Rose of RiverBend Read online

  After living more than a decade at Palmer House, Olive was no longer a girl. Indeed, fine lines creased the corners of her eyes and mouth, and her auburn hair glistened prematurely with strands of silver, lending to the overall impression of an age far north of her twenty-six years. But in the decade of her residence at Palmer House, although she had found steady work to support herself, she had never expressed an interest in leaving, in finding a husband, or in raising a family.

  She had once professed to Rose, “Why would I depart Palmer House? This is my home and my only family. I wish to remain here, if I may. I would prefer to continue working, adding what I earn to the house’s coffers, and helping out in every other means that I can.”

  So, in addition to defraying the house’s many expenses, Olive made herself indispensable to Marit in the kitchen and to Breona in her housekeeping duties. After Breona married and was expecting her first child, she took Olive aside and trained her. When Breona gave up her position as housekeeper, Olive was prepared to step into that role. And it was Olive, when Rose announced she would be moving to Chicago with the O’Dells, who came alongside Sarah and, by her words and actions, pledged to support her.

  Rose asked, “Yes, dear Olive?”

  Olive bit her quivering bottom lip and forced herself to speak. “I-I apologize for disturbing you this early, Miss Rose, but I saw the light under your door and believed you to be awake, and I was afraid I would not have another opportunity . . .”

  “You are not disturbing me, Olive. I have been up for a while. How can I help?”

  “Help? Yes, thank you. Well, the other evening, we . . . that is, Marit and Sarah, were remembering when Tabitha went off to nursing school, and I was listening to them. They reminisced how everyone in the house gave Tabitha a little gift to see her on her way.”

  Olive pressed a small package into Rose’s hands. “I hope these will please you and I-I hope you will remember me when you use them.”

  Rose drew Olive into her room, leaving the door slightly ajar, and undid the package. The fragrance of rose petals wafted from within it. Nestled in the folds of glossy tissue paper, she found three small pink soaps, each one the shape of a rosebud.

  “Oh, Olive, thank you. They are beautiful and such a pleasant fragrance. I will enjoy them, and they will most certainly remind me of you and your loving heart. I will pray for you each time I use them.”

  Olive gulped, “I-I am s-so glad!” and broke down, sobbing.

  Rose set the package aside. She sat on the edge of her bed, tugged Olive down next to her, and held her as she wept.

  Eventually, Olive sniffed, “I am sorry, Miss Rose.”

  “What precisely are you sorry for, my dear? Are you sorry for loving me, sweet Olive? Are you sorry that you will miss me when I am gone?”

  “No!”

  “Then there is nothing to be sorry for, is there?”

  “But I . . . I am . . .”

  “You are, perhaps, a little anxious about the future? Afraid, even?”

  “Y-yes. How did you know?”

  “Dear Olive, I have carried the burden of this ministry for thirteen years. I have an intimate acquaintance with fear. I have faced it daily.”

  “Y-you have been afraid? No. You are the most serene person I know. I have never seen you fearful.”

  “I, not fearful? Ah, but I have been. I have been afraid of failing our girls, of stumbling in my walk with the Lord and thus injuring them, of setting them a poor example of Christian maturity by not managing my own emotions when I am stressed or overtired. I have even been afraid I might inadvertently teach something contrary to Scripture or give ungodly advice.”

  Rose’s fingertips touched Olive’s chin and turned Olive’s gaze to her own. “You and Sarah must be terrified, Olive.”

  “I-I am. We are. Oh, dear. What are we to do, Miss Rose?”

  Rose sighed and offered a tired smile. “Why, you must do exactly as I have done: pray well, pray diligently, and pray without ceasing. Then you must speak to your fear, ‘Oh, yes, Fear. I see you, you repugnant little liar. I know what you are and the black pit out of which you have crawled. Listen, Fear. My God has given me the courage and strength to do what he asks of me despite your threats and schemes.’”

