You start
to wander through the park. It appears quite normal and seems to
hold no clues. You watch mothers and fathers push their kids on the
swings. Joggers are numerous on the path created just for them.
Dogs take their owners on brisk walks through the park... and through the
bushes, as cats try to make their getaway.
The park
itself is very clean. Whoever is in charge of the place has done
a great job. There is no trash, except for a small pile of junk you
notice between a couple of bushes. The lawn is neatly mowed, and
the gardens are obviously well cared for.
As you
wander through the park, you come across an area that has a stage with
cement bleachers all around it. No one is sitting on the bleachers,
but there is a young woman on the stage. She has a sign propped up
saying "REPENT! It's Not Too Late... Yet."
and she is standing there preaching the Gospel!
You stand
there awhile and listen as she tells about Jesus Christ, and the sacrifice
He made so the sins of the world could be forgiven. She tells how
with our sins, we are equipped for only one destination: Hell. But
because God allowed the sacrifice of His only Son; Jesus Christ, He presented
a gift of eternal life in Heaven with Him to anyone who will accept it!
She explains that all you have to do is to admit you're a sinner, declare
that you believe Jesus is the Son of God, made sacrifice for the world,
and accept His free gift of eternal life with Him.
You notice
that people, most of whom appear to be tourists, stop and listen as you
are doing, then go on with their business. Since you have stayed
a bit longer than most, she appears to be preaching right at you.
She tells everyone that she has tracts if anyone is interested in finding
out more, so you go up and pick up one of them. It too explains the
simple Truth that everyone is a sinner, and God's free gift (free for us,
though His Son paid the cost) is eternal life with Him to everyone who
accepts.
After
reading through, knowing it's well written as well as life changing, you
read a personal section at the back. It tells you about the speaker
and how she's come from a family who has caused her so much heartbreak
because of her faith. It tells you that she knows if people don't
start turning to Christ, the town could be in serious trouble, and it invites
you to the local Baptist Church.
Just as
you're finishing reading it, you hear a commotion. Some local teenage
boys have decided to interrupt her message. They start calling her
names and swearing. She looks at them with some fear, but mostly
with love, and reassures them that what she is saying is true, and she
only says it because she cares for the town and it's people. With
that, the boys start throwing eggs at her, and one picks up a rock to throw.
You've
had enough! You storm over to the juveniles, and demand that they
stop. You remind them that she has the RIGHT to free speech, and
if they don't want to listen to the Truth, they don't have to, but they
need to either listen of leave. They start to turn the abuse toward
you, but think better of it, and they take off. The young woman smiles
at you and thanks you, but you tell her to just continue preaching the
Truth, because you know how important it is.
Just before
she goes back to her teaching, she once again smiles, then says; "With
people like you around, maybe satan will be stopped!"
You answer
"he may win battles, but he will lose the War in the end."
She looks
sadly at you and replies "he doesn't have to win as many battles as we
allow him to win. his army is strong, but God's is stronger.
People have just forgotten how to pray."
Who is
this woman? How does she know so much? Where does she fit into
the picture?
What
is the Truth? Is it True? (Note: this is an offsite page, and
not a part of the Branchville Mystery, but it does tell the Truth!)
I've
had enough! I'm out of here!
I'm ready
to go back to the map