Pastor pens historic novel
A missionary’s life is not easy, especially in the post-Civil War American frontier. Pastor Terry Butters of Connellsville depicts the lives of John and Susanna Wesley as they travel from their hometown of Gettysburg to Culberstson, Neb., to minister to the growing population there in his book, “Meeting House on the Republican.”
The story opens in Gettysburg in late June 1863, just before the Battle of Gettysburg. Childhood friends John Wesley and Susanna Greeson watch as their fathers go to war as volunteers for the Union. As the Confederate Army pushes deeper into Pennsylvania, the Union army quickly positions itself to push the Confederates back to the south; the Battle of Gettysburg is on.
Both John and Susanna, both only children, and their mothers move from their farms to the home of mutual friends Walter and Eva Lillimore and their son, Willie. All seven people hole up in the basement of the Lillimore house during the battle. Willie serves as lookout by observing both armies from the belfry of a local church. John often goes with Willie on his excursions. Susanna, impressed by John’s bravery, begins to see him as more than a friend. The feeling is mutual, and their relationship grows.
After the war, from which neither John or Susanna’s father returns, John and Willie work hard to keep both the Wesley-Greeson farms going. Susanna trains to be a teacher and John focuses on learning different farming techniques. Because there is little available land in the Gettysburg area, John must look west for land to farm. He learns of a homestead in Culberstson, Neb., on the banks of the Republican River.
He and Susanna, now his wife, make the long trip west. On the way, they meet a group of freighters, composed primarily of veterans from both sides of the Civil War. John initially is uncertain how to handle this situation. “The war is over,” the freighters assure him. “We are all Americans.”
Together, they face Indians, buffalo stampedes and other adventures. In the meantime, John begins to hold prayer services, during which many of the men dedicate their lives to Jesus Christ. When the freighters learn of the Wesley’s dream of building a meeting house in Culbertson, they offer to help build it. In the end, the “Meeting House on the Republican” stands as a “beacon of hope and light.”
Butters thought that a novel would be a good format to express this message. ” I wanted to make use of a format that would be enjoyable as well as instructive.”
He believes that his novel delivers a simple message. “Believers must be committed to ministry, whenever, wherever and however.”
Butters also illustrates through John Wesley that even committed believers can struggle to discern God’s calling on their lives – and to be obedient to that calling. “We hear God’s voice by keeping ourselves tuned in to his channel – the Bible” he said. “It is a matter of staying faithful to the calling we have received. Serving God requires great effort and will power. We must not for a minute take our eyes off the biblical truth of who Jesus was and is today.”
Butters’ fascination with the Civil War, in which the novel begins, began in childhood. “I read every book in the Homer school and public library about the Civil War when I was growing up. Also, I was fascinated by the people who chose to homestead. My family ancestors all homesteaded in various parts of Michigan in the mid-1800s.”
He said that several things compelled people to become homesteaders. “These people had a desire to have something that was truly theirs. Also, they wanted a challenge. They needed to apply all of their skills to accomplish a goal.”
Butters pointed out that homesteaders faced many challenges. “They had to select where to settle,” he said. “They based their decisions on two things: Were the natural resources available to sustain a homestead and could the land be cleared for production.”
He lauded these people for their perseverance. “They did not allow themselves to be distracted from their goals,” he said. “They refused to let hardship be any more that a natural part of the process.”
Butters believes the Wesley and other characters in “Meeting House on the Republican” can teach readers many lessons about having a personal relationship with God.
“The greatest lessons that can be learned from the characters in the book are: No believer in Jesus is exempt from the responsibility of finding a ministry of some sort. Also, believers must we willing to stretch themselves in their ministry. Jesus through the Holy Spirit
is speaking to us a lot, but we are so wrapped up in our own affairs that we cannot hear what Jesus would say to us.”
Butters is well into the sequel to the book, which will be entitled “Meeting House on the Republican: The Open Door.”
For information on ordering the book, contact Butters at t71t76t78@yahoo.com.