tc.thebearandthedragon-第104部分

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　things　we　have　to　keep　in　our　hearts　every　day　we　live；　that　is　the　most　important。　Jesus　is　Savior　to　us　all；　if　only　we　accept　Him；　if　only　we　take　Him　into　our　hearts；　if　only　we　listen　when　He　talks　to　us。　That　is　the　first　lesson　we　need　to　learn　from　the　death　of　those　two　brave　men。
　〃The　next　lesson　we　need　to　learn　is　that　Satan　is　still　alive　out　there；　and　while　we　must　listen　to　the　words　of　God；　there　are　those　out　there　who　prefer　to　listen　to　the　words　of　Lucifer。　We　need　to　recognize　those　people　for　what　they　are。
　〃Forty　years　ago；　we　had　some　of　those　people　among　us。　I　remember　it；　and　probably　you　do；　too。　We　got　over　all　that。　The　reason　we　got　over　it　is　that　we　have　all　heard　the　Word　of　God。　We've　all　remembered　that　our　God　is　a　God　of　Mercy。　Our　God　is　a　God　of　Justice。　If　we　remember　that；　we　remember　a　lot　more　besides。　God　does　not　measure　us　by　what　we　are　against。　Jesus　looks　into　our　hearts　and　measures　us　by　what　we　are　for。
　〃But　we　cannot　be　for　justice　except　by　being　against　injustice。　We　must　remember　Skip　and　Renato。　We　must　remember　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Yang；　and　all　like　them；　those　people　in　China　who've　been　denied　the　chance　to　hear　the　Word　of　God。　The　sons　of　Lucifer　are　afraid　of　God's　Holy　Word。　The　sons　of　Lucifer　are　afraid　of　us。　The　sons　of　Satan　are　afraid　of　God's　Will；　because　in　God's　Love　and　in　the　Way　of　the　Lord　lies　their　destruction。　They　may　hate　God。　They　may　hate　God's　word…　but　they　fear；　they　FEAR　the　consequences　of　their　own　actions。　They　fear　the　damnation　that　awaits　them。　They　may　deny　God；　but　they　know　the　righteousness　of　God；　and　they　know　that　every　human　soul　cries　out　for　knowledge　of　our　Lord。
　〃That's　why　they　feared　Reverend　Yu　Fa　An。　That's　why　they　feared　Cardinal　DiMilo；　and　that's　why　they　fear　us。　Me　and　you　good　people。　Those　sons　of　Satan　are　afraid　of　us　because　they　know　that　their　words　and　their　false　beliefs　can　no　more　stand　up　to　the　Word　of　God　than　a　house　trailer　can　stand　before　a　springtime　tornado！　And　they　know　that　all　men　are　born　with　some　knowledge　of　God's　Holy　Word。　That's　why　they　fear　us。〃
　〃Good！〃　Reverend　Hosiah　Jackson　exclaimed。　〃Then　let's　give　them　another　reason　to　fear　us！　Let　God's　faithful　show　them　the　power　and　the　conviction　of　our　faith！〃
　
　But　we　can　be　sure　that　God　was　there　with　Skip；　and　with　Cardinal　DiMilo。　God　directed　their　brave　hands；　and　through　them　God　saved　that　innocent　little　child；〃　Patterson　told　his　black　congregation。　〃And　God　weled　to　his　bosom　the　two　men　He　sent　there　to　do　His　work；　and　today　our　friend　Skip　and　Cardinal　DiMilo　stand　proudly　before　the　Lord　God；　those　good　and　faithful　servants　of　His　Holy　Word。
　〃My　friends；　they　did　their　job。　They　did　the　Lord's　work　that　day。　They　saved　the　life　of　an　innocent　child。　They　showed　the　whole　world　what　the　power　of　faith　can　be。
　〃But　what　of　our　job？〃　Patterson　asked。　
　It　is　not　the　job　of　the　faithful　to　encourage　Satan；〃　Hosiah　Jackson　told　the　people　before　him。　He'd　captured　their　attention　as　surely　as　Lord　Olivier　on　his　best　day…and　why　not？　These　were　not　the　words　of　Shakespeare。　These　were　the　words　of　one　of　God's　ministers。　〃When　Jesus　looks　into　our　hearts；　will　He　see　people　who　support　the　sons　of　Lucifer？　Will　Jesus　see　people　who　give　their　money　to　support　the　godless　killers　of　the　innocent？　Will　Jesus　see　people　who　give　their　money　to　the　new　Hitler？〃
