Nikolaj Rising · Page 11

Ah, yes, make me do the work of looking up how it was done last time....

As I recall, the plan was for you to introduce the ceremony and then let each of the candidates (for lack of a better word) say a few words and be baptized. Katherine had suggested that Bredd should go first, and she should follow, as a reminder that in Christ the daughter of the master of the house is not more important than an orc slave child.

You reach the ceremony and are about to begin when one of the wives of one of the cowhands wants to speak to you. She wants to know what she has to do to become a Christian and be baptized.

--M. J. Young

Oh, sorry, that was not my intention. Sorry!

Yes. It's an open ceremony. Family and friends are welcomed. The gospel will be explained using the wordless book (but with peaces of cloth that are prepared). Those who will be baptized give their testimony. Then the baptism itself starts. After that it is a little party.

You reach the ceremony and are about to begin when one of the wives of one of the cowhands wants to speak to you. She wants to know what she has to do to become a Christian and be baptized.

I tell her that she should accept Christ in her life as the one who died for her sins and rose again to give her new life. She should repent her sins and follow Him.

"If you are willing to do that, you can be baptized with the others today."

If she wants that I take her to Katherine (or call Katherine over).

"Katherine, This lady wants to accept Christ as Her Lord and savior and repent of her sins. Could you pray with her while I start things up here? Bredd will start the testimonies, as you suggested excellently. Before that, the story of Christ will be told again, using the colors. So you've got the time to work through it all. Do you want to help me with that?"

Somewhat nervously, Katherine says, "I think I can do that. You go ahead."

You finish the introductions, and young Bredd comes forward when you call him.

"I'm just an orc," he begins. "In fact, I'm probably less than that--I'm an orc slave and an orc child, not a free orc and not a grown up orc. But Nikolaj showed me that Jesus loves orcs as much as He loves people, that He loves slaves as much as masters, and he loves children as much as grown ups. He wants us all to love each other and treat each other as part of one family. That doesn't make me not an orc, or not a child, or not a slave; but it means that even as an orc, a slave, and a child, I can be one of God's chosen people, one of those He loves and takes as His own. I am here, because I love God and I love Jesus and I have learned to love all of you, orcs and men alike, because God loves us all the same and calls us into His one family together."

He looks to you for some indication that he's said enough, and then sits down.

Katherine comes forward.

"Wow. Praise God. It's wonderful to see new people join the family--and as Bredd said, it is a family, a gathering of all of us to love God and each other, thanks to what Jesus did. He did it for me. He let me see that being the daughter of the master of the house did not guarantee me some special place in life or in death, but that I was no better than the orc slaves who looked at me sometimes with fear, sometimes with respect, sometimes with hatred. God had to show me, too, that we are all part of His family--or at least, we are all invited to be part of His family, through Jesus.

"Some of you will wonder why I wasn't the first to speak. After all, by all the standards that govern things here on the ranch, I'm one of the most important people here. But the point is that I'm not more important than anyone else here. Jesus is the important one. The rest of us make each other important, but putting each other first. Bredd is every bit as important to God as I am. He's my brother now. God has torn down the barriers and brought us together."

She, too, looks to you for a cue.

You have one more person awaiting baptism. Thoughts before we continue?

--M. J. Young

I smile as I hear the testimonies. They are wonderful! I nod at them, signifying that it's well said.

I step up to the stage/speaking area (probably not a stage) and tell them that just now a new person has accepted Christ as her savior. I invite her forward and to tell us how she came to know Him and how she came to take this step.

After all the testimonies, we start the baptism.

ooc:

Well done, Nikolaj--using his adjunct characters to do what he doesn't have time to do himself. Katherine is a good choice. I'll move through the testimonies of the two that were expected, and give him a chance to decide how things should go from here.

Thanks. Though that was only part of why I did it. I think this would be the best place to say this (for reference etc) since it's crucial to my handling things. Where I go to church there is this 'safety-rule' of men only counseling men and women only counseling women. Mostly to save marriages etc. since when you have deep talks you bond. Since I did not know whether or not this new woman is married, I saw it best fit to let another woman handle it. The only one I knew of the top of my head to be christian was Katherine. I've also personally explained everything to her so I know she can do it. She's used to having authority, so she can lead. It all adds up. :)

I'm familiar with that safety rule and understand it. There was a similar quirk at the crisis pregnancy center with which I was involved--they trained perhaps thirty counselors and then decided that the men who had trained would not be allowed to counsel anyone. I did use the training subsequently to train other (women) counselors, but it irked me a bit that I was not going to be "in the trenches" as it were.