  “And then?”

  “And then, Olive, you will do what frightens you, and you will do it with peace and dignity. Whatever the situation, our God will guide you through it. His word declares, Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. And Jesus promised, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Jesus does not break his promises, you know. If you surrender daily to the Lord Jesus, he will see you safely through each day and its many obstacles.”

  Someone whispered through the partly open doorway. “Miss Rose? May I join you?”

  “Come in, Sarah. Yes, this is for you also.”

  Sarah came and knelt by Rose. “I heard what you said. I also confess to being afraid. Will you pray for us, Miss Rose?”

  Rose hugged her. “Certainly. But, if you do not mind, I will do so when we gather for breakfast and today’s devotions. We shall require a bit more time this morning, I think. Would you ask Marit to serve breakfast a quarter of an hour earlier and let the girls know to be on time?”

  “Yes, Miss Rose.”

  Sarah stood, and Olive joined her. When the girls closed Rose’s door behind them, she returned to her journal entry and finished it.

  I entrust all of them to you, my God, even though my heart already misses and longs for them. Father, I ask you to lead and guide me this morning by your Holy Spirit. Please fill my mouth with your words to confirm Sarah as your chosen leader for this house, Olive as her strong right arm, and whoever else you add to them. I trust in you, Lord. Amen.

  WHEN THE HOUSE ASSEMBLED for breakfast that morning, Rose seated Sarah on her right and Olive on her left. The meal was quieter than usual, the conversation stilted, the girls watchful. Sarah’s husband, Bryan, had not joined them today either. He had left before breakfast to prepare for the early surgeries scheduled in his clinic. Billy, Marit, and their boys generally took breakfast in their cottage.

  When the meal was over and the dishes cleared away, Rose opened her Bible. The young women did the same.

  “Our study this morning will be in Joshua 1, beginning in verse 1.” She read aloud,

  “Now after the death of Moses

  the servant of the Lord

  it came to pass,

  that the Lord spake unto

  Joshua the son of Nun,

  Moses’ minister, saying,

  Moses my servant is dead;

  now therefore arise,

  go over this Jordan,

  thou, and all this people,

  unto the land which I do give to them,

  even to the children of Israel.”

  Rose smiled and looked around the table. Her gaze rested on each one long enough to receive a smile or a nod in return.

  “What I believe God’s word conveys to us this morning is this: When the Lord calls a leader away, he always has a plan for carrying on. No, I am neither Moses nor am I dead. Nevertheless, let us look into how the Lord handles the transition from one leader to the next. We recommence in verse 5 where the Lord continues speaking to Joshua.

  “There shall not any man

  be able to stand before thee

  all the days of thy life:

  as I was with Moses,

  so I will be with thee:

  I will not fail thee,

  nor forsake thee.”

  She stopped reading and waited until she again had everyone’s attention. “This is the Lord’s pattern. When he calls one leader away, he raises up another. From this day forward, Sarah is the leader of this house, and as the Lord has been with me, he will be with her. He will not fail Sarah; he will not fail you. He will not forsake Sarah nor will he forsake Palmer House. Do you see?”

  Around the table, heads nodded, and eyes shifted to Sarah in acknowledgement.

&nbsp
; “Good. Now, let me say this: Change is not easy nor is it always pleasant. Sarah may do things differently than I have done them, but as the leader of this house, it is her prerogative, her choice. I would ask that you give her time and grace as she settles into this role. I would also ask you to pray for her daily. May I have your assurance that you will do those things?”

  She looked to the young woman to the right of Sarah. “Hannah, dear, will you tell Sarah that you will pray for her, and will you give her your assurance that you will respect and support her?”

  Hannah blushed at being singled out first, but she cleared her throat and replied, “Yes, Miss Rose.” She turned to Sarah. “Miss Sarah, I will pray for you and give you my respect and support. I . . . I will also give you my love and appreciation.” She choked a little. “I don’t know where I would be if it weren’t for Jesus, if Palmer House hadn’t been here . . .”

