The Wedding Dress (17 page)

In his sermon he began to explain how Adam came to the Garden of Eden with Eve, one of his wives. At that time, he said, Adam possessed a celestial body. Rebecca was wondering what a celestial body was when Brigham Young said that Adam helped make and organize the world and that he is Michael, the archangel, the Ancient of Days. “Adam is our Father, our God—the only God we are to be concerned with. It was the forbidden fruit that Adam and Eve ate that caused their immortal bodies to become mortal.”

Rebecca was still trying to grasp the significance of the message when the President's words penetrated her thinking again. She heard him say, “It was God the Father who, with the Virgin Mary, conceived the child Jesus, making Him in reality a Son in the likeness of His Father.” Emphatically, President Young stressed that it was not by the Holy Ghost that the child Jesus was conceived, but by the Father himself in the manner of men.

Later Rebecca followed the crowd out the door into the bright April day. As she hurried down the street, she murmured, “He said that spirits were born first, then the body is born. And that God is really our Father—just like our earthly father, only of our spirits. He has wives in heaven to produce these spirits. Adam was really God.”

She was nearly home when Mary Jane Holman caught up with her. “Oh, Becky, wasn't that something! I nearly died when he said what he did right there at the last.”

“What was that?” Rebecca asked, wrinkling her brow.

“Oh, it was when he said that Jesus wasn't conceived by the Holy Ghost, otherwise the elders would have to be very careful about confirming the Holy Ghost on females because He might start them in the family way, and then the elders would get blamed for all the extra children!”

“Do you believe all those things he said?”

“Yes, I've heard them before. Do you mean about Jesus? That's true. It's in the writings of the Prophet; that means it's a revelation from God himself, and it will never change. It's found in the book of Moses, and it plain out says that Adam, the man of holiness, is the father of Jesus Christ.”

On the evening of April 10, Rebecca and her little cluster of students filed into the dark, empty social hall. Isaac was saying, “Okay, you young'uns, this is it. We're giving the play tonight. No more funny business.”

Timothy, who was to be Moses, mourned, “I wish I had a beard. I can't imagine Moses without a beard.”

“Never you mind,” Amy said. “We gotta pretend about a lot of stuff. That yellow paint isn't real gold either.”

Rebecca's oldest student, Isaac Gilpin, had been chosen as narrator. As she helped him into his robe and adjusted the turban, he confided, “I'm glad the building is dark, otherwise they'll see me shaking. Do ya guess there'll be lots here?”

“Likely. It sounds like a good program and Brother Brigham has been talking about it. You know people like these things. Don't worry, you'll do fine.”

She turned to the foot of the stage and surveyed the line of coal oil lamps which would serve as footlights. “Only ten? That won't be much light. I thought I saw more coming in.” Timothy squirmed, and she comforted, “Never mind. Their eyes will adjust and they'll be able to see just fine. Did you bring the tablets of stone?” Timothy nodded. There was a thumping behind the curtains and John scooted across the stage carrying a bundle.

Amy poked her head through the curtains. “It's getting late,” she warned. “We better get in the corner so's they can't see us when they start coming.”

“I hope John remembers his father's trumpet.” The door creaked and Rebecca whispered, “Timothy, light the lamps.”

When the door creaked for the last time and the chatters quieted, dim shapes moved about the stage. John lifted his trumpet, and the brass caught the gleam of lamplight. One strong clarion call and Isaac strode into the light and lifted his scroll.

“‘Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel.'” Rebecca caught her breath as Isaac's voice rose majestically: “‘Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.'”

Now Moses appeared in the light and lifted his hand to speak. The children surged forward and in unison said, “‘All that the Lord hath spoken, we will do.'”

They disappeared from sight, and Isaac stepped forward. He told the audience how God spoke to Moses on the mountain, and how God gave Moses the commandments written on stone. The listeners could almost hear the tablets crash as Isaac described Moses' fierce anger when he saw the golden idol the people had made in his absence.

Isaac paused dramatically and then continued, “But God in His love and patience forgave the people because of Moses' prayer. Again Moses came with new tablets, and again God gave him the commandments. This time, Moses was ready to tell the people God's instructions for building a house to honor God. Now hear the commandments.” Isaac stepped back, and Moses moved into the light and lifted the tablets of stone.

“‘I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage….'” The now-familiar words slipped away from Rebecca. The children were handling their parts well, and she sighed with relief. From the corner of her eye she could see the social hall was well filled, and the audience seemed to be hanging on every word.

Timothy lowered the tablets and said, “Who will help me build a house for the Lord?” The children shouted and surged forward with their offerings.

Andy brought boards for the tabernacle; Alice brought curtains. Little Carey backed onto the stage dragging a cowhide. The crowd tittered as he said, “You have instructed us to make a roof of leather skins.”

Ralph, carrying blue garments, appeared, saying, “I have made the priestly robes, and I will help the priest prepare to offer the sacrifices to God.”

“Now, O Moses,” Deborah cried, stepping forward, “we are ready to place those items in the Most Holy Place, to be forever sealed off from the eyes of all except His chosen one. Have you prepared the ark?”