I agree that it is a good rule generally. I also am cautious about rules, because they so easily become law and prevent people from doing what God requires. That, though, is not important in this thread, I expect.

The woman comes forward.

"I, um--I didn't expect this." She seems very nervous, but clears her throat and pulls together her composure, and continues.

"You all know my brother, and you all know my husband. My brother was baptized, at the last service. He has since been telling me that I need to turn to Jesus and be baptized, because the God above Gaia has come to our world and is calling people to him. My husband doesn't believe that. He thinks that this is a dangerous heresy, and that Gaia is going to be angry at those who abandon her for this other god. I don't know what to tell him; but what Pete says makes sense, and I see the change in him and in his friends, and I know that they have found something that I never saw in Joe or any of the others. And I see it in Miss Kucher, too, who is so very much kinder to all the household and garden workers. I think, it must be real. They say that even Gaia is on their side, and the people who are rejecting Jesus in the name of Gaia don't understand who Gaia always was, like she's been the caretaker waiting for the owner to come home, and now he's home and she's still here helping run the house, but she's not in charge anymore.

"Anyway, I can't say I know what's true about Gaia, but I can say that these Christians are different, and I want to be one of them--and now I guess I am, and Lord willing I'll start to be different, too.

"I just hope that things work out all right with Joe."

She looks to you, as if wondering if she's said enough.

--M. J. Young

I praise God for all the people who will get baptized and pray a quick prayer for that lady's husband. After those praises and prayers, we will start the baptisms.

A short personal prayer after which I say: "I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Then I dunk them backwards in the water and help them get back up. Then there will be clapping and rejoicing. We'll start an easy song to sing praise, singing only the chorus with clapping etc, then repeat the whole process for the next one.

(I lost the booklet I had when I versed here in real life, so assume it's one of the songs in there that people might have picked up on as I played my ukulele outside under a tree or in the barracks.)

Then the celebration. There will be conversation, there might be people who want come to Christ as well.

Those present all seem to be believers. A time of fellowship and sharing does occur, with hugs for the newly baptized and particularly for the lady who came to Christ at this meeting.

You shift from the baptisms into the rest of the weekly service as you've started having it. Your liturgy is rather loose, from what I've gathered, but there is some structure to it, and it includes scripture reading and preaching in addition to prayer and song. I'm guessing that your scripture reading comes from Galatians, which is by now half completed.

--M. J. Young

With the congregation here I'd recount or translate while reading my own bible, explaining away in between. I find it important that they learn about the person of Christ.

I started translating Galatians especially for Qormlach and his new master over in that city/town (it is named, but I don't remember that now.).

It's loose indeed. Opening in prayer, singing, a time for testimonies and preaching. No time-limit on the service.

during the week:
During meals I'll sit with the believers mainly, so that I can answer questions.

Maybe we can speed things up a bit until I finish translating. (unless something interrupts) When I'm finished I'll see to it that it is copied. And we can fast-forward there too. Then I will check when the next trading-caravan leaves so I can deliver my translation to Qormlach.

In the mean time I would involve Bredd and Katherine in Discipleship Training, I will pray for the Ranch, that God may, eventually be known to all on it and if/when there are converts, we will baptize.

You continue to improve at your leatherworking skills through the various tasks Robert gives you, as well as through your own experimentation with color. You have the comfort level of a hobbyist at this point, which means you're not yet as fast or as good as a professional level leatherworker would be but as long as you stay within your limitations you do decent work.

You continue sitting with the believers, but some of them stop sitting with the group. The first to go is the woman who was concerned about how her husband was going to react, but you lose a few others from your daily mealtime gatherings, apparently also feeling pressure from others.

--M. J. Young

I'm sad for those who fall away. The table will always be open to them. I decide to 'equip the believers' a bit more thoroughly, also preaching from Galatians and Romans now. These are important basic messages and I will focus on them. I will encourage the believers to practice these messages, these concepts given.

