‘What a day to be at the beach…the cool breezes are blowing and the water is calling my name,’ said Jane as she ran toward the inviting waters of Pounds Hollow. ‘Did you see Jerimiah as he exited the dressing room…he has his Bible with him. When I asked him if he was intending on catching up on his scripture reading he answered that he was determined to convert some souls before his hot dogs and hamburgers lunch,’ Chet noted. ‘He spoke to me the other day at school and when I told him that I was a Christian he disagreed with me and said that I would be lost if I did not accept the teachings of his church,’ Billy B. said. ‘When I asked him if he thought that only the members of his church would see Jesus…he said yes and that everyone else was lost,’ Billy B. continued. ‘Look over there at the man under the big beach umbrella…I think that it is Mr. Seagraves,’ said Neva J. ‘He looks different without his three-pieced suit,’ Brenda laughed.

It was Friday and the Hollow was full of kids out of school for the summer and nature enthusiasts. A black bear had been sited in the woods surrounding the swimming hole but that did not appear to frighten the summer revelers any more than the knowledge that Water Moccasins were known to swim with them in the cool and cloudy water. ‘Who wants a hot dog and some smores,’ Chet asked? ‘Merlot for all,’ Neva J. proclaimed as she poured it out of the picnic cooler to hide its alcoholic potential. Along came Jerimiah with a wide grin on his face as he said, ‘I would love a hot dog and a more. He had his Bible with him and a look of subdued superiority. ‘Please join us Jerimiah…do you drink Merlot,’ Neva J. asked in hushed tones. ‘No alcohol crosses my lips…our church prohibits it…but it is permitted to eat smores, he said.

Jerimiah ate his hot dogs and smores and smiled contentedly. ‘How long have you been a member of your church,’ Chet asked? Oh…I was born into it…my grandmother was a member as all of her daughters, of which one is my mother, became members as well, he said. ‘We work at helping the fellow human beings that surround us who are hungry and poor and wanting of the basic necessities,’ said Neva J. ‘We seldom give thought to their church affiliation or doctrine or even if they are Christians,’ Jane added. ‘We believe that the Earth is going to be consumed by God’s wrath and the fires of Armageddon…where the scripture says that the blood will run to the horse’s bridle, said Jerimiah with a sad look for the majority of humanity who were not members of his church who boasted a membership of ten thousand people. ‘So God is unhappy with most of his creation and is subsequently going to destroy them if they are not in your little group,’ Chet asked with a slight smile. ‘Yes we are the elite of God…his only children and we will rule on Earth when it is transformed by God, Jerimiah answered.

‘Time for hiking,’ said Billy B. ‘Please join us Jerimiah,’ said Neva J. As Robert Frost said, ‘The woods were lovely dark and deep….’ Roar said the black bear as he emerged from behind a massive oak tree. ‘Stop in the name of the Lord,’ said Jerimiah. The black bear charged him and bit a sizeable chunk out of his leg…and the blood flowed. Chet and Billy B. and Jane and Neva J. all took a limb of the fallen Jerimiah and carried him to their car and rushed him to the hospital. Jerimian almost died from his wound. They sat with him all night and he awakened to see the concern on their faces. ‘You know if you had not jumped in front of the bear he would have certainly killed me, Jerimiah said with tears in his eyes for the fearsome four. Greater love hath no man than he would lay down his life for a friend,’ said Chet solemnly…

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