“The congregation was made up of people of all ages and varied occupations in life. The lay-administrative body of the congregation was a mixture of men and women of the middle class and mostly middle age. Durwin’s early calculated observation was that if the lay -administration of this church was co-operative and helpful there could be some growth ahead for the congregation. As Durwin saw it, it would take time to lay the infra structure for growth. If things went well for considerable time and belittlers didn’t arise and take control it could be done, Durwin believed. A church never flourishes when belittlers are in control-never, not even when there are only some unchecked belittlers in key positions.
“A few weeks after their arrival in Terraprima, the Lawtons mailed change of address cards to friends and acquaintances in various parts of Secundaterra and Lower Secundaterra. Durwin soon received a letter from a friend in Secundaterra telling him he had made a grave mistake in going to the church in Terraprima. ‘They will put a person like you down hard,’ this friend wrote. ‘You are in for a hard time. If you stay they will eventually ruin your life. Seeing you are already there, you should plan to stay only a short time, a year at most, and then return to some part of Secundaterra where you are known and will be treated better.’ The writer of this letter went on to tell of the experience of another fine person many years earlier who went to the church in Terraprima, but ‘escaped’ their wrath before much damage was done to him and his family. This person had returned to Secundaterra and a successful life.
“Durwin considered the letter seriously, and weighed the evidence in the light of his as yet brief experience in Terraprima. Nothing much had happened to him so far. Perhaps only in certain areas of the country -would it be like as described in the letter, or, perhaps things have changed by now, he reasoned. He and Canda decided to stay, for now at least, and to live and do their church work and prepare for the future as though they would be staying permanently as much as their circumstances, made tentative by the immigration problem, would allow.
“About eight months later, other friends visited Durwin and Canda in their new home in Terraprima. They brought with them a similar message, ‘You may be in for a hard time with this denomination in Terraprima. It has happened before. Beware, it may happen to you. This church has a problem.’
“Durwin and Canda again weighed the matter. They were now several months into ministry there. Some belittlers had appeared on the horizon all right. There had been one especially peculiar incident which, even with all the Lawtons’ experience, was new to them. I will describe it. Before Durwin had taken up his ministry in this church, a few of its members had left for other churches. Two or three months after Durwin arrived, one of these members came back one Sunday for worship. Durwin had an excellent worship service that Sunday. He had been there several Sundays now, long enough for most people to take a liking to his worship and pastoral care, so Durwin could tell his ministry was taking hold well.
“During the fellowship time that followed the service, Durwin approached this returned visitor to chat with him. Durwin was a person who could easily put another at ease, when the other person was responsive that is. This man was very up tight and Durwin could not thaw him out. He held his head high as though aloof. He was curt in his response to Durwin’s attempts at conversation. Finally, the visitor, in cold, formal tones asked, ‘Why don’t you come and visit my place of work tomorrow? I will take you on a tour of the school in which I work.’
“‘Fine,’ replied Durwin, ‘I would be very pleased to do so.’
“A time was set for the visit and tour next day, and Durwin was briefed on which office he should go to meet the school executive. Durwin was there on time next day. After a brief and blunt ‘good morning,’ the executive took Durwin’s top coat, hung it up, and immediately said, ‘Follow me.’ Durwin thought it very strange, no introductory conversation, no remarks or comment on the school or on the tour that was to take place. Well, thought Durwin, perhaps we’ll sit down for a chat after the tour.
“So Durwin walked along with the man on the tour. His steps were long and fast for an indoor tour. Perhaps his time is limited this morning, thought Durwin. As they walked rather swiftly throughout the building the man explained this and that about it, its equipment, its services and curriculum, always in cold unfriendly tones. It was a large school, well equipped, with a large staff and student body. Durwin was impressed with that, but not with the conductor of the tour. Still Durwin tried to be friendly. However, when they arrived back at the office from which the tour had begun, Durwin was no sooner inside the door when he was curtly handed his coat again, with still no conversation except, ‘Good-day, I hope you liked our school.’
“‘It’s a great school,’ remarked Durwin with a smile, as he reached to shake hands with his tour guide. As the man shook hands, he grunted arrogantly and sarcastically at Durwin and turned away. Durwin just turned in the opposite direction and walked out of the building to the parking lot alone. He thought, at the time, that it was one of the most ignorant behaviors he had ever witnessed. Later, much later, he would learn that it is a ploy used in Terraprima by proud and envious belittlers to put others beneath them, at least in their own warped mind’s eye.”
“An absolute ignoramus,” blurted Leo Aidan.
Gilda Emerson shook her head in disgust. “It’s easy to see what it is all about. He became envious of Durwin at church, most likely of both Durwin as a person, and of his worship service, so he had to show Durwin he had better in his big school. He had an education, but no proper culture.”
“A childish social illiterate,” remarked Leo disgustedly.
“And he was an executive well up in the education field?” questioned Owen Winslow.
“Yes,” said Collin.
Owen responded aghastly, “no doubt he has helped to educate many students, some good students too, but how many fine, well cultured, promising and would-be exceptional students has he damaged and/or ruined? Heaven help Terraprima!”
Collin continued, “As we get further into the story we will understand this incident more fully. Sufficient for me to say now that that man did not return to attending Durwin’s church. Much later it would be implied that some families did not return because Durwin’s ministry was not good enough. The reality is, Durwin and his ministry were too good for them.
“In addition to the incident just described, there were some minor signs of envy and belittling, but overall it was to date just a little worse than some congregations in the Secundaterras. As for the denomination at large, there were some peculiarities looming on the horizon there as well which seemed strange indeed. But given time, Durwin and Canda felt, they would better understand these peculiarities and find a way to cope with them. They both had analytical minds. They felt they would be able to cope. Besides, there were so many nice people around, the kind of people that had always caused them to stand up for Terraprima. Surely, with the majority of people so friendly, respectful, and appreciative of friendship, Durwin and Canda would get along well. Once again they decided to stay, and to live and plan their church work as though they were staying permanently. Durwin and Canda at this point in their lives could handle sporadic belittlers well. They felt sufficiently secure.
“Nevertheless, the letter and the visit from friends both bringing warnings to the Lawtons, caused them to reflect on still another incident. When they were making arrangements to leave the church at Secundaterra to go to Terraprima, a senior colleague remarked somberly to Durwin, ‘We don’t have any ministers from here go down to that denomination anymore. We have several who have gone down there to other denominations and done well, but not to that one,’ he reemphasized as he shook his head gently, ‘I wish you well.’”
“Some time later Durwin and Canda were to learn of yet another case, years earlier, where a minister coming from the church of Secundaterra was very badly used. I briefly mentioned his case before. He was a fine person, well cultured, and educated in two of the highest caliber seminaries of his time. His wife was equally a fine well cultured, well educated person. They were