　〃No！〃　A　female　voice　shouted　in　reply。　〃No！〃　〃What　is　it　that　we；　we　the　people　of　God；　the　people　of　faith…　what　is　it　that　we　stand　for？　When　the　sons　of　Lucifer　kill　the　faithful；　where　do　you　stand？　Will　you　stand　for　justice？　Will　you　stand　for　your　faith？　Will　you　stand　with　the　holy　martyrs？　Will　you　stand　with　Jesus？〃　Jackson　demanded　of　his　borrowed　white　congregation。　And　as　one　voice；　they　answered　him：　〃Yes！〃
　
　Jesus　H。　Christ；〃　Ryan　said。　He'd　walked　over　to　the　Vice　President's　office　to　catch　the　TV　coverage。
　〃Told　you　my　Pap　was　good　at　this　stuff。　Hell；　I　grew　up　with　it　over　the　dinner　table；　and　he　still　gets　inside　my　head；〃　said　Robby　Jackson；　wondering　if　he'd　allow　himself　a　drink　tonight。　〃Patterson　is　probably　doing　okay；　too。　Pap　says　he's　an　okay　guy；　but　my　Pap　is　the　champ。〃
　〃Did　he　ever　think　of　being　a　Jesuit？〃　Jack　asked　with　a　grin。
　〃Pap's　a　preacherman；　but　he　ain't　quite　a　saint。　The　celibacy　would　be　kinda　hard　on　him；〃　Robby　answered。
　Then　the　scene　changed　to　Leonardo　di　Vinci　International　Airport　outside　Rome；　where　the　Alitalia　747　had　just　landed　and　was　now　pulling　up　to　the　jetway。　Below　it　was　a　truck；　and　next　to　the　truck　some　cars　belonging　to　the　Vatican。　It　had　already　been　announced　that　Renato　Cardinal　DiMilo　would　be　getting　his　own　full　state　funeral　at　St。　Peter's　Basilica；　and　CNN　would　be　there　to　cover　all　of　it；　joined　by　SkyNews；　Fox；　and　all　the　major　networks。　They'd　been　late　getting　onto　the　story　at　the　beginning；　but　that　only　made　this　part　of　the　coverage　more　full。
　
　Back　in　Mississippi；　Hosiah　Jackson　walked　slowly　down　from　the　pulpit　as　the　last　hymn　ended。　He　walked　with　grace　and　dignity　to　the　front　door；　so　as　to　greet　all　of　the　congregation　members　on　the　way　out。
　That　took　much　longer　than　he'd　expected。　It　seemed　that　every　single　one　of　them　wanted　to　take　his　hand　and　thank　him　for　ing…　the　degree　of　hospitality　was　well　in　excess　of　his　most　optimistic　expectations。　And　there　was　no　doubting　their　sincerity。　Some　insisted　on　talking　for　a　few　moments；　until　the　press　of　the　departing　crowd　forced　them　down　the　steps　and　onto　the　parking　lot。　Hosiah　counted　six　invitations　to　dinner；　and　ten　inquiries　about　his　church；　and　if　it　needed　any　special　work。　Finally；　there　was　just　one　man　left；　pushing　seventy；　with　scraggly　gray　hair　and　a　hooked　nose　that　had　seen　its　share　of　whiskey　bottles。　He　looked　like　a　man　who'd　topped　out　as　assistant　foreman　at　the　sawmill。
　〃Hello；〃　Jackson　said　agreeably。
　〃Pastor；〃　the　man　replied；　uneasily；　as　though　wanting　to　say　more。
　It　was　a　look　Hosiah　had　seen　often　enough。　〃Can　I　help　you；　sir？〃
　〃Pastor　。。。　years　ago　。。。〃　And　his　voice　choked　up　again。　〃Pastor；〃　he　began　again。　〃Pastor；　I　sinned。〃
　〃My　friend；　we　all　sin。　God　knows　that。　That's　why　he　sent　His　Son　to　be　with　us　and　conquer　our　sins。〃　The　minister　grabbed　the　man's　shoulder　to　steady　him。
　〃I　was　in　the　Klan；　Pastor；　I　did　。　。　。　sinful　things　。。。　I。。。　hurt　nigras　just　cuz　I　hated　them；　and　I…〃
　〃What's　your　name？〃　Hosiah　asked　gently。
　〃Charlie　Picket；〃　the　man　replied。　And　then　Hosiah　knew。　He　had　a　good　memory　for　names。　Charles　Worthington　Picket　had　been　the　Grand　Kleegle　of　the　local　Klavern。　He'd　never　been　convicted　of　a　major　crime；　but　his　name　was　one　that　came　up　much　of　the　time。
　〃Mr。　Picket；　those　things　all　happened　many　years　ago；〃　he　reminded　the　man。
