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The Amish Voice 10
Mary Beachy’s Bridgeless River
—Lydia Chorpening
Mary Beachy primped her heavily
starched head covering before pinning it
into place. “I always look forward to the
Easter Scriptures that are read. Maybe to-
day I will understand more of the Scrip-
tures that have eluded me. I wonder if the
message will help me understand Romans
5:1 that I read last night. I would love to
have the peace that it promises,” she
thought.
Her brother, Rudy, was waiting for her
in his open buggy as she stepped outside
tying her black bonnet. With Mary being
deep in thought, the four mile ride was
rather quiet. Finally she blurted out
one of her questions, “What does
‘being justified’ mean?”
“Ach! Why do you always have
to try and figure things out when
you could just be content with the
church ordinances, and have fun
like the rest of the young people
do?”
Not willing to talk of what was-
n’t clear to her and which might
start an argument, she again fell
into quietness. They arrived in time
for her to meet her friend Katie before
church started.
The Scripture Bishop Bieler read was
from John 11 with the emphases on verse
25: “I am the resurrection and the life. He
that believeth in me, though he were dead,
yet shall he live.” Desire for knowing truth
stirred Mary.
Questions pried her mind that after-
noon. “Didn’t the service just end with the
admonition to stay true to the church rules
in hopes of obtaining eternal life after this
life? Does being justified fit into this pic-
ture?”
That night at the singing, Mary told
Katie, “I feel there’s an open space—a
bridgeless river-—that keeps me from ful-
ly understanding how the historical event
of Christ’s resurrection connects to me
right here. I also read from Romans 5:1
that if we’re justified by faith, we have
peace.”
Katie sided with Mary. “I’d love to
have that peace. Sometimes the ‘lostness’ I
feel really scares me. Is believing on Jesus
the same thing as keeping our church’s
traditions?”
Just then Katie poked Mary, “I see
Melvin Stolzfus glancing your way. He
may be asking you for a date tonight.”
Mary tried not to blush. “I’ve heard
that he’s been doing some Bible studies on
his own.”
“It’s funny how news spreads. You can
just about tell which of the guys would be
decent to go out with,” Katie said softly.
As the steady couples started to leave,
Mary noticed Melvin whispering to Jakie
Bender. Within minutes Jakie was at her
side relating Melvin’s wishes to drive her
home.
“Well, I guess it would be okay for
once,” Mary tried to hide her delight.
“Now behave yourself,” Katie teased
as Mary joined Melvin. The two made
their way to his waiting buggy among
hoots and low whistles.
“It’s such a beautiful time of the year,”
Melvin started the conversation as he
headed his open rig into the moon lit night.
“When everything turns green with
new life, I often think of Easter and
Christ’s resurrection,” Mary remarked.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about the res-
urrection also.”
“I told Katie tonight that I feel there’s a
missing bridge between where I am today
and that ancient historical story of Christ’s
resurrection. Does Christ’s resurrection
have something to do with being justi-
fied?”
Melvin sighed. “I don’t want to say too
much because I’ve been cautioned about
reading the Bible on my own, yet it seems
the only way to know truth is by
studying God’s Word. Yesterday I
read Ephesians 2:8-9 which plainly
says we’re saved by grace through
faith and not by works.”
“If Paul tells the Ephesians they’re
saved by faith and not by works,
then it appears that our church may
be emphasizing works too much.”
“If we are saved by grace through
faith, would that mean we would
be justified?” Mary asked in hopes
of finding her answer to obtaining
peace.”
“I heard that being justified is God
making me “Just-as-if-I’d” never sinned.
Surely that would bring us peace.”
As they arrived at Mary’s house the
subject changed. Melvin helped Mary
down from the buggy, and the two headed
toward the house where Mary had snacks
prepared just in case she got a date.
Inspired by the lovely evening, Mary
promised herself to pray and study Ephe-
sians two. “Will this chapter build the
bridge of peace I need?” Mary was hopeful
as she snuggled under her hand-stitched
quilt.
This is a fiction story, and is meant to bring
out certain principles. The author is not
trying to represent any specific Amish com-
munity practices or beliefs.