The First Place Story of the New Attitude 1995 Fiction Contest
Story by Tessi Muskrat - Illustrations by Mark S. Ludy

Anna stood in front of the bakery, waiting for Felix and wondering why she was there. For the hundredth time Anna thought back on the events that had brought her here...

Mother had sent Anna to the market that Thursday afternoon to buy a fresh fish for supper. After purchasing the fish, Anna began making her way through the dark, crooked streets to her home at the edge of town.

Then, just as she turned the corner to Newport street, a voice behind her cried, "Look out!" She felt herself being shoved out of the way just as a horse and cart tore down the street, passing within inches of her trembling frame!

Upon turning to see who had saved her, she found herself looking up at a tall young man. He had dark hair and a rather dark complexion which spoke of hours spent outside in the sun. He gave Anna the general impression of being a very polite young man, as he reached out to help her up. After doing so, he turned and picked up her fish. Holding out Anna's now rather dirty fish, he spoke. "Hello. My name is Felix Manz. Are you all right? I am afraid that your fish has fallen on the ground, but it may still be presentable," he said with a smile.

"Oh?  Oh, yes. Yes, of course. Thank you very much." Anna was quite flustered by this time, and simply could not explain the feeling that this young man—Felix he had said his name was— gave her. "Thank you for saving me. I most certainly would have been run down."

"Oh, it is nothing. But are you sure that you are all right?"  he asked, still concerned.

"Yes, thank you. My name is Anna Beckam, please call me Anna. I am very glad to meet you, Mr. Manz. But, I must know why you helped me; anyone else that I know would not have gone out of their way." Anna was certainly curious; she had never met a young man like this before.

"Please, call me Felix," he requested with a smile. "You see, I help wherever I can, because our Lord tells us to."

"Lord Fletcher?" Anna asked, somewhat puzzled.

"No," Felix answered with some hesitation, "I do not serve Lord Fletcher. I serve the Lord God of the universe, and he orders us to help everyone that it is in our power to help."

"Well, I wish that there were more people like you!   Switzerland would certainly be a better place!" Anna answered with a smile.

"Actually, there are," Felix said. "You just have to know where to look."

"Oh!" Anna exclaimed suddenly, "I really must go home; mother will be worried."

"Anna," Felix began, "would you like to meet more believers like me?"

"Yes, very much. But where could I find them?" Anna asked.

"We meet in my home every Sunday evening after dark. If you would like to come, you are welcome to. I will meet you at the baker's shop just before dark and take you there, if you want me to. It can be difficult to find the first time."

"Yes, I would like that very much. But now I must go," Anna answered, turning to leave.

"Goodbye!" Felix called as he slipped into the shadows.

"Goodbye," Anna answered, still wondering exactly what had transpired in the last few minutes.

And now here she was, standing in front of the bakery in the twilight, all in hopes that she would find out through this meeting why Felix was so kind, so...so...different.

"Anna? Anna Beckam?" The voice was merely a whisper coming from behind the bakery.

"Yes, who is it? Who's there?" she answered quietly.

"It's me. Felix. Are you ready to go? We will have to go around the town so that no one will see us," the voice answered.

"Yes, I'm coming," Anna answered as she followed the voice around the side of the building.

Anna followed Felix as they made their way quietly to the edge of town. The walk to Felix's house took about half an hour. It was a most enjoyable walk; and once they reached the outskirts of town, they were able to converse.

"Well, here we are," announced Felix as they turned a corner into a small clearing and saw the house. It was not exceptionally large, but it was not small either. It was situated in the midst of the woods, out of sight of his nearest neighbor, making it the perfect location for the meetings of the Swiss Brethren.

As they entered the front door, Anna was amazed to see how many people were assembled. Where had they all come from? They must all live in the area, but Anna had never met any of them before.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Martin. Hello, Julia." Felix greeted a kindly looking couple and their daughter. "Anna, this is Mr. & Mrs. Martin and their daughter, Julia. Julia is just about your age, I think. She may be able to explain some of our meeting to you. But now I must go; I have to lead the meeting. I will speak with you after the meeting, okay?"

"Yes, Felix, thank you," Anna answered, turning to Julia. "Hello, Julia is it? My name is Anna Beckam, and Felix invited me to the meeting tonight. Do you attend often?"