  Sarah took Hannah’s hand. “Thank you, Hannah. We are so grateful the Lord brought you to us. I promise you my love and care in return.”

  Around the table, each young woman pledged her prayers and support to Sarah, until they reached Olive on Rose’s left.

  Olive smiled at Sarah. “You well know that I have seen this day coming from a long way off. I realized then that the Lord was grooming you for this moment, Miss Sarah. I will be honored to pray for you, support you, and assist you in any capacity you require.”

  “Thank you, Olive. I shall lean upon you often.”

  Rose again spoke. “Very good, ladies. Now, let us return to our study. In the chapter we are reading, the Lord had several more things to say to Joshua when he appointed him leader. Some were specific to the situation they were in and perhaps do not apply to Palmer House. I believe his ending injunctions, however, are essential to every Christian, whether an acknowledged leader or not. Let us read verse 8.

  “This book of the law

  shall not depart

  out of thy mouth;

  but thou shalt meditate

  therein day and night,

  that thou mayest observe

  to do according to all

  that is written therein:

  for then thou shalt make

  thy way prosperous,

  and then thou shalt have

  good success.

  Rose then addressed Sarah. “Sarah, the success of Palmer House and your success as Palmer House’s leader will stand or fall on your diligence to both study and obey God’s word. This house is a sanctuary for lost souls. We have seen our great and mighty God work in marvelous and miraculous ways here. Why? Because we placed the Lord’s word first in all we do.”

  Her remarks shifted to everyone at the table. “We declare that Palmer House is not a program, a social experiment, or a reformatory. It is none of those things, for programs and human efforts cannot remake and restore a broken life. Rather, this house is the footstool of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. When we kneel before him and surrender our everything—he, in response to our contrition, forgives our sins, heals our hearts, and makes us brand new. As Scripture proclaims,

  “Therefore,

  if any man be in Christ,

  he is a new creature:

  old things are passed away;

  behold, all things

  are become new.

  “This is the very essence of the gospel and the message we preach: If any woman be in Christ, she is a new creation. What she was, is gone—utterly washed away by the blood of Christ. Through the redemption of the cross, the power of Christ’s resurrection, and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, we are changed.”

  Rose took Sarah’s hand and stared into her eyes. “You must never stray from the miraculous, transforming message of the gospel, Sarah. I charge you, therefore, with the words of Joshua 1:9:

  “Be strong

  and of a good courage;

  be not afraid,

  neither be thou dismayed:

  for the Lord thy God

  is with thee

  whithersoever thou goest.

  “Surrender all doubts to the Father and give no place or foothold to fear, Sarah. Will you do these things? Will you cling steadfastly to God’s word? Will you preach the unadulterated Good News and walk in courage, refusing fear an entry to your life?”

  Sarah lifted her chin. With tears coursing down her cheeks, she declared, “I will. With the Lord’s help, I will.”

  “Olive, you have pledged yourself to be Sarah’s assistant. Will you also promise to do these things?”

  “I will, Miss Rose.”

  “Thank you, Olive.” Rose stood. “Will all of you please stand and pray with me?”

  The women at the table stood to join Rose.

  Rose placed her hands on Sarah’s shoulders. “O Lord God, we believe that you have called Sarah to this position. We ask that you now instill in Sarah the confidence of this calling and that you pour your Holy Spirit upon and through her as she takes up her duties this day. We ask that you fill her with grace, love, kindness, faith, and patience, as you set her apart for service to you. Please grant her your wisdom and discretion, O Lord, to meet every difficult situation.”

  Rose turned and placed her hands on Olive’s shoulders. “Father, Olive has committed herself to be Sarah’s assistant, her Caleb to Sarah’s Joshua. We ask that you give Olive eyes to see Sarah’s needs so that she might undergird Sarah’s leadership. We ask that you give her wisdom to counsel Sarah when she is faced with difficult choices. We ask that you give her the courage to speak truth to Sarah when she falters—for she is human and will surely have her struggles, too.”

