Over the Garden Fence

[Resource Manager]

The letter was sealed and posted, and there followed anxious days of waiting. Jean soon made friends with the family next door, and joined the Tuesday Bible class in their house.

 

Although very serious for her age, she was full of fun, too. “We had a maid who lived in, and a cook, at Court House,” she said with a twinkle, as she helped Mrs. Deacon to wash the dishes one morning.

 

“Well, there’s no maid here, my lass—and you’ll be expected to keep that bedroom of yours clean and tidy,” laughed her grandmother.

 

“Oh, I know! I like doing it. You know, I hated being waited on. Mummy always let me help—it gave me a ‘belonging’ feeling. I never really felt I belonged at Court House.”

 

Just then, the mail-van drew up, and Jean rushed to the door. “It’s from Scotland,” she called, taking the letter from the postman. “Oh, do hurry up and read it!”

 

She waited impatiently, looking at Mrs. Deacon’s face as she read. “It’s all right, Jean. You can stay. They’re afraid they’ll never make a lady of you,” she said.

 

Jean chuckled.

 

“Do they really say that?” she asked.

 

“Well, more or less!”

 

Mr. and Mrs. McMahn had realised for some time that their grand-daughter would never fit into their way of life; and they certainly had no in­tention of changing that. They realised that their plans to bring her up in their own way had mis­carried, and as she grew older, the difficulties would increase, so they were not altogether sorry to agree that in future the child should live with her mother’s parents.

 

Jean rushed round to tell Mrs. Jones the good news; while Mrs. Deacon offered up a silent prayer of thanks.

 

That evening, Mrs. Deacon went to bed early with a headache. Jean, after clearing away the supper things, sat down to do her Bible Readings with her Grandfather.

 

“Grandad,” she said suddenly, “How soon can I be baptised?.”

 

Mr. Deacon looked startled. Although, in the week she had been with them, he realised that Jean’s friend Sarah had done her work well, and Jean had a sound knowledge of Bible teaching, he wasn’t prepared for such a sudden request.

 

He thought for a moment. Jean was very young. But if she really understood what she was doing, no-one could stand in her way.

[Resource Manager]

“If you really understand and believe the things Sarah has taught you, just as soon as your name has been given to the meeting, and an interview has been arranged.”

 

“I do really believe,” Jean answered earnestly. “But why must I have an interview? It’s not like applying for a job. Sarah had one, and I couldn’t see why. After all, she’d been to the Sunday School since she was five—they surely knew she under­stood.”

 

“Find 2 Corinthians 6 in your Bible, Jean, and read the last two verses to me,” Mr. Deacon said.

 

Jean found the place, and read, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. And I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

 

“Right!” said her grandfather, “When anyone is baptised into Christ, they become sons or daughters of the Lord God Himself, and brother or sister of everyone else who has joined God’s family. Jesus was God’s son by birth; we are sons and daughters by adoption, as it were. Now read Romans 8:14-17.”

 

Jean read, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” “The call of Christ is to be a son or daughter of God. It’s a very high calling, and it brings a grave responsibility—a responsibility no-one can under-take lightly, without counting the cost.”

 

“Yes, I see that,” nodded Jean.

 

“So the ecclesia has to make sure that any member who joins them really understands what she is doing. And to understand, you must have a sound knowledge of first principles.”

 

“What are those?”

 

“Why, the most important beliefs which we share—our belief about the resurrection, and the second coming of Christ, and the setting up of the Kingdom of God on earth, and so on.”

 

Jean looked thoughtful.

 

After a moment or two, she said, “I still want to be baptised. Will you arrange an interview for me?”

 

“There’s just one other thing, Jean. Are you quite sure you’re not doing this just because it would have pleased your mother and father?”

 

“No, Grandad, truly. Of course, I know they would have wished it. But I really have thought it out for myself. If Mrs. McMahn were my mother, instead of my grandmother, I would have wanted it just the same. Like my Daddy,” she added.

 

Mr. Deacon was very moved by Jean’s decision— but he wasn’t a man to show his feelings, so he just said, “I’ll make arrangements for the interview. Now let’s get on with the readings.”

[Resource Manager]

8. REJOICING IN THE ECCLESIA

 

Strangely enough, while Jean was asking her Grandfather about being baptised, a similar discussion was going on in the sitting-room of the house next door.

 

“I don’t want to wait any longer,” said Mrs. Jones. “I want to be baptised.”

 

“But are we really ready?” asked Bob. “Mr. Deacon’s talks have only made me realise how much I DON’T know.”

 

“Me, too. But Mrs. Deacon says that baptism is only a beginning. You can go on learning all your life.”

 

“That’s true,” agreed her husband.

 

“I’ve been thinking,” she went on. “I could manage the Sunday dinner quite well, if I prepared everything beforehand. We could all go in on Sunday mornings, and Peter and Anne could go to Sunday School. They have it in the mornings. We really ought to send them.”

 

“Yes, I had thought of that,” replied Bob. Then, after a bit, he asked.

 

“Shall I write for both of us?” Mary thought for a bit.

 

“No,” she said. “It’s such an individual matter. I think we’d each better write for ourselves, Bob.”

 

“Well, yes, perhaps you’re right,” he agreed.

 

So it happened that, one morning early in September, Mr. Brown, the Recording Brother (or secretary, as you might say) of the meeting in Oxbridge received three letters asking for baptism.

 

The following week interviews were arranged, and Jean, Mary and Bob each proved that they had a sound understanding of the great truths taught in the Bible.

 

Then came the day for the baptisms. Never before in the history of Oxbridge meeting had there been such a thing as a triple baptism; it was an occasion of great rejoicing. And to no-one did it bring more happiness than to Mrs. Deacon, as she stood there watching.

[Resource Manager]

Jean was the first to be immersed.

 

Mr. Deacon, being responsible for the actual immersion, asked her, “Jean McMahn, do you believe the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ?”

 

“I do,” she answered.

 

“Then on this your public confession of faith, you are baptised in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, for the remission of your sins.”

 

“How thankful her father and mother would have been,” sighed Mrs. Deacon. “But they will know, in the day of resurrection.”

 

After Jean came Mary, and then Bob.

 

Mrs. Deacon was very moved.

 

“This is only a beginning for them all,” she thought. “They’re bound to meet all kinds of difficulties and sorrows. The words of Paul are true enough—it is through much tribulation we must enter the Kingdom of God. May God bless them, and bring them safely to His kingdom.”

 

They were singing the last hymn now. She joined in with all her heart.

 

With Christ we share a mystic grave,

With Christ we buried lie.

But ‘tis not in the darksome cave

By mournful Calvary.

The pure and bright baptismal flood

Entombs our nature’s stain:

New creatures from the cleansing wave

With Christ we rise again.

Thrice blest if through this world of strife,

And sin and selfish care,

Our snow-white robe of righteousness

We undefiled wear.

Thrice blest if from the sleep of death,

All glorious and free,

We to thy heavenly kingdom pass,

O risen Lord, with Thee.

 

 

Eileen Ashman

 

Christadelphian Auxiliary Lecturing Society

 

http://www.godsaves.co.uk

 

OverTheGardenFence.pdf