"Yes, we do," Julia answered. She had a soft voice, one that Anna liked immediately. She was tall and thin, much to contrast her mother. In fact, the only thing that the two really had in common was their hair. It was of the brightest shade of red, as indeed was the hair of all of Julia's numerous younger siblings.

"What are these meetings like?" Anna asked.

"Well, first we sing, and then Felix or one of the other Brethren stands up and leads a discussion. They are really quite enjoyable; I am sure you will like them," Julia promised.

And she was right. Anna really enjoyed herself that evening, and although she didn't understand all of what was said, she did feel that there was something different about this group of people, something that Anna had not experienced anywhere else, especially not among the members of the Reformed Church. Julia also impressed Anna very much, and they parted that night with a promise to meet on the morrow for a picnic by the stream.

As Anna began spending more and more time with Julia, she began noticing other differences in her new friend.  She did not behave like the other girls that Anna knew, didn't dress like them, didn't even talk like them. And what's more, neither she nor her family, or any of the other Swiss Brethren for that matter, attended the mandated state church, which left them in constant danger of arrest as heretics.

One warm, sunny afternoon as Julia and Anna sat together, lazily dangling their feet in the cold mountain stream, Anna broke the silence.

"Julia," she began.

"Yes, Anna. What is it?" Julia asked, turning toward Anna.

"I've been wondering, why isn't your family a member of the Reformed Church?  To not attend it is to break the law.  Doesn't your Lord teach you to obey the law?"

"Well," Julia replied, "my family and I do not have the same beliefs as the Reformed Church. In fact, there are certain practices of the Reformed Church that are strictly forbidden in the Holy Scriptures. We feel that we cannot attend a church that we disagree so strongly with. So we have withdrawn from the Reformed Church and have become part of the Swiss Brethren. We are taught to obey the law, but only when that law is in agreement with the Holy Scriptures. We must obey the Scriptures first. Do you understand now?"

"Yes, I think I do, but can I ask you more questions if I need to?" Anna asked.

"Oh, yes! I would be happy to explain anything that you don't understand," Julia answered with a smile.

As Anna and her family were eating dinner that evening, the conversation drifted to the latest news.

"Isn't it wonderful, the way they are putting a stop to the rising of the Anabaptist heretics?" Mary, Anna's mother, commented.

Anna choked, coughed, and then spoke. "What do you mean, mother?"

"Why, surely you must have heard!" Mary answered incredulously.

"Heard what? I have been in the mountains with a friend all day."

"Oh!  The whole town is buzzing with the news. The Church Council executed that leader of the Anabaptists, Eboli Bolt, yesterday. He was burned at the stake for his heresy. That should teach them, those wretched Anabaptists. The Council also announced that it intends to begin bringing these apostates back to the faith, and to execute those who persist in their misbelief. It's about time, I'll say," Mary finished with an approving nod.

"You're sure, Mother? They killed him?" Anna asked, beginning to go pale.

"Yes, they certainly did, and long overdue if you ask me. These Anabaptists must be stopped," Anna's mother answered, frowning slightly.

"Excuse me, please," Anna requested, as she rose from the table. "I don't feel so well, all of a sudden."

"Of course, Anna. Will you be all right?" Anna's mother asked, concern in her voice.

"Yes, yes. I'll be fine. I think I'll go to bed now, though." Anna answered with a shaky smile.

The next morning, after a restless night's sleep, Anna rose with the dawn, made her way through town to Julia's house and knocked on the door.

After her third knock, the door was cautiously opened a crack.

"Yes, may I help you?" the voice asked politely.

"Julia?  It's me—Anna.  May I come in?" Anna requested.

"Oh!  Anna! Yes, of course you may," Julia answered, ushering Anna in and closing the door firmly behind her. "I'm sorry, but I had to be cautious. Since Eboli Bolt's death, we have to watch ourselves very carefully. We cannot let any strangers in, for fear that they will report us to the city magistrate. But, forgive me.  Here I have been prattling on so, and you just standing there, obviously disturbed. Please sit down and tell me, what's troubling you."

"So it's true then? They murdered Eboli Bolt just because he did not attend the state church?" Anna asked, appalled.

"Yes, I'm afraid so, and they have vowed to hunt down all of the Anabaptists and re-convert them. Life has become very dangerous, and we may have to leave," Julia answered sadly.

