Lyle kept his head bowed during the long second sermon, praying something the minister was saying might strike a chord in Evan’s hardened heart. He’d prayed similarly during each and every Sunday Preaching since Evan had declared he wouldn’t fight the draft.

Following that sermon, Bishop Mast called for the baptismal candidates to kneel in front of the congregation—five young women and nine young men in all. Each candidate was addressed by the bishop, who asked if, with the eunuch in Acts chapter eight, they confessed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

When Ellie answered, Lyle could hear the emotion in her voice. He had to cough to keep from tearing up, so touched was he by his youngest daughter’s meek and tenderhearted response.

The bishop then asked, “Do you acknowledge and submit to this church and its fellowship of believers?”

Ellie answered in the affirmative, as did the other candidates.

“And from this day forward, do you renounce the world, your own flesh, and the devil, and desire to live in obedience to only Jesus Christ, who gave His very lifeblood for you?”

When Ellie and each of the other candidates had responded again, Bishop Mast recited from the prayer book as the People rose to their feet. “These young people desire to live for the Lord in this consecrated and godly fellowship.” He ended by saying that they had consented with gladness to put their faith in the holy Gospel and to obey its teachings.

Later, after the congregation was again seated, the time came for Ellie’s actual baptism. The bishop cupped his hands on the hair just in front of her Kapp while the deacon poured a small amount of water into them. The bishop released the water and pronounced, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.”

Again, Lyle was deeply moved. He hadn’t been this emotional during any of his older children’s baptisms.

He thought again of Evan’s rebellion. When we’re young, life tricks us into thinking we have plenty of time. Lyle shuddered at the thought.

After helping Mamm pin the washing to the line the next morning, Ellie mailed the letter to Leah she’d written the day before. In it, she had shared every detail of her baptism and how close to the Lord she’d felt.

While she cared for other chores, she thought about Evan asking her how it felt to kneel before the bishop.

“I felt so warm all over . . . and tears came to my eyes,” she’d answered. “I know I belong to Jesus now. It’s such a blessin’ to me.”

Quiet, Evan had seemed to study her.