Besides Bredd and Katherine I will keep a lookout for others who are ready to take the next step and become involved in the church ministry. The idea is to eventually have something like small groups once I've got Galatians finished. From the copy I'll keep myself other copies can be made.

This only a concept now. I'll first look for possible candidates for leadership functions just in observing the Fruit of the Spirit (in it's entire range of aspects) in their life. I'll select them for the advance discipleship training together with Bredd and Katherine, should they want to.

-2nd post-

I would also want to visit those who stop sitting with the group and find out what's wrong. I'd like to encourage them/reprove (?) them where needed.

Generally those who have shifted away from the group have felt a lot of pressure from Gaian family members--the one woman in particular from her husband, who rather adamantly does not want to hear about this new religion and does not want his wife involved in it. (She is involved, she says, and it doesn't change what she believes, but she does have to live with him.) Hers is the worst case, but others are similarly being chided, cajoled, insulted, and otherwise pressured about being involved with a religion that considers orcs equal to humans.

Otherwise, the group that stays is typical--there are a few notable for various qualities ranging from innate leadership and likable personalities to a clear capacity to learn and understand. You also have spiritual gifts present, including (but not limited to) tongues, and those who remain with the group are doing well at expressing kindness to everyone on the ranch. Some have spoken well of the Christians, but others are critical simply because of the seeming opposition to the Gaian faith.

--M. J. Young

Cool.

I'll encourage the woman to pray for her husband. I'll have the passage in the bible from Peter looked up and translated.

"I Peter 3:1-2 Likewise you wives, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear."

I explain the fear of the Lord as more of an Awe for Him then an actual fear. But the Awe is so big that it borders Fear, because when you don't have Him first you will start to feel sad. I encourage her and her son to keep praying for him.

I ask her whether she can read. If so I'll once in a while will drop some encouraging notes at her, hopefully unnoticed by her husband. The best way to do that would be to let other converted women deliver them to her.

I'll talk to those who speak in tongues how they would like to have evening-gatherings to pray and intercede for the Ranch and for our believers in the city/town where Bredd and his master are. Let's start with one evening in the week. They need time for their families as well. They would also pray for those who are not christian yet and that they might get converted as God sees fit. (Be it through talks, dreams, visions, encounters, ...)

For those with gift of healing I'd encourage them to use it, not only on Christians but also on non Christians. For those with the gift of Prophecy, I would reserve a place and time for that during service, as stated in 1 Cor. 12. The same with tongues and interpretation of them.

Those with musical talent I would encourage to use it in services and find an evening in the week to teach a few songs. If there are some who are creative enough to write songs I would encourage them as well. They can present their new songs to me.

Those with compassion I would encourage to visit the sick and those in prison. I guess that would mean the orcs here. I would like to start making them deacons (I think that's the name, in Dutch it's Diaken). I also encourage them to visit those who can't come due to marital issues or other peer pressure issues. They also need encouragement.

I'm not quite sure, but I think the services are still segregated, or not? I would try to get the believing orcs involved.

I would train teachers to use the wordless book. Once I'm done translating Galatians I'd let them copy it and distribute it to those who can read. I'll explain them the importance of it since it's the Word of God. Inspired writing which is infallible. I would also explain the Lord's supper with one of them and put him in charge there. (I do believe the bible asks men to lead, so it would be a man unless only women are available here or the Spirit prompts me otherwise. For those who are reading this, with this I do not insinuate that women are less then men. Their responsibilities and forte are in other areas, generally speaking.)

I'm playing with the idea of starting reading and writing courses, but I'd be out of time and those I have in mind (like Bredd), are busy enough as it is. So that's on the back burner. They need to be able to see their family and have some time to be kids or to relax. I would encourage to let parents who can read and write teach their own children.

As I start things up I'll try to be part in each of those in some way, probably one evening every week or something like that. Let's see how this advances. Until Galatians is translated or some other big event happens.

I'll talk to those who speak in tongues how they would like to have evening-gatherings to pray and intercede for the Ranch and for our believers in the city/town where Bredd and his master are. Let's start with one evening in the week.

I'm curious as to whether you mean to single out those who speak in tongues for these evening prayer meetings, or whether you want to have an open prayer meeting for any believers who want to come pray.

Also, I think you meant Qormlach; Bredd is here with you.

