The Christiani continued meeting outside the city at the burial ground of the confessors, and Nicholas took turns with the other overseers in leading the gatherings. The brothers kept trying to find places to meet in the city, but always something stood in the way. The owner of a building would agree to rent it, only to back out at the last minute. The brothers would make plans to build, but the city magistrates would find some objection. Either it was too close to a temple or there were not enough temples in the neighborhood. In the meantime, the believers set up tents in the field of the confessors, and some made plans to build an assembly hall there in the spring.
Nicholas and the other overseers served together for some time without any one of them serving as head overseer, but eventually the oldest overseer spoke up: “Since brother John’s death, we have been without a head overseer. We’ve been working well together so far, but most other cities have head overseers, and this tradition has been well established now for over a century. So, it could make things difficult in communicating with other assemblies if we do not have a head overseer to represent us. While I am too old and too weak to take this on this role, I suggest we gather together in prayer and select one of us who can.”
The others thought it a good idea and agreed that in two days they should meet to pray and select a successor to Overseer John who had died during the war on the Christiani. When the day came, Nicholas was with Lucas, helping hand out food in the drifter camp outside of town. Lucas knew of the meeting, and when he saw that Nicholas stayed on, he said, “Cousin, the meeting! What are you still doing here? You should be with the overseers now.”
Nicholas sighed. He said, “Yes, I suppose I should, but I don’t see the importance of it.”
Lucas said, “What do you mean? They are choosing who will be the head of the assembly!”
Nicholas said, “No... The head is already chosen, and that is Christus. The rest of us are only shepherds under him.”
“But they are choosing a leader and you are not with them,” said Lucas. “We can take care of things here.”
“Very well,” said Nicholas. He made his way back into the city with the usual spy from Silvanus following at fifty paces behind. He knew this man assigned to the afternoon watch as one of the lictors who had beaten him in prison some years before. He held no resentment for the man—he rather pitied him serving under Silvanus and having no hope beyond this life—but he had grown used to the wall of silence that stood between them. This afternoon though, it struck him just how much they remained separated from each other. He stopped. The spy stopped too. Nicholas turned and called back to him, “If you are to accompany me, perhaps we can walk together.”
Nicholas and the other overseers served together for some time without any one of them serving as head overseer, but eventually the oldest overseer spoke up: “Since brother John’s death, we have been without a head overseer. We’ve been working well together so far, but most other cities have head overseers, and this tradition has been well established now for over a century. So, it could make things difficult in communicating with other assemblies if we do not have a head overseer to represent us. While I am too old and too weak to take this on this role, I suggest we gather together in prayer and select one of us who can.”
The others thought it a good idea and agreed that in two days they should meet to pray and select a successor to Overseer John who had died during the war on the Christiani. When the day came, Nicholas was with Lucas, helping hand out food in the drifter camp outside of town. Lucas knew of the meeting, and when he saw that Nicholas stayed on, he said, “Cousin, the meeting! What are you still doing here? You should be with the overseers now.”
Nicholas sighed. He said, “Yes, I suppose I should, but I don’t see the importance of it.”
Lucas said, “What do you mean? They are choosing who will be the head of the assembly!”
Nicholas said, “No... The head is already chosen, and that is Christus. The rest of us are only shepherds under him.”
“But they are choosing a leader and you are not with them,” said Lucas. “We can take care of things here.”
“Very well,” said Nicholas. He made his way back into the city with the usual spy from Silvanus following at fifty paces behind. He knew this man assigned to the afternoon watch as one of the lictors who had beaten him in prison some years before. He held no resentment for the man—he rather pitied him serving under Silvanus and having no hope beyond this life—but he had grown used to the wall of silence that stood between them. This afternoon though, it struck him just how much they remained separated from each other. He stopped. The spy stopped too. Nicholas turned and called back to him, “If you are to accompany me, perhaps we can walk together.”
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