More than Just the One Word from God

My brothers and sisters, I am aware that it has been a while since I have shared the joys and struggles of my pilgrimage with you. I hope you will forgive my omissions - for I have been sore busy with the travails of my little group of Bogwulf Baptists. On a matter of great import - whether the singing of songs with diminished 7 chords is permissible in Divine Worship - we have been nigh cleft in twain. After a month of prayer and earnest debate, we have agreed to forego these chords as being of dubious holiness. I note that it was mostly the guitarists that argued against the use of any song with dim 7 chords in - and I believe they of all people should be closest to true knowledge of music in religion. But there was a minor 6 chord this morning, and a number of people looked nervous.

However, this morning's service was one of momentous occasion. I am not saying the worship was of a higher quality than normal - for who can weigh the quality of worship, save one who is thinking of moving to another church? And I am not saying the preaching was more biblical and spiritual than normal - simple modesty prevents me from making any such claim, although I may say I allowed myself to be humbly pleased with my exposition of the verse, "And Eshton begat Bethrapha, and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Irnahash. These are the men of Rechah." For all Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

But after the sermon, we had a time of prayer. And Ezekiel Robertson, the local cartwright and wheelsmith, announced he had a "word". So of course we allowed him to speak.

Ezekiel had a vision last night, in which was revealed to him the plan of the new chapel extension which we are, apparently, to build. And Ezekiel spared us no detail of the plan that was revealed to him - the dimensions, the precise diameters of the screws with which the plasterboard was to be affixed to the walls. He told us of the colours of the left wall - and of the right wall. He told us the parquet pattern for the floor - and the wood therein to be used.

And then, having revealed to us that the walls of the building were to be of green sandstone (God clearly respects the planning laws - for the listing of the building is such that only green-sand could be used), he started to detail the precise dimensions of each stone. Surely if we are a church being built with living stones, we are to be careful over our use of stones. But perhaps a shorter summary would have been in order.

Ezekiel started to tell us his vision at 11.30 this morning. I note that it has now turned 8 pm - as the so-called Archdruid just ran over my foot on her cycle twenty minutes ago, as she flew back to her "Room of Vision", in time to see a programme on that pagan temple, Stonehenge, on that pagan televisual broadcaster, Channel 4. And Ezekiel has just finished telling us the full details of the cupboards and shelving with which to furnish the new offices. I thought for a while that he was speaking in tongues - however it turned out that he was merely giving us the names of a collection of Ikea furniture.

It has been a long day. It is an awkward decision to make - when someone has a word of revelation, how can one suggest he hurries it along or maybe cuts it short? In future, I shall request that any such words are brought - type-written and in advance - so we can decide the best way to assess them. In the case of revelations like Ezekiel's, I am going to insist on book form.