube directed Matthias to a wooden chair that faced the men. The thirteen trustees sat in an L-shape, six against one wall and seven against the other. They were all dressed alike in their dark coats and trousers, and every man was clean-shaven, but there was no similarity in regard to age. The men were elected from the church elders, and their ages ranged from men in their thirties to those in their eighties. A combination of wisdom from experience and a desire to embrace new technology and ideas. Matthias fidgeted in his chair as they stared back at him. He hoped all the men would embrace his idea.
“You have a request,” Brother Schaube began.
Matthias scooted forward on the seat. “In Matthew, our Savior curses those who knew someone was hungry and didn’t offer him something to eat or knew someone who needed clothes and did nothing to clothe him.”
Brother Schaube’s eyes filled with concern. “Do you know someone in need?”
He nodded slowly before he spoke again. “The Federal soldiers in Tennessee need both food and clothing.”
“What do you know of the soldiers?” Brother Schaube asked.
“Jonah said that when they were fighting in Tennessee, it was already bitter cold at night. Some of the men no longer have shoes to wear and others lost their bedding on the battlefield. I thought—” Matthias took a long breath before he continued. “I thought we could collect woolen blankets and clothes and socks for these men and then send the extra supplies down to Chattanooga to help the soldiers.”
Brother Schaube leaned forward. “How many soldiers are down there?”
“I don’t know the exact number, but Jonah said there were thousands.”
Brother Schaube paused as he considered the request. “The need is great, but we have no way to deliver supplies to these soldiers.”
“I would like to go to Marengo to speak with Colonel O’Neill,” Matthias said. “I’m certain he would help us get clothes and blankets to the soldiers.”
The elder studied him. “Why do you want to involve yourself with this war, Matthias?”
“I want to help those in need, not involve myself in a war of any kind.”
Another one of the elders rubbed his hands together, his gaze intent. “We are all concerned that you want to do more than help the soldiers. We are concerned that you want to fight.”
Matthias squirmed under the man’s gaze. If he was honest, he had thought about what it would be like to join the army, but his motive wasn’t selfless like Friedrich’s had been. He didn’t want to rescue anyone; he wanted revenge. In his anger, he wanted to kill the men who had murdered his friend on the battlefield. A brother who was rescuing one of their wounded soldiers.
God hadn’t spoken to him to go, as He had to Friedrich, and Matthias feared within himself what he would do if he were to fight in a battle. He didn’t think he could rescue the enemy as Friedrich had. But even if he never went to war, he could pray for peace and he could help the men who were compelled to go fight.
He glanced into the eyes of all thirteen men who waited silently for his answer. “I want this war to end, but it is not for me to fight against the Confederacy.” He took a deep breath. “Our community can help those who are fighting, though. We can demonstrate God’s love and desire for peace to those soldiers from Iowa and other parts of our Union.”
The elders paused for a moment before the head elder spoke again. “God is pleased with your heart, Matthias. We will pray about this opportunity as a council and then notify you when we reach a decision.”
Matthias nodded and then met Jonah on the other side of the door. They could only pray that God would inspire the elders to allow them to proceed with collecting the supplies.
Matthias relayed the discussion to Jonah as he escorted the man to the western edge of town. Two of Brother Fehr’s peacocks squawked behind the fence beside them, one of them fanning his iridescent feathers as he and Jonah drew close. Jonah stood mesmerized as the regal bird defended his territory.
“I hate to leave,” Jonah said as he watched the bird.
“Will you start back to work soon?”
Jonah shook his head. “I clerked at a dry goods store before I went to war. The owner said he wants to hire me again, but he doesn’t have enough business right now and probably won’t until the war ends.”
They continued their walk through the trees and plants in the specimen garden, toward the cemetery.
“What made you want to join the army?” Matthias asked.
“I never wanted to join,” Jonah said as he buttoned his coat. “A recruiting agent came to the store and asked me to take the place of a man who’d been conscripted. I needed the money to pay off a debt.”
Matthias’s throat constricted. He glanced at the sling across Jonah’s shoulder and his mind went back to the line of men waiting by the enlistment office in Marengo. Had Jonah been the one to fight in Matthias’s place, or had the man sent as his substitute bee
n killed in the battle like Friedrich?
