WHERE EVIL LURKS
The burning of the church and the desecration of the cemetery behind it, deeply saddened the residents of the small town. The church, which was built in the late 1800’s, was a landmark in the community, and was still being used as a gathering place and a house of worship. Now it was gone, leaving only disbelief and shock that evil had invaded their quiet community.
The call to the fire department came in at 2 a.m., and upon their arrival they found this sacred church completely engulfed in flames. After the fire was extinguished, their attention turned to the cemetery, which had been vandalized. Many of the tombstones had been destroyed or knocked over, cementing the fact that this was no accident. The town mourned the loss of their church, built long ago by the men of this small-town taking root on the Indian River.
The investigation by the fire marshal confirmed their suspicions, a combustible liquid, probably gas, was used to start the fire. The investigation that followed found no clues as to the identity of the culprit involved, leaving the town with the realization that Satan had successfully infiltrated this sacred place of worship.
During the clean up of the debris, a small metal box was discovered, concealed in one of the walls, undamaged by the fire. When opened, it held a historical record of the founding of the town, the building of the grist mill and their beloved church, as well as other documents related tothe early development of this small hamlet.
Satan had destroyed the calm that surrounded this area, but God had provided them with something they could treasure from this tragedy, their history, a respite from the fact that their sanctuary had been destroyed.
A new church rose from the ashes, which brought the townspeople a sense of peace, a renewed faith that God was back in charge, and a symbol that the evil that had come to this town had been vanquished. The culprit was never found, but he was forgiven. The people knew evil was a powerful force that sometimes the human spirit can not overcome, ending in tragedies such as this.
As the years went by the memories faded but were never forgotten. The people’s faith strengthened, their resolve to let this pass and harbor no ill-will towards the perpetrator an example of facing challenges with grace. Other small towns will experience similar tragedies, whether accidental or intentional, testing their beliefs, but in the end a much stronger faith will endure.
William Stanley
This story is based on the actual destruction of the St. James Anglican Church, founded in 1863. It was set ablaze by an arsonist and burned to the ground. It has been rebuilt on the original land, but the community certainly mourns the loss of the historical structure.
