Jennie stood looking down over the garden from her bedroom window. Even though the morning had only begun, Lisa was already out on the brick patio, skipping rope. She seemed filled with boundless energy, bouncing up and down, eager to meet the new day. Jennie herself was longing for an adventure, something to offset the monotony, the sameness of each day. But what adventure would ever turn up in Jaffrey?
An idea came to her slowly as she watched Lisa below. It would soon be her mother's birthday. Jennie knew how much she was wanting an extra set of dishes for their large company dinners. She figured Kara wouldn't want to go, but if she could get Lisa to come along to Peterborough, maybe they could visit some second-hand shops and find just the thing that would be suitable. At least it was worth a try and just might be an interesting break in the dull routine.
Jennie and Lisa drove along the winding road that followed the creek to Peterborough. The trees were in their full summer leaf. This was Jennie's favorite bicycle path, today she would drive to save time.
Having called ahead for an appointment, Jennie knew that a Mr. Greene had two small white houses filled with antiques and second-hand furniture. She would find them sitting back on a hillside, looking over the river as it rippled through Peterborough.
A rather strange woman met them at the door. Even though the weather was warm she was wrapped in a heavy sweater with a scarf on her head and boots on her feet. She was almost rude to them when they mentioned their appointment. "That don't mean nothin' to me," she said crossly. Just then a cheerful, balding man came into the room and ushered them inside, motioning his housekeeper aside.
The girls found themselves in the center of a room where a long, oval mirror was placed, reflecting more mirrors and an endless array of furniture and bric-a-brac. They viewed the prize pieces of silverware and other valuables locked in large glass cases and the numerous quaint pictures hanging on the walls.
It all looked rather old and worn to Jennie. She looked over at Lisa who was finding interest in a picture book suited to her age. Two cups of hot chocolate were sitting on the desk. Mr. Greene sat down, finished the first and began on the second, leaving them to explore casually about the room.
Jennie explained that she wanted to buy a set of dishes for her mother. He was still gulping down the last of the hot chocolate as he led them through a maze of what appeared to be "junk", up a creaky stairway to a darkened room. As they stood waiting in anticipation, he lifted the shades, revealing masses of cobwebs and scattering dust in every direction. In the brighter light they could see his collection of toy trains, a multitude of old dressers and chairs, and an accumulation of books, the latter being the only thing of real interest to Jennie.
Apparently, he brought them upstairs in hopes they'd find something else that would interest them. Jennie explained again that she only wanted to look at dishes. He listened, his bright eyes suggesting that he already had something in mind. He was a shrewd businessman. She sensed that in a moment.
As the girls followed him back down the stairway, Jennie was doubtful if in all this mess there could possibly be anything she would consider right for her mother. Nevertheless, she cast a furtive glance at the odds and ends she was passing by as they entered the larger room at the front of the house.
Noticing a picture 'on the wall, she stopped for a moment. Mr. Greene walked back to her and pointed out that it was his wife and their large family of children. Jennie noted how sweet she looked and wondered to herself if she were a Christian.
"How large a set did you say you need?" he asked, obviously thinking quickly through his inventory of china.
"Oh, at least twelve place settings," Jennie answered readily. "You see, we do a great deal of entertaining for our church."
As soon as she said the word "church", she knew it was a mistake. She shouldn't call the gathering a church when it really wasn't. It was a coward's way of getting around the truth.
"What church do you go to?" he questioned.
Now she felt cornered. In spite of the fact that she was well-instructed by her father and her grandfather; in spite of the fact that she had continual exposure to sound teaching at the weekly meetings, she found herself at a loss to adequately explain the basis for their meetings. How could a teenage girl explain all this to an older man?
She attempted by saying they were gathered unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and were not a denomination, but the words seemed to hang suspended in the air.
Sensing that he was more than politely interested, she wondered if he were a Christian himself. Just as she was trying without success to get up the courage to ask him, he turned to her with the question, "Are you a Christian? I am a minister," he said, taking her quite by surprise, "and a Christian. The two don't always go together anymore," he added with a brief finality. "I want you to know that my ministry is far more important to me than these antiques. My real life is serving the Lord and loving my small congregation."
He paused again. "I'm a real old-fashioned minister!" he added. "I don't go along with the modern-day way of things. I like it the old way." He asked her more about the gathering.
"In the breaking of bread meeting," she said without hesitation now, "someone will give out a hymn, another pray, another read a portion of Scripture; but our primary purpose is to be in the presence of the Lord to remember Him in His death." She could sense he was confused and disagreeing. With a burst of sudden courage she added, "Of course there is also a Sunday school, the gospel meeting, a reading meeting and the prayer meeting."
As she listened to herself talking with Mr. Greene, the real meaning of it all swept over her, leaving a happiness that removed the doubts she had recently experienced. Somehow the simplicity of being gathered unto the name of the Lord alone had never been so precious to her as in these moments while coming to its defense. For these few moments she grew from a young girl to an adult.
Jennie was intent in her thoughts as he replied, "You sound almost like us, but of course we have a minister." He was thoughtful as he moved about the shop, pulling things out from under the counters. "Do you folks believe that Christ was born of a virgin, that He could not sin, that His precious blood atones for our sins?"
Jennie wished her father were along. He could make a wiser reply than she to all these questions. But she smiled, quickly nodding in agreement.
As he talked, he pulled out a set of dishes. She wasn't at all sure that her mother would like them, but before she could say no, he had started wrapping them, talking faster than he could work. She found it impossible to interrupt.
He grew silent, set down the dish he was wrapping and looked at her questioningly, as if he had just thought of something. "You surely don't believe in eternal security, do you?"
Her heart seemed to stop for a moment. What a terrible disappointment to find an earnest Christian and then learn that he did not believe one of the important truths of Scripture.
She found herself speaking up with a confidence she was not aware she possessed. "I surely do. Why, I wouldn't be able to go to sleep at night if I didn't. If I thought every time I sinned I would lose my salvation, I'd never have peace. Having peace with God is a most wonderful thing about being saved. I'm so glad my salvation depends upon what the Lord Jesus did for me and not what I can do myself."
"That's where you're wrong," he stated, leaving no room for argument. "You don't mean to tell me all those Christians in the theaters, and the ones on drugs, and the ones living in sin... you don't mean to tell me they will go to heaven when the Lord comes?"
Jennie fumbled with her car keys. She was in a difficult position. She had no desire to argue with the minister of a church, and yet knew he was wrong. Once a person accepts the Lord as their Savior, they can never be lost. Her father always reminded her of John 10:27, 2827My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:27‑28): "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand."
She could remember one time in Sunday school when he illustrated it for the children. He took one hand and closed it, showing how a Christian is safe in the Lord's hand, then covered it with his other hand and quoted the end of the passage: "My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one." Her father smiled at the sea of little faces looking up at him. They simply believed, content that they were doubly safe! But how could she ever show Mr. Greene?
"Would you like to talk with my father some evening?" she asked at last. "He could really explain this much better than I."
He continued wrapping the large set of dishes, one by one. He nodded in agreement, saying that he might be able to find a free evening. Then, not wishing to argue with a good customer, he changed the subject.
When the bulky carton of dishes was finally packed, he offered to carry it out to the car for her. As she told him good-bye, he smiled warmly, "It's so nice to meet a true Christian," he finished, "but I'll never understand how you got that part about eternal security." Shaking his head, he started back to his shop.