Holding a Tender Heart (37 page)

The bishop knew he should offer to help with Minister Kanagy's horse, but it would appear undignified for him to move from his seat at the moment. Minister Graber hadn't budged either. Today had already been a hard day, and now it promised to get worse. A little dignity wouldn't hurt his cause. News of Henry Yoder had dashed his spirits pretty low.

From the other side of the room Minister Graber interrupted his thoughts. “I heard you had a horse down last week.”

“
Yah
…” Bishop Beiler shook his head to focus his thoughts. “Wouldn't get up, but the vet couldn't find much wrong. Gave her a shot of iron. But I think that was more to make me feel better than anything.”

Minister Graber chuckled. “Vets do have their tricks. But that might not have been a bad idea. Horses can get anemic.”

“I suppose so,” Bishop Beiler allowed. “I think I could use a booster myself tonight. Though I suspect the vet wouldn't dare treat me.”

Minister Graber grunted. “So could I.
Da Hah
knows we're all in deep enough trouble with the church problems we're already dealing with. Plus this past week of summer heat…”

“
Yah
…” Bishop Beiler got to his feet as the front door opened and Deacon Mast escorted Minister Kanagy inside. There were handshakes all around before they took their seats and silence settled in. The only noise for the moment was the hiss of the lantern.

Deacon Mast glanced in Bishop Beiler's direction. “I guess we're ready to begin. The
frau
will have iced tea for us later.”

“I could use some about right now.” Minister Graber fanned himself with a copy of
The Budget
he'd picked up near the rocking chair.

Deacon Mast made no move to ask for the iced tea any sooner than planned. The men could hear noises coming from the basement where Deacon Mast's
frau
, Susie, had disappeared when the men started arriving. She would bring the tea in her own
gut
time, the men figured. Bishop Beiler clasped his hands. “Let's begin with prayer. Will you lead us, Minister Kanagy?”

They bowed their heads as Minister Kanagy led out, “O great and merciful Father, full of grace and glory. Look down this evening upon this humble gathering of Your unworthy servants. Shed the light of Your wisdom and Spirit into our hearts and minds so that we may see with clear eyes, and hear with open ears, and speak with pure tongues. And for all these favors and blessing we ask and give You thanks. In Jesus' name, amen.”

“Thank you.” Bishop Beiler shifted on his chair. “As you know, this is an unusual meeting for a Tuesday night. And yet I couldn't see the wisdom of speaking of these things at our next Sunday-morning meeting. The subjects we have to deal with are weighty and shouldn't
be rushed, which might happen if we have the congregation waiting on us.”

They all nodded in agreement, so Bishop Beiler continued. “I'll let Deacon Mast give us an update on Henry Yoder, which is the main reason for our gathering.”

Before Deacon Mast could begin, Minister Kanagy interrupted. “Perhaps you should give us an update on your daughter Verna and her boyfriend, Joe. Seems we haven't been hearing much about that lately, other than the fact that Verna runs over there all the time.”

Bishop Beiler nodded. The man had his nerve, but Minister Kanagy was also within his rights. He would have led out with a word on the subject himself if his thoughts hadn't been so befuddled with Henry Yoder.

The bishop sighed. “Verna is finding her own way on the matter, and I've decided to allow her that choice. And from the looks of things, I might have been right. Debbie is involved with Joe's lawyer and keeping her straight on what our beliefs are. Also the lawyer wanted an alibi witness for Joe, and Joe said Paul Wagler could give that. I don't like this, as any such testimony will have to come out in the trial. But this is a man's guilt or innocence we're speaking about, and Paul says he can place Joe at a…a bar in Lewistown on the nights in question. Following our ways and counsel, Joe is not pushing his own defense in this matter.”

Minister Kanagy's head bobbed up and down. “
Yah
, I've also been troubled thinking about Joe spending time in jail. But this will be a great shame for the community. A public testimony about where our young people are spending their time. I know it was while they were in their
rumspringa
, but in such a place?”

Minister Graber gave a sharp cough. “Surely you're not ignorant on these matters, Minister Kanagy. We all know what some of these boys do during their
rumspringa
. I don't think you've been spending all your time in the hayfields.”

Minister Kanagy glared. “We are trying to improve the actions
of our young people. Surely you all agree with that. Using their evil deeds to accomplish even a
gut
thing will not help in the least. It may encourage such actions in the future. They will say to themselves, ‘See,
gut
can come out of anything.' ”

“I think that's a little stretch,” Bishop Beiler ventured. “The philosophers among us are not that many.”

This produced a laugh from the two of them, but not from Minister Kanagy. He continued, “Then there's the matter of your daughter freely traveling back and forth between your place and Joe Weaver's. Why, she keeps the pavement almost warm with all the trips she's making.”

“This is true,” Bishop Beiler allowed. “And it has bothered me some, although I could think of nothing further that I can do. Like I said, I have spoken with Verna. I've advised her to allow this to play out before continuing her relationship with Joe.”

Minster Kanagy was on the edge of his seat. “Your daughter defies our counsel, and you have thought of nothing else that can be done?”

“Please.” Deacon Mast lifted his hand. “If I may say something. We had anticipated that Verna might not agree, but the bishop is right. There are limits to what we can do in this matter.”

Minister Kanagy grunted. “Then we need a new plan. The girl is on the road more than a spring calf breaking through the fences. It's a shame, I say. And our bishop doesn't see clearly enough to lead properly. Not that I blame him in full. I might have the same weakness when it comes to my own family.”