　〃I　ain't　never…I　mean；　I　ain't　never　killed　nobody。　Honest；　Pastor；　I　ain't　never　done　that；〃　Picket　insisted；　with　real　desperation　in　his　voice。　〃But　I　know'd　thems　that　did；　and　I　never　told　the　cops。　I　never　told　them　not　to　do　it　。。。　sweet　Jesus；　I　don't　know　what　I　was　back　then；　Pastor。　I　was　。。。　it　was　。。。〃
　〃Mr。　Picket；　are　you　sorry　for　your　sins？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　oh　Jesus；　yes；　Pastor。　I've　prayed　for　forgiveness；　but…〃
　〃There　is　no　'but；'　Mr。　Picket。　God　has　forgiven　you　your　sins；〃　Jackson　told　him　in　his　gentlest　voice。
　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　A　smile　and　a　nod。　〃Yes；　I'm　sure。〃
　〃Pastor；　you　need　help　at　your　church；　roofing　and　stuff；　you　call　me；　y'hear？　That's　the　house　of　God；　too。　Maybe　I　didn't　always　know　it；　but　by　damn　I　know　it　now；　sir。〃
　He'd　probably　never　called　a　black　man　〃sir〃　in　his　life；　unless　there'd　been　a　gun　to　his　head。　So；　the　minister　thought；　at　least　one　person　had　listened　to　his　sermon；　and　learned　something　from　it。　And　that　wasn't　bad　for　a　man　in　his　line　of　work。
　〃Pastor；　I　gots　to　apologize　for　all　the　evil　words　and　thoughts　I　had。　Ain't　never　done　that；　but　I　gots　to　do　it　now。〃　He　seized　Hosiah's　hand。　〃Pastor；　I　am　sorry；　sorry　as　a　man　can　be　for　all　the　things　I　done　back　then；　and　I　beg　your　forgiveness。〃
　〃And　the　Lord　Jesus　said；　'Go　forth　and　sin　no　more。'　Mr。　Picket；　that's　all　of　scripture　in　one　sentence。　God　came　to　forgive　our　sins。　God　has　already　forgiven　you。〃
　Finally；　their　eyes　met。　〃Thank　you；　Pastor。　And　God　bless　you；　sir。〃
　〃And　may　the　Lord　bless　you；　too。〃　Hosiah　Jackson　watched　the　man　walk　off　to　his　pickup　truck；　wondering　if　a　soul　had　just　been　saved。　If　so；　Skip　would　be　pleased　with　the　black　friend　he'd　never　met。
　
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　32
　Coalition　Collision
　
　It　was　a　long　drive　from　the　airport　to　the　Vatican；　every　yard　of　it　covered　by　cameras　in　the　high…speed　motorcade；　until　finally　the　vehicles　entered　the　Piazza　San　Pietro；　St。　Peter's　Square。　There；　waiting；　was　a　squad　of　Swiss　Guards　wearing　the　purple…and…gold　uniforms　designed　by　Michelangelo。　Some　of　the　Guards　pulled　the　casket　containing　a　Prince　of　the　Church；　martyred　far　away；　and　carried　it　through　the　towering　bronze　doors　into　the　cavernous　interior　of　the　church；　where　the　next　day　a　Requiem　Mass　would　be　celebrated　by　the　Pope　himself。
　But　it　wasn't　about　religion　now；　except　to　the　public。　For　the　President　of　the　United　States；　it　was　about　matters　of　state。　It　turned　out　that　Tom　Jefferson　had　been　right　after　all。　The　power　of　government　devolved　directly　from　the　people；　and　Ryan　had　to　act　now；　in　a　way　that　the　people　would　approve；　because　when　you　got　down　to　it；　the　nation　wasn't　his。　It　was　theirs。
　And　one　thing　made　it　worse。　SORGE　had　coughed　up　another　report　that　morning；　and　it　was　late　ing　in　only　because　Mary　Patricia　Foley　wanted　to　be　doubly　sure　that　the　translation　was　right。
　Also　in　the　Oval　Office　were　Ben　Goodley；　Arnie　van　Damm；　and　the　Vice　President。　〃Well？〃　Ryan　asked　them。
　〃Cocksuckers；〃　Robby　said；　first　of　all。　〃If　they　really　think　this　way；　we　shouldn't　sell　them　shit　in　a　paper　bag。　Even　at　Top　Gun　after　a　long　night　of　boilermakers；　even　Navy　fighter　pilots　don't　talk　like　this。〃
　〃It　is　callous；〃　Ben　Goodley　agreed。
　〃They　don't　issue　consciences　to　the　political　leaders；　I　guess；〃　van　Damm　said；　making　it　unanimous。
　〃How　wo