God's Country

Part Forty

'The goal of Bible translation is to be transparent to the original text – to see as clearly as possible what the biblical authors actually wrote.'

Leland Ryken

"I shall be very sorry to see you go Harry...you have made a difference here." Mohammed Hussein sighed, taking Harry Trevor's arm for support as they walked around the side of the mosque.

"Well, I hope to be able to help lots more people, given time, but I am not gone yet." Harry smiled, slowing his pace so as not to hurry the old man as he reached into his pocket for his car keys. "I might lose."

"Politics is a dirty game but you seem to be winning it?"

"So are the streets...a dirty place I mean...but I believe in Charles Buckingham and Michael Winstanley Mo...they are good guys."

"Sebastian says so, and I trust his judgement as much as yours. Putting religion back at the centre of people's lives is a noble cause...one I believe we should work on together."

"Islam is our friend, Mo."

"I do hope so. I believe my community will stand behind you at the election, and not just because of your policies. Never forget that people vote for people, not ideas...it is a question of trust, Harry."

"Everyone in this country can live together in peace. That is our message."

"And an eloquent one. I am old, I get it...but it is the young you must keep an eye on, and the young you must control." Hussein advised, speaking from bitter experience. He had spent the last ten years of his life trying to stop young radicals from bringing his faith into disrepute and he was really quite amused by the Christians going the other way. "You cannot have your renaissance unless you bring the young onside."

"I shall miss our discussions." Harry smiled again, resisting the temptation to get into another long debate with a man he much admired. He had come to say goodbye and he did not have the time to waste.

"So shall I...and I am glad you have found your God Harry."

"I am not sure I have found God as such, but certainly a philosophy Mo."

"In the end, whatever one believes, that is what we live by. It just has to feel right, in the heart...I think you found something here and the right philosophy allows you to make some sense of it."

"I think so too...I can see what needs to be done."

"Then go and do it...and let them see the passion in your heart, because it is the fire that drives you."

'The Bible is God's sacred word of truth.'

Joseph Franklin Rutherford

"Once again, a fine sermon Michael...sometimes I think you should be the one standing for parliament rather than me." Charles Buckingham said as he shook the Pastor's hand at the top of the Cathedral steps. It was a beautiful winter morning, almost noon, with a cloudless blue sky above them and the congregation spilling out onto the grass leading down to the River Mead twinkling in the sunshine. Buckingham had just got back to Meadvale in time to catch the sermon, after his television appearance, with his tie neatly back in place.

"Oh I would much rather leave the politics to you, my friend...I don't have to argue with anyone here." Winstanley smiled, his obvious delight with the way things were going clear on his face. "But isn't this such a fine sight...if only more people could see the dream come alive...maybe we would not have to argue quite so much?"

"I do believe that this place is some sort of miracle." Charles agreed, gazing down on Elizabeth and the other girls, walking with their guardians. It was as if he had removed her from the real world, or the old world, full of constant stresses and strain, and set her down in paradise. He was busy of course, but he was still spending more time with her one on one than he had for years, even before his wife died, and he could see the change in her. She was still adapting of course. Her life at Broomwaters was really very different to the modern ideal, but she did not disappear onto the internet anymore, or spend her free time with her mobile in her hand, lost to him, and there was a new hard focus in her life. He had seen some of the work she had been producing with Miss Scott and it really was quite remarkable. She was blossoming in God's love.