Of all my
accomplishments
in the decades I
preached in Spoon
River, of all
the sermons and the
conversions
and retreats, the
one thing I’m most proud
of is how
I was able
to keep the Schneiders,
with God’s help,
from succumbing
to the secular
temptation
to rip their whole
family apart.
Each time I
saw their children,
and their calm, quiet
faces, I
said a prayer of
gratitude to God.