Spencerville

Keith considered, then replied, "I'd rather not lie, so I'd rather not say."

"Well, I heard a rumor about why you're back, but I don't spread gossip, so I won't tell you what I heard."

Keith didn't reply.

Wilkes asked, "How're your folks?"

Keith filled him in on the family and added, "How is Mrs. Wilkes?"

"The Lord saw fit to call her home."

Keith realized that the standard response of "I'm sorry" wasn't appropriate to that statement, so he said, "She was a fine woman."

"Indeed she was."

Keith asked, "Why didn't you attend the meeting?"

"I don't mix religion and politics. Too many young preachers do that today, and they make half the congregation mad."

"Yes, but there is social injustice in the world, and the churches can help."

"We do. I preach love and charity, grace and good deeds. If people listened, there wouldn't be any social injustice."

"But they can't listen if they don't come, and even when they come, they don't listen."

"Some come, some don't. Some listen, some don't. I can do no more."

"You know, Pastor, I saw Lutheran ministers in Dresden organize those marches you saw on TV. They helped bring down the communist government. Same with the Catholic priests in Poland."

"God bless them. They followed their conscience." He added, "If it will make you feel better, I can tell you I'd die for my faith with no hesitation."

"Hopefully, that's not required."

"You never know."

"But you did let those people use your church. And you did run the police off."

"Yes, I did."

"Do you know what that meeting is about?" Keith asked.

"I do."

"Do you approve?"

"To the extent that nothing illegal or violent is discussed, I do." He added, "You know, it's an old rural tradition to use churches as meeting places. Goes back to a time when the church was the only rural building big enough to hold a lot of people, and town was too far away by horse and buggy. St. James has seen all types of political and patriotic rallies going back to the Spanish-American War. I don't own the place, I'm just God's steward."

"Yes, but you'd keep the local Klan out, I'm sure."

"God's steward is not a bigot or an idiot, Mr. Landry." He added, "I didn't invite you in here to question me. I want to ask you some questions. If I may."

"All right."

"Thank you. Do you approve of that meeting?"

"In principle."

"Have you discovered that all is not well in Spencerville?"

"Yes, I have."

"Do you happen to know Chief Baxter?"

"We went to high school together."

"But I sense by the words and actions of those policemen that you've come to his attention more recently than high school."

"No... well, perhaps I have. But I think it has more to do with the fact that there was some bad blood between us in school."

"Is that a fact? Were you rivals?"

"Well, I never considered that we were. But apparently he thought so." Keith wasn't sure where this was going, and there weren't many people he'd sit still for with this type of questioning, but Pastor Wilkes was one of them.

The old man seemed to be thinking, then said, "My memory is not as good as it once was, but I seem to recall that you were courting his present wife."

Keith didn't reply.

"In fact, I think your mother told me that."

"She probably did."

"Perhaps, then, Mr. Baxter is upset that his wife's former beau has decided to return to Spencerville."

"I was her lover, sir. In college." No reason to mention high school and get the man upset.

Wilkes replied, "Call it what you will. I understand. Do you suppose that upsets Mr. Baxter?"

"That would be very immature of him."

"God will forgive me for saying so, but none of the Baxters have shown a great deal of maturity over the years."

Keith smiled.

"Her maiden name?.. Prentis, correct?"

"Yes. Annie."

"Yes, Annie Prentis. Good family. Pastor Schenk at St. John's speaks highly of them. We all talk, you know. Even the priests at Immaculate Conception. The ecumenical council meets monthly, and, after the business is done, we gossip terribly. We never use names unless it's absolutely necessary, and nothing leaves that room. But one hears things."

"I can well imagine." Keith realized that Pastor Wilkes sat on a joint board similar to the one Keith had recently left. In fact, as Jeffrey suggested, Pastor Wilkes was privy to great quantities of intelligence information that would rival anything that Police Chief Baxter had in his files.

Wilkes added, "Our purpose is not idle gossip. We want to help, to try to head off divorces, to counsel young people who've gone astray, to keep temptation from men and women, and vice versa. In short, to save souls."

"That's very admirable."

"That's my job. Oh, I know what you're thinking. You think Spencerville has become the village of the damned. Well, most people here are good, God-fearing Christians. But many people have strayed. It's no different in other communities. I'd like you to come to church this Sunday, then join us afterward for tea and fellowship."

"Perhaps I will. But you know you're preaching to the converted. You should reach out to the others."

"They know where we are."