  Rose then took Olive’s hand on her left and Sarah’s hand on her right. Around the table, the others joined hands until the circle was complete.

  “Father, today I leave this house, this home I love so dearly. You have called me away, and I must obey you.

  “I am seventy-four years old, and I believe that the work you entrusted to me thirteen years ago should now pass to Sarah and Olive. By your grace, Lord God, they are ready to assume this great and wonderful responsibility. I pray you make them fruitful branches in your kingdom, always abiding in the vine, Christ Jesus. As for me, this part of my life is done. Now, I will go with Joy and her family to Chicago. I will pour what love, strength, and time I have left into Joy, Edmund, and their children.

  “I thank you, Lord, for every heart gathered around this table. May our fellowship in Christ never be broken—for I cherish each one.”

  Rose’s voice quivered. “In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.”

  The heartfelt replies that echoed through Palmer House’s dining room were “Amen” and “Yes, Lord.”

  ISAAC AND BREONA HAD asked if they might drive Rose to the train and see her off. So had Mei-Xing and her husband. The last offer had come from Mason and Tabitha following dinner the night before. Rose had declined them all, but Tabitha’s request had been the most difficult to refuse.

  “It will be easier this way,” Rose murmured, watching Tabitha’s hope crumble. “Let us say our goodbyes now, so that if I weep, I weep here, and will not embarrass us both in public.”

  Tabitha nodded, but she had not been able to hide the sadness that crept over her face and into her voice. “I understand.” She blinked hard. “But it is an agony to let you go. I owe so much to you, Rose. I-I will never forget you.”

  “Nor I, you.”

  Tabitha sniffed. Her voice wavered. “Until we meet again?”

  With Tabitha, Rose felt she could be completely candid. “On that great and glorious day, when we meet before the throne of grace. Until then, Tabitha.”

  THE GIRLS OF THE HOUSE were gone. They had readied themselves to leave for their respective places of employment following breakfast, and Rose had stood at the door enfolding each one in her arms a last time before they departed.

  The driver of the hired car that would convey Rose to Union Station climbed the steps to Palmer House’s front door and dropped the heavy knocker to a
nnounce his arrival. Rose’s trunk and suitcases waited in the foyer. Her valise rested next to it. Her coat and handbag hung nearby.

  It was time to go.

  While Billy and the driver carried her luggage to the car, Rose said her last farewells. She embraced Sarah. She turned to Olive and hugged her.

  That left only Marit.

  “Dear Marit,” Rose whispered into her ear, determined not to break down, but on the verge of losing that battle.

  “Ach, I know, Miss Rose. Vit all these changes are many goodbyes—and yet I am remembering so clearly the day ven I first met you, ven you and Joy stepped off the train in Corinth. It vas cold and vindy that day. Breona and I ver on the siding, selling coffee, cakes, and pepparkakor to passengers.”

  Rose grew still as she pictured the scene Marit described.

  “And I remember, too, vat you said to us the next morn ven you opened your Bible, ja? You asked of Joy, ‘Haf you studied the new birth yet, Joy?’ Vas the first time I hear you talk of being born again—and, oh! How my heart opened like a flower that day. I vill never forget.”

  “You came to Jesus not long after, didn’t you?”

  “Ja, not long, and I vill be forever grateful to him.”

  “We had no idea then what adventures in faith were before us, did we?”

  “No, and I vould not trade a moment of them, Miss Rose.”

  “Nor I, dear Marit.”

  Marit kissed Rose’s cheek. “God go vit you, Miss Rose.”

  With a last hug, Rose sniffed back her tears, picked up her valise and coat, and marched out the front door of Palmer House. As she closed the door behind her, she paused and turned to the sign mounted next to the door.