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Ninety Days Inside The Empire: A Novel by William Appleman Williams

Communion

Page 45

"Oh, Lord, stir up in us the will and courage to do these things."

"For the sorrowful and bereaved."

"For prisoners and captives, and those in mortal danger."

"It is time to roll the stone from the cave."

 

There had been a moment during the prayer, at the end of the soprano's first response, when Marsh heard and then saw and felt the charge in the congregation. It began with a gentle collective intake of breath behind him in the balcony, then became a stirring throughout the church and he shivered. A corner of his mouth turned up as he noted its effect on the men he was watching. Suddenly they had looked for each other and given that half duck and half nod of the head that bespoke grim concern.

-- Well, you're getting what you were afraid you came for and you're going to get more.

In those few moments Marsh was slow to stand for the hymn that most everyone seemed to anticipate. Even Thomas was a fraction late to his first chord.

 

"When Israel was in Egypt's land,

Let my people go;

Oppressed so hard they could not stand,

Let my people go....

Oh, let us from bondage flee,

Let my people go;

And let us all in Christ be free,

Let my people go."

 

The Reverend paused to allow people time to squiggle snug into their pews before he moved forward toward the well. Even the balcony was packed. Thomas leaned over to Marsh:

"Sure enough three hundred and more here this morning."

Griff took his time making eye contact with every terrace, and lingered into the eyes of the strangers. Particularly the sullen young man. Then he took one more step and opened his arms.

"We cannot petition you, O Lord, but we come to honor Thy law and find Your Grace.

"We seek Thy Grace because we have had more than enough of contempt,

"Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, and the derision of the proud."

"Amen, Lord, I ain't got no change for a nickel."

"Come on down here, O Lord, I got nothing but a damn thing but the blues."

"The Lord knows those things are true, and He cries out to us to help one another. To love thy neighbor as thy self. Most of us are trying to do that." He paused to look along the pews. "Many of you here give way on beyond that ten percent you hear so much about in other churches. No need to talk ten percent to you folks. Sometimes I think I ought to tell some of you to help your own selves a bit more. I don't have any cause to thump you sisters and brothers to help one another. You do it. This congregation does it." He grinned. "Well, like the President Lincoln said: most of us most of the time." The smile came back to him, along with chuckles that eased the tension he was building.

"And our souls rejoice, O Lord."

"And others help us."

Griff turned quickly to the woman who had spoken the last response.

"You is right, sister. Others do help us...."

"Praise God for that!"

"Some of us sometimes may not like to admit it, but there are white folks who help us, too. And you see some of them here this morning to take communion with us...."

"And some who don't, God knows!"