There came to pass in the land of America a great city. And the people of the city called themselves Christians and the rules of the city were made Holy and Good in the image of God.
One day in the City of God a rich woman was out walking and came upon a poor beggar. Now the woman pretended not to hear as the beggar cried out: "Can you spare a dollar, ma'am? Or some change maybe?" but the woman passed by on the other side and said nothing.
Now a crowd of people saw this and called upon the police to arrest the woman. For the crowd said unto themselves: "Why must we give to the poor according to the Law and yet this rich woman can walk away?"
And so the woman was brought before a Judge and charged with violating the public ordinances for the poor and the beggars.
Now the Judge read nine accusations against the
woman:
"From the Old Law thou hast violated: Leviticus 25:35, Deuteronomy
15:7 and 15:11.
And since the beggar was also an orphan, thou hast broken Psalms 82:3.
From the New Law hast thou violated: Matthew 19:21, Mark 10:21, and Luke
18:22.
And Great Penalties apply to anyone breaking Luke 16:20-25 and Matthew
25:34-46.
Quoting from the case of Lazarus v. A Rich Man, Judge Abraham applied The
Poor Laws directly as follows: What you do to the least, you do also to
God."
Now the woman saw these were grievous charges and
she reasoned for herself saying:
"I have harmed nobody. I was walking along and minding my own business
when . . . the next thing I know-- here I am. I have the right to a lawyer."
But the Judge did not hear the woman's cries. Rather
the Judge said:
"The defendant in this case has no right to be heard. The Law in Proverbs
21:13 applies: Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also
shall cry himself, but shall not be heard."
And the Judge ordered the woman to answer only:
"guilty or not guilty?"
But the woman would not answer it. She knew little of the Law, but she
protested and spoke for herself as best she knew: "What about Job?
Job was an honest man. Yet he suffered greatly, as I do."
And hearing this, the Judge rebuked her strongly:
"Thou foolish woman, It is true Job suffered greatly, but thou also
recognized that Job was honest. Job did not break the Poor Laws before
witnesses. Thou prideful woman, does thy suffering make thee as honest
as Job in thy mind? Thou pitiful woman, suppose even thy case be the same
as Job, what then? Was God not deaf to the cries of the honest Job?"
"All thy argument is but silence before the Law. Wouldst thou be heard?
Then I ask thee but once more: guilty or not guilty? What sayest thou?"
Now the woman knew she had not kept the Law faithfully
and could not answer this, and now she realized the Judge was hard and
would never hear, and so she answered with faint heart:
"Guilty. Please, Judge, show mercy." But her voice fainted and
went unheard.
And the Judge spake: "Having heard a plea of guilty, this Court duly proclaims the defendant Guilty, as charged, on each violation. All other statements to the contrary shall be stricken from the record of this case. It now being the solemn duty of this Court to dictate those consequences the Law demands, the sentence of this Court is that the defendant be . . . "
"Forgiven."
"The Sentence will be imposed immediately.
The defendant shall rise, go forth and sin no more."
And the woman was free to go.
And so it came to pass in the land of America in the great city of the people who called themselves Christians where the rules of the city were made Holy and Good in the image of God. So help me God.