"Leave?! Where will you go?" Anna asked, startled. This was something that had not occurred to her.

"We do not know; we will probably have to live in the mountains. No town will be safe," Julia sighed.

"But why, Julia? Why would anyone be willing to give up their life for what they believe? How can your whole family be willing to live in the mountains like dogs rather then give in to what the Church Council wants? Why not just attend the church? Surely it can't hurt anything. Why, Julia?" At this, Anna paused, visibly shaking and out of breath.

"Because, Anna, we have a strong conviction that the Reformed Church is wrong, and when you believe that something is wrong, you stand up for what you believe is right, and no matter what, you don't back down. By attending the Reformed Church, we would be signifying that we believe the way they do. We are called to be different. To stand out and shine our light into a darkened world. Therefore, we believe that if we stand firm in our faith, even unto death, then we will have our rewards in heaven. Does that explain it to you?" Julia asked.

"Yes, but it all seems so unfair. Why would they kill someone just because they don't attend a certain church, or just because they don't believe in baptizing their infants?  But, thank you for the explanation, Julia. I had best go home now, though, before Father gets up and I am missed. Good-bye, Julia."

"Good-bye, Anna, and God bless!" Julia answered as she let Anna out the back door.

"Be careful, Julia," Anna cautioned.

"You, too!" Julia replied, waving as Anna disappeared out of sight.

When Anna arrived home, her father met her at the door with a grim look on his face.

"Anna, I want to talk to you," he announced as he grasped Anna's arm and guided her into the kitchen. "Sit down, Anna." He motioned her towards a chair, and took the seat opposite her.

"What's wrong, Father?" Anna asked. His manner was unnerving.

"I have been told by a reliable source that you have been keeping company with Anabaptists. You know that the Anabaptist's beliefs are not acceptable in this country or in this house. If you continue to associate with these people, then you will be placing yourself and this family in jeopardy. Therefore, I must demand that you discontinue associating with these...these...heretics! Immediately!" At this, he settled back in his chair, having said his piece.

After a moment of strained silence, Anna rose from her chair and stood before her father.

"Father, you know that I have always obeyed you and mother, and I do not wish to disobey or endanger you now, but I cannot obey you in this because I feel, deep in my soul, that you are wrong. I do not understand everything that they believe; I don't even know if I believe it all, but I do know that these Swiss Brethren (not Anabaptists) are different. They have something that we don't, something that I want. Therefore, I will not, cannot stop associating with them. And there is nothing that you can say or do that will change my conviction," Anna answered firmly.

"Well then, young lady," her father replied, rising from his chair and towering menacingly above her, "I will have to demand that you leave this house immediately, and do not return until you have changed your mind and renounced this false religion. I cannot allow you to endanger this family's good name and even our lives with this folly of yours. Now, get out of my house!"

Anna stood in shocked silence for a moment, not believing the hatred that she read in her father's eyes. Then she turned and fled out of the door and into the woods behind the house, sobbing all the way.

When the tears had dried, Anna began to consider her situation. She knew that she could not hope to survive alone in the Alps, and it was obvious that she could not go home.  She was, however, sure that Julia and her family would welcome her with open arms, so she began making her way toward Julia's house. Arriving at the back door, she cautiously tapped on it.

"It's me, Anna. May I come in, Julia?" Anna asked quietly.

"Anna?! Why yes, of course. Come in. What is the matter? I thought that you were going home. What happened?" Julia asked, quite concerned.

"I did go home, but I had already been missed, and Father was waiting. Someone has told him about our friendship, and when I wouldn't stop associating with you Anabaptist heretics, he threw me out, and told me not to come back until I change my mind..."

"Oh, Anna," Julia exclaimed, "that's terrible!  I am so sorry. But don't worry, you can live with us. I'm sure Mother and Father won't mind." Just then Julia's mother walked into the room, balancing a small, freckled boy on her hip.

"Julia, Anna!" she exclaimed. "What is the matter? What has happened, Julia?" she asked.

"Anna has been thrown out of her home for her association with us and other Swiss Brethren, and she has no where to stay. Do you think she could stay with us, Mother?" Julia asked.