I would like to start making them deacons (I think that's the name, in Dutch it's Diaken).

Yes, we use the word "deacon". The Greek diakonos is an odd word, really--the nearest English equivalent is "waiter", that is, it refers most specifically to the servants who serve food to people at meals, although it can be used more generally of household servants in other positions. There original task in the church appears to have been making sure that the collected food was properly distributed to those who didn't have enough. By the second century the position had evolved into something more formal as a leadership role, and for that reason it seems very few translators are willing to translate it to a word in their own language, but simply transliterate the original to mean in essence "this office within the church". Also, there were apparently female "deaconesses" in the first century church, but a lot of translators render the feminine form of the word to "servant" or "helper" to eliminate the suggestion that a woman could take a leadership role.

All of which is more than I needed to say to ask what your concept of "deacon" is and who you want to have do what under that title.

I might also ask whether you're going to distinguish the episkopos and presbuteros, most literally overseer and elder although the former is often rendered "bishop" in English. I'm not trying to dictate how you organize the church--only to understand it.

I'm not quite sure, but I think the services are still segregated, or not? I would try to get the believing orcs involved.

I've assumed that you've had the orcs and humans together at your services. I think that the Gaian services have always been integrated in the sense that the orcs are strongly encouraged to attend, but then are left standing in the back while the humans sit in the front. I'm assuming that since so many of your earliest converts were orcs you've got a lot more integrated arrangement, although you might have to emphasize the importance of that in your teaching.

On the matter of who reads, have we determined the prevalence of literacy already? I know that the Kuchers read and write, and that most of the orcs probably do not, but I'm not sure whether any determination was made beyond that. If I've already made a statement on the subject, I'll adhere to it; otherwise, I'll have to roll to see what the status is on literacy.

--M. J. Young

We haven't yet made a determination on the literacy. The orcs were illiterate and there were letterstamps in the workshop. Qormlach's new master can read, the Kuchers can read. That's about all that has been established.

I'd just like elders and the preacher as separate. But the preacher in a sense is part of the elders and just has an extra role and responsibility to fulfill.

Integrated services are good. I will stress equality during services. During services there are no slaves and no masters.

I meant Qormlach yes.

Everyone will be welcome on the prayer-evenings but I would encourage those who speak in tongues some more, since even when they are out of words themselves they can keep on praying in tongues. Those who are able to interpret are also welcome there. Those who receive visions as well. This will enable us to align ourselves with God and His will for the church so we can pray more effectively as we know what to pray for more specifically.

I also encourage the followers by telling them of the good testimonies I've heard of them. I urge them to keep it up. "There once was a man back where I came from who said 'Preach the Gospel, if needed use words.'. That's what you are doing. You are showing Christ. Telling about Christ or showing Him are different things. So keep on showing Him, people will come and ask what's so different about you, and then you can tell them.

"If you still constantly feel the urge to speak about Him to everybody, please come see me."

I will train them in the use of the wordless book for use in evangelizing. I will make 'wordless booklets' for them and bless them while I paint each page. (I'll paint them in batches, first all the gold/yellow pages, then the black ones, ...) In effect I'll pray while making them blessing each page separately so that the message related to that page would come across easily and powerfully. Afterward I will bless the entire booklet (each separate) that those who use it to spread the gospel will be blessed in their speaking and that many people may be converted through them by use of this booklet.

More then me blessing I ask for God to bless it, but you get what I mean, right? I'm making small booklets, but as for the purpose of the skill(s) I will state that size and material are irrelevant. It is a concentrated effort (I'm praying during the making of the booklets.) A whisper is enough, but that makes it audible. I needs to be spoken, but loudness isn't needed. It will take an hour, but that just includes the drying an the binding of the pages, so they can be processed in batch. I think it would be a skill for blessing multiple pages at once. (5 minutes) And that used 5 times for each page. Then a separate skill for blessing the finished booklet. (another 5 minutes)

O.K., questions.

I will make 'wordless booklets' for them and bless them while I paint each page.