“I have.” There was a murmur of appreciation as the yellow box with its cherubim was slowly carried on stage. Moses continued, “Inside I will place the tablets of the covenant, Aaron's rod which budded to show his power, and also the jar of manna which God has provided to feed His people.”

Moses supervised the completion of the tabernacle. Then he paused and raised his voice, “The tabernacle is built. We are ready to consecrate the priests, and they will be able to offer sacrifices to our God.”

In majestic silence the priest slowly walked toward them. “Bring the bull to the front of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron and his sons shall rest their hands on its head. It is to be slaughtered in the Lord's presence, and every sacrifice must be done strictly according to God's Word.”

Suddenly there was a thump and a blast from the trumpet, followed by a scream. Above the gasp of the audience, the narrator explained, “God gave specific directions for preparing the sacrifice. But Aaron's sons were not careful to obey God's directions, and fire from the Lord came down and killed them.”

While silence still gripped the audience, the narrator continued, “God gave detailed instructions to the people through Moses. He told them just how to worship Him with sacrifices and on what days the sacrifices were to be made. Each year the people were to assemble before the tabernacle to honor the day of atonement. Remember, it is the blood that makes atonement. The law requires cleansing by the blood; without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

Behind the tabernacle there was a movement and a glow of light. From her front seat, Rebecca realized that the children had lighted more lamps. Knowing the narrator's final speech, she smiled with appreciation for their foresight.

Isaac was saying, “The Lord reminded the people that in His covenant with them, He said He would do wonderful things for the people and that those around them would see awesome things if only they would obey the Lord in all that He asked of them.

“He instructed them that in all of their travels they were to look to the tabernacle for His guidance. There was to be a cloud settling over the tabernacle by day, and at night they would see fire in the cloud. Only when the cloud lifted were the children of Israel to move.”

Rebecca caught a shadow of movement and looked with astonishment at the rafters over the stage. A billowing cloud of white was floating down. It settled over the tabernacle and the audience gasped their appreciation.

Just as Rebecca raised her hands to clap, the white cloud burst into a ball of flames. Screams were filling the air as she rushed toward the quilts. In seconds the flames were out, and quilts were gingerly lifted away from the still-smoking lamps.

“What was that? What happened?” Both Isaac and John stood with heads bowed.

Isaac spoke, “We didn't think about the stuff catching fire.”

“What was it?” she asked again.

“Milkweed down. Isaac's ma had a whole barrel full of the stuff. We knew because we helped pick it last fall. We got to thinking it would make a pretty cloud floating down over the tabernacle.”

“Well, it did,” Rebecca said slowly. “I was all set to start clapping.” She shuddered. “It was all a little too real.”

“Well, thank the dear Lord that He is watching out for you.” It was Bishop Martin speaking, and he patted Isaac's shoulder as he turned to leave.

It was July before Rebecca had time to consider moving into the fort. On the day she went to see Cora's cabin, she met Mary Jane's mother. “I'm heading for the fort,” she found herself explaining. “Want to see Cora's place. At the Samuels', with the tykes growing up, we're about to split out at the seams.”

“I'd be expecting him to be adding on.” She studied Rebecca.

Hastily Rebecca said, “There's the prettiest piece of watered silk down at the Mercantile Company. Have you seen it? It's blue.”

“I don't like blue.” She was persisting. “Everyone's talking. It's about time you-all start living your religion.”

The next day, Rebecca decided the Samuels were talking too. Ellen and Deborah Samuels cornered her as she weeded the vegetables. “Are you going to be Father's second wife?” Ellen's eyes were wide. Shocked, Rebecca shook her head.

“I wish you would,” Dee said wistfully. “It would be nice to call you Aunt Becky like they do at Jessica's house. It would sure be fun to have little ones around again.” Rebecca guessed that she was quoting someone.

“Well, just don't trouble your ducky little heads.” Her grin was forced. “I don't intend to be anybody's plural wife.”

Over dinner Brother Samuels watched her with troubled eyes, and Rebecca decided the sooner she moved, the better for all.

It was a hot, muggy day in July. The corn was ready, and everything else seemed to be moving rapidly toward harvest. Rebecca and Ann worked from dawn until dark caring for the garden. That evening as they cleaned vegetables together, Ann asked, “Rebecca, what's troubling you?”

“The girls are talking.” Taking a deep breath, she dropped her knife and faced Ann. “They were wondering if I'm to be Brother Samuels' plural wife.”

“Well?”

“You know how I feel about it. I have nothing against either you or Brother Samuels, but there's no way on this earth I could go into a plural marriage.” For a moment relief flared in Ann's eyes, and then she turned back to her task.

“Sometimes we are all asked to do things that we don't like to do. But when your eternity's at stake, you don't rebel.”

“I'll never believe that.”

“You'd better be doing some deep thinking about it. You know, it could be worse—there's always Joe Dickson.”

“Oh, Ann!” Rebecca leaned against the table laughing helplessly. Joe was the city's most active polygamist. With unquenchable relish, Joe aimed at proposing to every woman in town, married or single, young or old. Judging from the number of Mrs. Joe Dicksons, he couldn't be considered unsuccessful.