"I'm not sure how much longer we'll be able to stay here, but as long as we have a home, you're welcome to it.  Anna, I must, however, tell you that by staying here you will be placing yourself in great danger. We never know if or when we will be arrested by the officials for our faith. Are you sure you want to place yourself in such danger by staying here?" she asked. "I've no place else to go," Anna answered, "and I would be honored if you would allow me to stay with your wonderful family."

And so it was settled. Anna spent the next two weeks with the Martins, learning more about their beliefs. She was really impressed with what she saw. This family actually lived their beliefs; they were not hypocrites as so many others were. And every Sunday evening, after dark, they would go to Felix's home for the weekly meeting. He was always very glad to see them, especially Anna, and was eager to see her increase in her understanding of the faith.

Anna really enjoyed these meetings and learned much during the discussions, but whenever someone suggested that maybe it was time for her to make a firm commitment to her new beliefs, she balked. She still just wasn't sure that she wanted to commit to something so foreign, so much against everything that she had been raised to believe. And besides, if she wasn't committed, she always had the option of changing her mind and going back to her family and to the comfortable life that she knew so well.

One Saturday, just after dinner, Julia's parents called Anna into the kitchen.

"Anna, staying in town has become too dangerous for us.  People are watching us constantly, making no further pretense of politeness. And, Anna, there have been rumors of a raid," Julia's father announced.

At this, Anna inhaled sharply.

"A raid?! Are you sure?"

"One can never be sure. It is only a rumor, but we cannot be too cautious either," Julia's mother said kindly. However, we do not expect you to feel obliged to accompany us. It will be very dangerous, and the conditions will not be good. But you think about it, and let us know what you are going to do. We plan to leave Monday night, just after dark."

"Thank you, Ma'am. I will certainly give it some serious thought. I would hate to desert your family; you have all been so good to me," Anna replied with a smile.

"Well, we appreciate that, Anna, and we hope that you will make the right decision. If you decide to stay, I am sure that the community will take you back, since you have never made any public confession of faith or of a change of beliefs. But if you come with us, we can only offer you hardships and, Anna, the possibility of arrest will still be very strong."

The next day passed very slowly for Anna but, finally, the time came to leave for the weekly meeting. Anna had never before realized how much she relied on these meetings, but now she could not wait to arrive. Felix always seemed to know just what to say to speak to each individual situation. Julia said he was inspired by the Holy Spirit, and Anna agreed.

Anna and Julia arrived at the meeting first, followed at intervals by the rest of the family and the others in the group. They straggled in alone or in groups of two or three, making the assembly of the entire group take as long as two hours. This was necessary, however, because it was too dangerous to be seen together or in large groups. It was to invite suspicion.

When all had assembled that were expected, they began the meeting by singing.  After the singing, Felix rose and began to speak: "Friends, as you all know, the persecution of the Brethren is becoming more and more rampant. Many of us are now considering leaving, in hopes that the persecution will be less intense elsewhere. Brethren, I urge you, be sure of what you are standing for. Do you really believe? Have you committed your life to Jesus Christ? Or are you just going through the motions, pretending that you believe? Let me tell you this. It will do you no good to die for your faith if you aren't committed to the author and founder of that faith, Jesus Christ. In fact..."

Felix was cut off by a crash. Anna turned and there, framed in the doorway, stood the magistrate himself.

"You are all under arrest for unlawful assembly and heresy," he announced to the leader with a jeer. “Don't try to resist; we have you surrounded. You have no choice but to come with us to the prison and wait for your trials. And with that, he grabbed Felix and roughly shoved him out of the door. The others were forced to follow.

It was not an exceptionally long march to the center of town, but their group drew so much attention, even at such an hour of the night, that the crowds blocked their path and made the trip take hours.

When they finally arrived, Anna, Julia, and Felix were all thrown in the same cell for the night.

"Oh, Julia!  What will we do now?"  Anna asked, finally beginning to cry.

"We won't do anything except go to the interrogation and pray that they have mercy on us. But we know that God is in control, and whatever happens will be for the glory of God. We always knew that this could happen sooner or later, and I believe that we are prepared as well as we can be," Julia replied as she put her arm around Anna.

"But am I prepared? Do I really know that I can stand on my own?" Anna asked, ferociously wiping her tears away.