I know that materials don't matter in the sense that they're books that serve the purpose as long as they have pages of the right colors and you can turn them; but you still have the materials problem. Of what will you be making these? The supple sort of leather that makes for good pages is also hard to make and thus valuable in the shop, and not much of it winds up as scrap (or more precisely, small pieces cut from large pieces are then trimmed to use as small pieces for other projects). Cheaper stiff leather doesn't bend easily if stitched, so you would need some kind of O ring, probably metal, for the binding (like a looseleaf notebook), and those are acquired by trade with those who deal with dwarfs, so are rather more costly. You also have to use pigments, and although you've started finding ways to make your own most of your limited collection of colors were purchased in limited quantities. If you were making one small book, no one would bother about a few scraps of leather and some pigments; but now you're talking about producing a fair number of them, and we're going to have to figure out what you use for materials and where you get them.

Yes, I did understand that you blessing the pages was really you asking God to bless them; that's the essence of "holy magic" anyway, and you don't do any other kind. (The Pope doesn't really bless anyone himself--he confers God's blessing on them, on the assumption that if he asks God to bless God will do so.)

What I wonder, though, is what effect it will have to bless the books and the pages in the books. Is it just to make the books last longer, or are the books being given the power to extend grace to others?

--M. J. Young

I was planning on using the paper and paint he still has from his home world. The booklets would be postcard format maximum (which is 10x15cm) and bound by stitching. I was planning on using needle and thread from the workshop for this.

The effect would be:
1. "so that the message related to that page would come across easily and powerfully" (for the separate pages)

2. "that those who use it to spread the gospel will be blessed in their speaking and that many people may be converted through them by use of this booklet" (for the booklet as a whole.)

I will assume this at least two skills. Both would increase persuasion or impact the openness/receptivity of those targeted by the preaching/explaining of the one teaching from the book. The page's message bound by the message meant by the page. The booklet will confer it's blessing to the user while explaining the booklet to another person. It will also increase the number of converts.

In essence they will be better at what they are meant for.

There would be nothing to make them last longer.

Concerning the prayers, do they require that you pray them while the pages and the book are being made, or can you pray them on a book already made?

--M. J. Young

I suppose you could pray it on a book already made, but the intention is not that, so I'll say "Yes, it has to be done while making the pages and booklet."

You pray for each page, and you pray for each book. How many are you making?

--M. J. Young

starting from here and my post(s) after that, I make them for those who come up as teachers and/or evangelists (or until pages/paints are finished, whatever comes first). I don't expect many. I will be training them over the next month (as well as supervising the other changes/additions I want to make, making the churchgoers not only passive Christians, but giving them 'tools' so it is easier to become active Christians for differently gifted people.) During sermons I'll read/translate from the bible, in the end

I also remember that about five times a year a trading caravan leaves. i don't know if they go to the city/town we've been to last time each time, if they do and they come up this month I'd like to go with them for trading and visiting the believers there (Qormlach and his master) and if finished deliver them a copy of the letter to the Galatians and it's commentary I write for the occasion while translating. (I had stated that before, but I don't know if you still remembered. It's been a while). I'll make a blessed booklet for them as well if that comes up.

It's probably coming soon.

The caravan always goes to the same trading town, but are you certain that Qormlach was sold to someone in town? It is the nature of trading towns that people come from a wide area to buy and sell in one place, and I admit I don't recall what I said about who bought him, but I thought he went to another ranch.

Also, you went on the last caravan because you needed to learn about and acquire dyes for the leather. Is there a reason you can give to Mr. Kucher for why you should take time away from the leather shop this time?

You finish and copy Galatians and your commentary.

--M. J. Young

If any of the 'teachers' I selected know how to read, I let them copy Galatians. I also let them copy the commentary and answer questions.

Qormlach was sold to a leather worker called Simon. He converted on the spot and even got baptized on the spot. He can read and that's the reason I started translating.

I want to see if I can find some new pigments and we can trade some of the leather and leather things we made.

Ah, I remember. It was a favorable GE roll, so Qormlach is in town, although the other believing orcs were scattered to other ranches.

Mr. Kucher is a bit reluctant, but he agrees that you should take some of the early colored leather product and see what sort of price you can get for it and whether in dealing with the dry goods dealers you get ideas for what sort of colored products they think they can sell.

Five of the human believers can read, and one of the older orcs; but only one of them can write, and that slowly and painstakingly. He doesn't mind making a copy of Galatians, and would like to have one, but it's going to take him a couple weeks of his spare time to do so.

--M. J. Young

I thank Mr. Kucher.