“You didn’t want to fight?” Matthias’s voice cracked.
“I wanted to do what was right.”
Matthias nodded. The answers weren’t easy. Jesus told them to render unto Caesar what was Caesar’s, and their Caesar had commanded him to fight. Yet they were also supposed to obey God over man, and Jesus blessed the peacemakers. And He told His followers to turn the other cheek.
Perhaps God did speak differently to those who served Him, asking each of them to serve in a way that exemplified God’s heart. Some He commanded to seek peace while others were supposed to fight for the poor. And others were supposed to care for the needy—offering even a simple cup of water in Jesus’s name.
He couldn’t take water to Chattanooga but he could offer warmth to the soldier in Jesus’s name.
Matthias shook Jonah’s hand.
“You are welcome to come visit Amana anytime you’d like.”
“I appreciate it.”
“Stop in the Middle Amana kitchen on your way home,” Matthias said as Jonah started down the road to Marengo. “They’ll be happy to serve you a meal.”
Jonah nodded. “Thank you.”
Matthias turned and looked back toward the village. He and Niklas were building a new hotel to host the influx of businessmen and tourists visiting their community. He should join Niklas this morning, but his gaze wandered to the trees that surrounded the cemetery. Even though Friedrich wasn’t there, it was a quiet place away from the clamor of town. A place to think about all that had happened.
As he stepped through the shelter of the trees, he stopped. Amalie was there, kneeling in front of Friedrich’s grave. He should retreat, leaving her to her privacy, but he couldn’t seem to break away his gaze. Mesmerized, he watched her place the flowers in her hands in front of the cross, and then she bowed her head.
Watching her, he felt sick to his stomach. Never once should he have thought that Amalie could be his. He had entertained the idea, even when he knew it was wrong. Even when he knew she was promised to Friedrich.
How could he have done this to his best friend? To this woman who had been faithful to Friedrich? He had longed for what he couldn’t have, and if he didn’t release it, it would destroy him.
He backed away from the trees.
Amalie had loved Friedrich with her entire being, and she would always love him, no matter how long he was gone. Matthias had nothing to offer her, to care for her, nor would he ever have.
Shaking his head, he turned around. Friedrich had been wrong to even ask.
* * * * *
“You can’t go to Chattanooga,” Colonel O’Neill told Matthias. “The entire town is surrounded by Confederate soldiers.”
Matthias scooted forward on the wooden chair in the man’s office. “Private Henson said the soldiers need blankets and clothing.”
“They need blankets. They need food.” The colonel slammed his fist on his desk. “And they need to win this blasted war.”
Matthias steadied his voice. He had thought the challenge would be for the Bruderrath to approve his collection of supplies, but they’d voted unanimously for him to pursue this. He never thought the colonel would disapprove. “We can’t do anything about winning the war, but we can get them the supplies they need for comfort and strength.”
“You don’t understand.” The colonel shook his head. “Chattanooga is under siege. The U.S. military can’t even get supplies in or out of the town. How do you expect you and your unarmed inspirational people to get the stuff to them?”
Matthias wanted to shake the man and tell him that he didn’t understand. If God wanted them to deliver the supplies, it didn’t matter if they faced the entire Confederate Army. None of them lived or fought or served with their own strength. Everything was given to them by God.
Matthias leaned forward. “If He chooses, God can make blind eyes see, Colonel, and He can make seeing eyes blind. It was God who empowered a boy named David to defeat the entire Philistine army with his sling, and if He chooses, He can impart this same strength and courage to us.”
The man laughed roughly. “You really do think you’re inspired.”
“You may not think that God speaks today, but we still believe it. And we believe He is directing us to collect and deliver these supplies.”
“I need men like you to fight.”
Matthias shook his head. “I am not supposed to fight.”
“Then you are a waste of my time,” the colonel said. “A waste of a man.”
Matthias stood up. “We would welcome your help to deliver these supplies, but if you choose not to assist us, we will still do what God has called us to do.”
“You are a fool, Roemig.”
Matthias stomped out the door, saddened that the man didn’t recognize his own foolishness. What the world thought was foolish, though, God often redeemed for His good.
All our knowledge, sense, and sight lie in deepest darkness shrouded
Till Thy Spirit breaks our night with the beams of truth unclouded.
