In the last part Ben arranged to be a counselor and baseball preacher at Tony’s school and possibly another. Angelo advised him that the contract on his life had been cancelled, but that both Diamond Jim and John Mushmouth Johnson wanted him beaten – horribly. Also in the last part, Ben counseled and prayed with a pastor who was ministering without a call.

Worse than anything else. Ben heard rumors that other street preachers were moving on, abandoning Chicago for fear of their lives. Ben was heartbroken that his determination to rescue women, defying the risks, might have spilled over to the other preachers being threatened. He prayed for courage for them, assured that those with God’s call would persevere, that only those who loved the sound of their own voice and the love of money would flee.

+++

Angelo sent a trusted officer to Ben’s home, telling the officer to wait for Ben’s return should he be away. Ben was at home.

“Lieutenant Angelo asked me to bring you to the office, Mr. Persons. He said to tell you it would be safe.”

Ben complied, glad that there was a carriage since he felt worn out. They didn’t speak the whole way.

Inside Angelo’s office awaited a surprise sitting in a chair opposite Angelo – Jones from Creede. He stood and gaped at Ben. Presently he wrote on a slate that hung around his neck: “NOT DEAD.”

“No, Jones. I’m not dead. I was, but not now.”

Both Jones and Angelo looked at him wide-eyed. Angelo thought about the knife incident of their first meeting.

“Long story,” Ben said sheepishly.

Jones gestured that he would hear it as Angelo vocalized the same.

Ben told it, his near-death experience and direction from God.

Both men nodded understanding.

Jones smiled large and wrote “HAPY” on his chalk board after wiping it with the heel of his hand.

“All I know, Ben, is that an officer brought Jones in. When Jones, here, got to someone who knew who Ben Persons was, me finally, he handed me this letter.” Angelo handed Ben a sealed envelope.

Ben opened it and began reading. When he finished reading the letter from Livvy, he handed it to Angelo, indicating he could read it, as well.

“Livvy’s a dear, dear friend in Creede, Colorado,” Ben said.

The letter read: Dearest Ben, we’ve been praying for you ever since you left, but never as much as these past several days. The burden we’ve all felt has been almost more than we can bear. When Jones came to William and I and all he could do was to mouth your name, we knew. Jones has been working at the livery with my father, and he will be missed. But whatever it is, we know that you need him. He knows that he can return to us any time.

Ben, please be careful, but we know without doubt that you are in God’s hands and are willing to follow His call, whatever it is.

We all love you more than words can tell.

God bless you and may the Lord be with you.

Livvy

Tears welled in Angelo’s eyes. He wiped them away unashamedly. He handed the letter back to Ben. “Whew!” His voice cracked even in the single syllable.

“Yeah,” Ben agreed.

+++

His box set up in front of The Emporium, Ben mounted, instructing Jones not allow anyone to surprise him from behind. Many knew who he was, but all were terrified of the aura, an invisible shield around Ben. He began preaching his first fire and brimstone message: “You brood of vipers! You vile heathens! You rob from the widows and orphans and trample the oppressed. Woe to you, you slanderers, and thieves, and adulterers.” Ben’s voice strengthened and rose in volume. Mushmouth did not have to ask what it was Ben was preaching.

“How will you escape being condemned to hell?”

Passers-by hurried along their way, but to a person, somehow understood that the preaching was directed to souls inside the saloon.

Ben perfectly quoted Matthew chapter 25 verses 41 through 46 which damned the goats Jesus separated for their failures, which included failure to feed the hungry, clothe the needy, feed and house the impoverished, and visit the poor and imprisoned.

As Ben preached, Jones kept busy defending Ben’s back as several in Mushmouth’s employ attempted to grab him, too terrified of Ben’s foment to approach from his front. On two separate occasions Jones disarmed men who would have backshot Ben.

Jones was breathing heavily – in a lather, but excited to be of assistance to his friend. He felt squarely in the center of God’s will, and invincible. He saw the two large men exit The Emporium, one turning to the left and the other to the right. He saw that they’d both crossed over to his side of the street a half block away, each turning back to him and Ben. Jones asked God for strength and wisdom.

Ben saw the two as well, but continued preaching, repeating the theme.

As the two thugs neared Jones, both veered to behind him. Jones sensed their timing. Turning to face them, Jones knelt down into a squat. With a burst of speed and strength, Jones connected with upper-cuts to both of them, breaking jaws and teeth, and sending both of them flying backward to crash to the walkway. People dove out of their way, letting them crash.

Ben continued to shout his message.

Seeing Mushmouth, himself, in the doorway to his saloon, tepidly waving to Ben, Ben quoted Psalms chapter 105 verse 15: “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.”

Mushmouth nodded.

“Thank you, Jones. And God thanks you. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Jones nodded.

Inside The Emporium, an employee directed Ben to a back room where Mushmouth waited.

“What do I have to do?” Mushmouth asked, conceding defeat.

Ben began to gaze into his eyes, but Mushmouth quickly looked away.

Ben thought a moment

“No woman is to be held against her will.”

“Already done,” Mushmouth replied. “What else?”

“There’s a chapter of the Salvation Army being organized. They’ll need funding. And any other group that is helping the poor.”

Mushmouth nodded.

Ben felt a check in his spirit against over-reaching his call, demanding what could not be sustained.

“And go back to Bethesda Baptist and find an altar. Get saved, John. For the sake of your soul. There’s no pit too deep God can’t pull you from.”

Mushmouth’s appearance was as if every sinew and bone lost its rigidity, he slumped as if shrunken.

Ben fetched his soapbox and bid farewell to Jones, who then headed toward the depot that would take him to Denver and back to Creede.

“Hug everyone for me, Jones. Tell them that I love them. Tell them how greatly you helped me.” Sensing Jones’ sadness, Ben added, “I know that you would stay with me, but I feel God’s calling moving me on. Thank you, Jones. I’ll never forget you. Oh, and tell everyone to keep praying for me.” Ben smiled.

+++

It took a couple weeks to set up Pastor Michael Winslow as the school counselor. He was more than eager, a newfound love of people flooding his soul.

Tony was saddened by the news of Ben’s leaving, as was Mrs. Koska

Ben was excited to be about his calling. “I think there are a whole bunch of people need saved in San Francisco before something bad happens,” he said, hugging Tony good-bye.