Ok, I'll let the one that can write copy my copies. I'll take the original with me on the trading trip. Once we are in the town and trading starts I'll see if I can trade the leather for pigments that are running low and some new ones. If there is a book somewhere on making your own pigments, I'll see if I can trade for it. At some point I try to find Qormlach and Simon, deliver the Galatians translation and spend some time catching up.

Your leather coloring gets spotted as beginner's work, and so doesn't trade for as much as you'd hoped. You are also able to replenish your pigments but there are no new colors here presently, and dealer from whom you bought last time is not here this time.

You find Simon and Qormlach, and they are grateful for the Galatians translation. They have a small weekly meeting in the leather shop, five or six people plus themselves, and having the book will help. Simon asks about the books' origin and significance, who wrote it and what his relationship was to Jesus.

--M. J. Young

If I'm still there when the meeting comes around I will participate.

I explain that this letter is a translation of a saint that was inspired to write God's directions down. "... He was one of the first Christians and founded many churches. Then he educated them through letters. In time these letters have, through prayer, been recognized as containing the word and will of God. So the teaching in this book is a teaching from God for all of us.

"Some things where maybe specific and culturally bound, but I explained it in the other booklet here. This is my explanation of it. It is not as important in weight as the letter itself. It explains the letter and frames it in the culture and time it was written in to the point where you need that to understand it."

EDIT (after reading the food article): Did I see the orc slaves during the journey eat normal food or different food? :)

Orcs eat the same food as humans, in your experience. At least on the Kucher ranch they don't make something different for them.

What orcs eat in the jungle is another question.

I'm curious concerning how your commentary explains the concept of Jews and Greeks which is so significant in Galatians; but that's because I'm interested in the way Christianity develops and takes hold in this world.

--M. J. Young

I'll give short summary of God choosing a person and his offspring as His people. How it lead to those people eventually getting very self-righteous and arrogant, thinking they where better than other people (like the Greeks) just by offspring and how for God everyone is of equal value and that it is your relationship with Him that matters, like the relationship of the founding father defined the covenant they had etc.

I make it practical by suggesting to read Humans instead of Jews and Orcs instead of Greeks.

How it lead to....

I know you don't mind having your English corrected, and this is a mistake that a lot of native speakers make when they write so you've probably picked it up from someone else.

There is a verb "lead" which is pronounced with a long "e" sound, "leed" (like the British town Leeds). In the third person singular it has an "s" on the end, "it leads", present tense, long E sound.

The past tense of that verb is spelled "led" and pronounced with the same short "eh" sound as bread, head, dead, said, red, sled. Thus "it led to" in the past tense.

There is also a noun spelled "lead" which is pronounced with the short "eh" sound just like "led", but it has nothing to do with leading; it is the name of the elemental metal.

As I say, English speakers make the mistake frequently (and it irks me when they do so because they ought to know better), so I thought I'd let you know it was a mistake.

That's an excellent commentary explanation, I think, which may significantly impact the theology of your new Christian church.

I'd love to hear how you're going to explain circumcision, but I'll let you think on that while we move forward with play.

You are in town for most of a week, and can attend the service at Simon's home. It is a bit different in format from yours, but in essence the same. They also have spiritual gifts present here. (I recall that Qormlach had an unexpected gift--healing perhaps? or was it prophecy?--which is part of their services.)

--M. J. Young

Healing, yes. And thanks for the explanation. I've got to go, out of time, but I'll answer, maybe tonight (for me) or tomorrow evening. Busy few days up ahead.

It's awesome to see that Qormlach is using his gift like this. I praise/encourage him for it. If I've had trouble with any allergies (hay-fever and animal hair) lately I'll take part in the healing part of the service to be asking for healing. If not I'll not go forwards.

I look for cheap media to write on. Paper, papyrus, parchment (which we might make our self), linen, ... Maybe there are empty scrolls or empty bound books for sale?

I ask Simon whether we can keep communication going and how this should be done. Is it usually a runner or rider that is sent with a letter or is there an organization in place that delivers letters?

About circumcision: I explain that when God chose the Jewish people as His people, he made a covenant with them. A contract or promise, if you will. This made this people Gods people. It gave requirements and positive effects to both parties. The Jews would be a holy people, separated from the other peoples for the sake of God. This would give them eternal life with God, prosperity and a land to call their own in contrast to eternal damnation without God, scatterings and captivity/exile. God, in turn would take care of them and bless and love them abundantly.

