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On Thee, which was followed by a passage from St. Paul s Epistle to the Romans;
there was a short liturgical reading, after which Samways introduced the King. James
stepped to the pulpit and read a few verses from the Book of Revelations about the
final judgment every human being must one day endure. He then delivered the eulogy
which he hoped was as much a celebration of a fine man s life as it was a lament
for his needless, wasteful death.
He sat down to respectful silence, wishing he might have done more. This feeling
was short-lived, however, because the Archbishop spoke next. A man of imposing
stature and a full head of snow-white hair which billowed in waves over his
high-domed skull, Archbishop Peter Rippon looked out upon the world through
disconcertingly direct blue eyes. In manner and appearance, he reminded James of
one of those energetic oldsters who take up bungee jumping or join the Polar Bears;
he looked as if he might suddenly sell up, buy a caravan, and head for the cheap
casinos of Costa Brava.
Rippon began in the time-honored, if slightly stuffy, way of Anglican clergymen, but
quickly departed from the stylized form. Observe the oak coffin before you, he
said. Soon it will be removed from this place and laid to rest, and we will all go
back to our daily chores and occupations. Life goes on, we ll say; and it s true. But
for now, for this one brief moment, while the coffin stands before us, I would have
you feel with me the heartrending tragedy of a life cut down in its prime.
The Archbishop went on to say how deeply he had been affected by news of
Donald s death following, as it did, the announcement of his new Royal Reform
Party. He then brought the congregation bolt upright with the declaration: As a
lifelong royalist, I have no doubt whatsoever that Lord Rothes murder was a direct
result of his desire to save the monarchy.
This bald statement sent ripples of chagrin through the largely
government-comprised congregation. Many of the Archbishop s listeners not
least Waring and his cohorts, who had not anticipated being accused of complicity
in their former colleague s murder blinked in astonishment at this unexpected
revelation.
Now that I have your complete attention, perhaps you will allow me to explain, the
Archbishop continued. Where the blame for our brother s death will ultimately
come to rest, God alone knows. Nevertheless, the reason for his death is no mystery
at all. I put it to you that our dear brother was killed because he dared take his stand
on the side of the angels. He was murdered because he defied the corporate
wickedness of the current political system.
The congregation squirmed.
I see that some of you are upset by my blunt speaking. Good! Archbishop
Rippon declared, leaning out from the pulpit. Good for you. We should be
disturbed in the face of such pernicious evil. All the same, it should come as no
surprise to anyone here that we live in an exceedingly evil age. My friends, I remind
you that our fight is not against flesh and blood but against the principalities, against
the cosmic powers, against the rulers and potentates of this present dark age, against
the supernatural forces of wickedness in high places.
I dare say some of you will think I am overstating the case; you will think I am
assigning cosmic causes to simple worldly problems. Now wait a minute, padre, I
hear you say. Accidents happen. It s just the way of the world.
Let me tell you something, ladies and gentlemen: the way of the world is evil. It
does not become any less evil because we disguise it with harmless-sounding
phrases like status quo or business as usual it merely makes the evil more
palatable to us. Therefore, I ll say it again: Donald Rothes died because he dared
speak out against the way of the world. His voice was silenced by the very evil he
sought to uproot.
He gazed out upon the captive audience with steadfast defiance, all but challenging
anyone to disagree.
Does this assertion seem overwrought to you? Is it too presumptuous, perhaps, too
melodramatic? Well, maybe it is, he allowed, drawing the doubters in. Then again,
maybe it is we ourselves who have become so jaded, so worldly-wise, so knowing,
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