Bishop Beiler held his tongue for a moment before he spoke. “I'm usually blamed for being too harsh with my girls, not the other way around. Verna may be a little out of hand right now, but she has also had a hard life in the past.”

“See?” Minister Kanagy waved his hand about as if in explanation. “I say we impose a separation on the two until this is resolved. I'm shamed by what's going on.”

Bishop Beiler glanced around the room. “What do the two of you think?”

They both shrugged, obviously wishing not to get involved.

“I will think about your counsel,” the bishop said to Minister Kanagy. “And I will see if Verna can be reasoned with again.”

“Thank you.” Minister Kanagy settled back into his chair. “That would be something, at least.”

Bishop Beiler looked around and then said, “Let us proceed then with Henry Yoder. Deacon Mast was about to give his report.”

The deacon shifted on his rocker. But before he could begin, Susie bustled in with glasses of iced tea. The cubes floated on top, delicious looking in the late-evening heat. But at the moment Bishop Beiler wanted no bodily comforts. He wanted this business out of the way. But clearly the others were anxious for refreshment, so he leaned back and said, “Thank you. This looks
gut
.”

“There's more out in the kitchen,” Susie said as she left the half-empty pitcher on the desk. “Let me know if there is anything else you need.”

“I think there's plenty here,” Deacon Mast said.

Susie nodded and then retreated.

Minister Kanagy took a long swallow of iced tea and wiped his mouth in a quick motion.

“It's not
gut
news I have to report.” Deacon Mast was sober-faced. “Henry's decided to jump the fence. Like in
all the way
over.”

Both ministers sat in shocked silence. Minister Kanagy's mouth hung open. The bishop had expected Deacon Mast to break the news with a little more finesse, but then how did one do that? The facts were the facts.

“But I have not heard of this,” Minister Graber's voice squeaked. “Is this for sure?”

“I had a long talk with Henry on Sunday afternoon when I visited him to make sure,” Deacon Mast said. “Then I came over last evening to tell the bishop…and here we are.”

“This is unbelievable!” Minister Kanagy's hands twitched in his lap. “We were doing so well.”

“It's what comes from compromising.” Bishop Beiler tried without success to keep the edge out of his voice. Minister Kanagy had pushed for the light treatment of Henry Yoder's tractor transgressions and the action still stung.

“But Henry Yoder!” Minister Kanagy was almost on his feet. “This doesn't sound like the Henry Yoder I know. He was brought up in the community. I will go and speak with him tonight.”

“You'll have plenty of time for that.” Bishop Beiler motioned for Minister Kanagy to settle himself down. “No one is rushing into anything, but we do need to arrive at an understanding on the matter. Henry has plans not only to leave the Amish, but to join that new outfit we spoke about—up near Mifflinburg. They have a preacher from the outside, someone told me. It's not the usual Mennonite situation, let me put it that way.”

“And all over a tractor!” Minister Kanagy still hadn't absorbed the shock.

Bishop Beiler could understand. He'd spent a partially sleepless night himself, tossing and turning plenty after he'd heard the news.

“Don't you have more details on what Henry's thinking?” Minister Kanagy asked Deacon Mast.

“Not other than what Henry told me.” Deacon Mast shrugged. “How much can you believe once a man starts down that path? They see stars where there never were any before. Henry's all caught up in this spiritual trip. Seems like he visited their revival meetings or whatever they're calling them—maybe a Bible school. I can't remember. Anyway, there was an altar call. Henry went up and had an experience of some sort. He's never been so spiritually satisfied, he claims.”

“And I'm sure the new tractor is sitting in his front yard with the rubber tires on.” Minister Graber grimaced as if the thought pained him greatly.

“
Yah
,” Deacon Mast allowed. “It was in the barnyard at least.”

“We must not speak of things that we do not know,” Minister Kanagy got in edgewise. “Henry may have spiritual reasons for what he's doing.”

“Now who's going soft?” Bishop Beiler made sure he looked at Minister Kanagy as he spoke. “And Henry's not even family.”

Minister Kanagy hung his head and offered no retort.

“
Dah Hah
have mercy on us all,” Minister Graber said. “I can see where this one's going. We can't allow Henry to get away this time. If we do, the whole congregation will get ideas. That is, if they haven't already with how easy Henry got off the last time.”

“I'm afraid you're right.” Bishop Beiler looked slowly around the room. “I have spent a lot of time thinking about this. And I've arrived at my conclusion. I say we give all of you two weeks in which to speak with Henry about the matter. If nothing changes, I don't think we have much choice. If this were a mainline Mennonite church, perhaps things would be different—or if Henry hadn't been making trouble before.”

No one protested.

Deacon Mast poured himself another glass of tea, no doubt to calm his nerves. Bishop Beiler felt a similar need. There hadn't been an excommunication in years—at least not in his district.

Minister Kanagy looked like he wished to say something, but then he didn't. Likely, he'd wanted to make a motion for even stricter measures on Joe and Verna.

Bishop Beiler stood. “We can talk some more about this at the Sunday-morning meeting. But for now we all know the basics.”

Deacon Mast followed them to the front door, but he didn't offer to help untie their horses. He looked pale as he stood there in the light of the gas lantern and sipped more of his
frau
's iced tea.

Thirty-Five