The visual sign for this was circumcision (I explain just what it is, practically). It became tradition and part of the Law that Paul writes about.

That was the old covenant, now there is a new covenant in Christ. This outward sign of circumcision was no longer needed, but the circumcision needs to be done to the heart. This means that we need to be holy (or strive to be so) genuinely instead of relying on this outward sign, which through the ages became a tradition without the real content. This (circumcision of the heart) stands for Faith which Paul writes about. More on that is covered in another letter by the same writer. (I think that's Hebrews, but I'll have taken the time to look it up for the commentary) I pray that God will grant me to translate them all for you.

Qormlach does pray for your allergies, and before the service has ended they have cleared up significantly. By the time you get to bed, you are breathing freely.

There is a dealer who trades vellum, very costly. Most of the dealers don't seem to have much use for paper, although you do find some rag paper for trade from one of the other ranchers in town for trading.

(A reminder that the humans have no monetary system, and do everything by barter, although some will barter for dwarfen coins, which you do not have.)

There is no mail service. Generally if someone wants to send a message, he sends it with someone heading that direction--which in your case means the periodic trading trips the Kuchers send into town. If there's something more urgent, someone makes a special trip to carry the news.

That brings up another question: what will you translate next?

--M. J. Young

I praise God for my cleared allergies. I'll see if I can trade something for rag paper. I probably brought the rings and gems I got in B-movie world with me to trade for my private stuff.

If there's a dwarven stylus I'd like to trade for it as a gift for Master robert. He mentioned wishing to maybe want one someday as I asked whether he objected to my taking notes. It's a great way to show my gratitude to him for the instruction he gave me. If they have two I'll take one for me too. And writing ink. Once the stylus runs out I'll probably see if I can find a goose feather or some sturdy reed at the K-ranch to make a pen out of that. I know how to do that. I've done both at least once. (included in graphic design studies :))

How close did I get with Katherine during this time of church. I think i'm going to wait with buying something especially for her. I think we're still at a level of regular friendship. That's okay, I don't need to rush things.

I'd like to see if I can find some quality wine/beer (elvish or dwarven, respectively) for Mr. Kucher as a gift of gratitude for taking me in letting me live among them. Or something else that is regarded as classy. Maybe a painting or something. That might be a bit too expensive for me though. Maybe he likes to read a story to his family in the evenings, so I'll be looking for a book if it's there. Or a decent quality tinderbox. Those seem like things that I'd look out for. Wine is the first thing I'd look for.

I'm still thinking about which book to translate next. I was thinking about Romans, but I'd like to tell them about Christ or the first church as well. I think one of the gospels. I'll re-read the gospels on the journey and in the evenings, trying to think about which one I'd take.

I'll see if I can get out one evening with Simon and Qormlach and the other christians there and tell about Jesus, letting Qormlach demonstrate the love and power of God with healing and I will be open for prophecies about people as well. Words of knowledge, visions ... If I receive them I'll test them to my knowledge and interpretation and tell the relevant people about it.

You're going to have to play the barter game--that is, you start by finding someone who will take your very valuable ring for a large quantity of goods that you can trade to others for what else you want. You manage this, and start dealing with other traders. The quality of workmanship on the ring raises eyebrows and gets compliments, and it takes a few attempts to find anyone who will give you a deal for it, as most think it too rich for them.

The rag paper you already found, and you get a substantial quantity of that. You also find good ink there, and buy a couple cork-stoppered clay bottles of that, probably three pints total.

You cannot find a stylus here at this time; most of the available dwarfen goods are belt buckles and brooches and other practical bits of work, including jewelry.

Dwarfs live mostly in mining and manufacturing, and produce so little in terms of consumable goods that they import most of their food including their beer from elsewhere. The elves grow the grain and make the wine and beer, and although dwarfs do make beer that they claim is better than that of the elves, they almost never export it. So you can get small casks or kegs of wine or beer of elfin origin. Humans also make wine and beer, but it's not as good and not as plentiful; humans mostly produce meat, dairy/eggs, leather goods, and some ivory/bone/horn products.