"But that is the point, Anna," Julia answered kindly. "You won't be standing on your own. You will have the Lord Jesus standing with you."

"That's right," answered Felix. "The Holy Scriptures say, 'And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say, for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.' Therefore, you have no need to worry about anything, for the Lord will guide you and put the words in your mouth."

"Jesus said, 'Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my father which is in heaven.' That is pretty straightforward, isn't it?" Felix asked.

"Yes, it is," Anna said, somewhat hesitantly, "but I'm still not sure."

"Anna,"  Felix asked softly, "have you ever really given your life to Christ?"

"No, Felix, I haven't," Anna answered thoughtfully. "I never really knew if I could. I am just not sure if I believe exactly as you do; and I'm not sure if I am ready to completely renounce my family, either."

"Anna," Felix said, "it doesn't matter if you believe exactly like we do; it doesn't even matter if you understand every detail. Just trust Christ, and the rest will fall into place."

"Anyway, Anna," Julia answered, "you have already been turned from your family. You haven't seen them in weeks. They have disowned you. Jesus said, 'He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.'"

"Well, Anna?" Felix asked.

"I-I just don't know, Felix. It all makes sense, but I just need some more time," Anna replied.

"Time. That's one thing we don't have much of," Julia answered with a grim smile.

The trials were scheduled for the following day.

The guards came for Felix first. As they took him away, he called over his shoulder, "May the strength of God be with you!"

"And with you!" Anna and Julia called back. Somehow they knew, as they watched him disappear from sight, that they would never see him again on this earth.

The guards came for Julia much sooner then Anna was ready for them to.

"I will never forget you, Julia!" Anna cried through her tears. "Thank you—for everything."

"God's strength, Anna!" Julia called over her shoulder as she disappeared from sight.

As Anna sat alone in that cold, dirty cell, she began talking to God. "Lord Jesus, are you there?  Can you hear me? I'm scared, Jesus.  Please take me and hold me in your arms.  Lord, please forgive me for waiting so long to give you my life, but take it now, what's left of it. And please guide my words today as you said you would.  Please help me. Jesus, help me."

And with that, Anna drifted off to sleep, completely at peace for the first time since the arrest.

"On your feet!" The guard jolted Anna awake and signaled her out of the cell. As she began making her way to the courtroom, her knees were shaking with every step, she was so scared. The walk to the courtroom seemed to take an eternity, her every movement seemed suspended in time, her mind seemed to be somewhere outside of her body, observing everything, but feeling nothing.

Somehow she reached the courtroom. The room was full of people. Some Anna knew, some were strangers. Anna was led to a seat near the front of the room where she sat down. Everyone rose as the magistrate entered and took his elevated seat at the head of the room, directly opposite Anna's seat.

"Anna Marie Beckam?" he asked in a deep, hostile voice.

"Yes, sir," Anna answered politely. She hoped that her voice did not betray the nervousness that she felt.

"Miss Beckam, the magistrate announced, "you have been charged with resorting to the assembly of the sect of the Anabaptists, separating from the obedience and faith of the holy church, and obstinately adhering to the aforementioned errors, refusing to abandon them. These are very serious charges, especially for one so young. How do you plead?  Guilty or not guilty?"

Anna sat there for a moment, her mind in a whirl.

She thought of her parents.  Of how loving they had been, of the good care that they had taken of her for the last sixteen years of her life; of the hatred in her father's eyes when he had ordered her out of his house.

She thought back on the first meeting in Felix's home, to the first time she and Julia had met, to the many times that they had talked and laughed together in the shade of the forest or at the edge of a stream. She thought of the many discussions that she and Felix had had. But most of all, she remembered the strength and peace that Felix and Julia had radiated when they were taken to almost certain death. The same strength and peace that she had felt after totally submitting her life to Jesus Christ earlier that day, a peace that was even now with her. She thought back on all these things, and she knew what she must say.

Anna stood up straight and tall, looked squarely in the magistrate's face, took a deep breath and clearly and firmly answered, "Guilty."

Postscript: This story is set in the Year of our Lord, fifteen hundred and twenty five.

Though most of the main characters are fictitious, Eboli Bolt was a real person who was burned at the stake in 1525, becoming the first Anabaptist martyr.

Felix Manz, also a historic figure, became the first martyr of the Swiss Brethren when he was drowned in Zurich.