Tobias Clausnitzer
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Matthias pulled back on the reins and the workhorses stopped in front of the meetinghouse in High Amana. Men and women loaded the back of the wagon with their offerings of blankets, woolen shirts, knitted socks, leather shoes, and jackets.
With the wagon full, Matthias pulled forward and Jonah drove the next wagon in front of the meetinghouse. Their brothers and sisters quickly filled that wagon as well, and Matthias was overwhelmed by their generosity. The donations from the other six villages already packed the Amana meetinghouse, and the men in Amana would carry the boxed supplies over to Homestead tonight for their journey by rail in the morning.
With every bundle passed into the back of the wagon, another soldier would be warm for the winter, or at least warmer than he would be without the blankets or coats.
Matthias thanked the people of High Amana on behalf of the Bruderrath and then carefully drove the team down the steep hill to return on the path to Amana. Not only had the women worked on knitting socks and the crew at the woolen mill worked late into the night to produce more blankets, but people had given sacrificially of their personal clothing and belongings.
Clouds filled the sky and Matthias buttoned his coat as he steered the team home. The temperature dropped a few degrees more every day, and the nights were even colder, dipping into the low thirties. Snow would fill the river valley soon. He couldn’t imagine how cold the soldiers must be at night.
He hadn’t been back to visit Colonel O’Neill, but the elders received the national newspapers. The reporters predicted that the siege around Chattanooga would end any day, but until then, supplies continued to be cut off from the Federal soldiers who occupied the town as well as the few citizens who remained.
He drummed his fingers on the seat to keep them warm. The only way to ensure the safe delivery of these goods was for him to go with them. Brother Schaube had arranged the details of their shipment all the way to Nashville and then he insisted on hiring a guide to accompany Matthias. While Matthias initially balked at the idea of going with someone, it was apparent to him that the only reason he didn’t want a guide was founded in his pride.
He thought he could get the supplies into Chattanooga alone, with God’s help, but the elders believed that he needed someone familiar with the ways of the world to escort him. In the end, he agreed. He might know the intricacies of workings in their Kolonie, but he knew nothing of how things worked on the outside.
Not only did they have mounds of donated blankets and coats and shoes to deliver to the soldiers, but the women in the community had packed boxes full of canned fruit and salted pork and hard candy along with bags of coffee beans.
He hadn’t counted the supplies, but they had at least a thousand blankets, maybe more, and hundreds of coats and pairs of shoes. Nor could he guess how many socks the women had knitted. On his night watch, he’d seen the candles bu
rning in the windows and knew that many of them were knitting for the soldiers.
He wished Jonah would accompany him, but with the exception of his short stint in the infantry, Jonah hadn’t spent much time outside Marengo. These days, the man rented a horse and rode to Amana almost every weekend, eating at Amalie’s kitchen house and encouraging Matthias and the others in their collections. Often he spent the night in one of the guest rooms as well. It wouldn’t be long before his arm was completely healed, but he didn’t seem to be in much of a hurry to find a new position in Marengo or anyplace else.
Matthias had wondered before how any man could stand in a store or sit behind a desk for an entire day and be content in his work. He feared he would go crazy if he couldn’t be out in the fresh air, working with his hands. Jonah didn’t seem like the kind of man who could be content indoors either, but he supposed a man had to make a living in whatever way he saw fit.
He leaned against the hard back of the wagon seat as he rode through the village of Middle Amana. His guide was supposed to arrive sometime tonight, but it made him nervous, waiting for him at the last possible minute. He had no choice but to resign his concerns and wait, something he would probably have to do multiple times on his journey ahead. But he would be ready to leave at first light.
* * * * *
Inside the main room of Amana’s meetinghouse, Amalie folded a blanket and placed it on top of the neat pile. She’d lost count a long time ago of how many blankets she had folded and stacked, ready to transport to Chattanooga. Matthias and Jonah had collected enough supplies to feed and clothe hundreds of soldiers along with blankets for each one of them as well.
Tonight teams of Amana women divided the clothing into piles and others packed them into crates while the men transported the packed crates to the train station in Homestead. The wood stove burned in the corner of the room, but with all their work, and the dozens of women inside, they probably didn’t need the heat from the stove.
Love Finds You in Amana Iowa Page 21