You do not find paintings or anything quite like them. You do find artistic metal sheets with hammered images, dwarf work and mostly of dwarf images.

No books, a few scrolls, no stories.

There is a wide selection of metal tinderboxes from a dealer in dwarf goods, some of them very nice, some decorated with low-grade gemstones or hammered metal images, some copper, some silver, some tin or lead.

Your relationship with Katherine is difficult to gauge from your position. On the one hand, she obviously respects you as leader of the new faith she has embraced, and it would be wrong to take that too personally. On the other hand, there is certainly a personal element in it, and you have spent time working closely with her. If you were asking your friends back on earth, they'd probably tell you to pray about it.

The town gets quiet very fast around sunset, as all the merchants secure their goods and pull out to camp (reduces the chance of thieves getting into their wagons). Only the alehouse is open after dark.

Are you going to attempt to create a gathering in the market area, or invade the existing gathering at the tavern?

--M. J. Young

I my time with master Kucher and those of his household, do I get the impression that he favors wine over beer or vice-versa? I only started to 'like' beers in real life after the time I supposedly versed out. But beer has a more manly sound to it. Wine sounds distinguished, which fits house-masters, but a high-quality beer that is harder to get also has that. So it will be either a high quality brew of beer or wine of a good region and a good vintage for master Kucher.

I will get a keg of quality beer for master Robert.

Are the scrolls empty or do they have stories on them (if so what are they (or the first five))?

We will tell the people that we have good news for them. Let's start in the alehouse and see whether we get chased out or not.
We'll start by providing healing by letting Qormlach (and if there are others with the gift, them as well) pray for the sick. How, I'll ask if there are people here who are deaf or partly deaf, or blind or bent over with pain in the back(rheuma, lumbago,..) or any other ill. I'm too insecure to try praying for the healing myself when other obviously gifted are around. I'll tell the people after the first healing that this healing is provided by God. I tell them that there is more news and that he will not only heal their physical ills, but also another, more deadly affliction they all have. I'll start with the black page from the wordless book and work through it from there. The affliction is sin, it is as real as the other illnesses, and the healing is just as real, but there is only one Way ... And off we go. (or that is the plan.)

I my time with master Kucher and those of his household, do I get the impression that he favors wine over beer or vice-versa?

No, he drinks both. You don't dine with him that often (the family dines in the house, and rotates inviting employees to join them most nights), but it seems most likely that different beverages are served depending on the food.

You get a small cask of what is reportedly good wine, and a keg of good beer.

The scrolls are what might be called text books or reference books--non-fiction, such as agricultural advice and instruction, construction guides, recipes.

("Stories" in English generally refers to recitations of events, usually fictional although sometimes biographical or historic. You can speak of "the story of Abraham Kuyper's life" or "the story of the War of the Roses", but we also say, "It's just a story" as a way of indicating that it's not true. So I'm not sure what you meant by "story", but unless you were referring to biographies or histories, there would be no "stories" in this world.)

You get the attention of the crowd, and they listen as if you were some form of entertainment--not in a negative sense, but the way someone goes to hear a speech for as something to do. It is perhaps as if you were a play or a movie.

There is no one sick at the alehouse, although one of the drinkers says that his wife is sick, staying with her mother about three miles outside town. Still, you've got the ears of the group, and they are interested in what you're saying.

--M. J. Young

After the preaching I'll tell that it is all well to speak, but I want us to practice what we preach. I ask whether we can go and pray for that mother. At least it would be entertainment and when she is healed, the Kingdom becomes visible. We might get more people following us and we can preach the message in-/outside the house again after the healing.

I meant fairy-tales or legends. Are there instructions regarding pigments or leatherwork?

In terms of scrolls about leatherwork, the one that you find appears to cover what you already know. Robert probably could have written it himself. Of course, you can't really read through the whole thing (and it's not so easy to page through a scroll) but it seems to be a very basic guide for a rancher who wants to start a leathercraft shop.

Word spreads that you're headed to the home of the sick woman with the intent to heal her. A substantial crowd follows. In fact, you hear the barkeep say that he wants to see this himself, so he's chasing out the last of the customers and planning to catch up with you.

You arrive at the small two-story farmhouse; there is a light in an upstairs window, but it is otherwise dark.

--M. J. Young