How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony-Chapter 36: Doctrine (1)

"..."

"..."

"...Nemo?"

"Eleanor."

Eleanor Dare dared to ask.

"I don't... I don't understand. I don't know what it means to serve people, to serve humanity."

"..."

"Please tell us more for the sake of us ignorant ones. I can't... um..."

"As you ask questions."

Nemo places his hand on her head.

"Do not fear."

"..."

"The desire to know is the greatest part of your soul. Being ashamed of not knowing and desiring knowledge is the greatest mindset you can have."

"...If that is so, please tell me."

At these words, Nemo slowly looks around and speaks.

"The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world (John 1:9), and to those who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)

Do you understand? The Lord shines His light on all living beings. The One who came as light becomes the light for all people and remains in their hearts forever.

Since the Lord who came as light dwells in everyone's heart, cultivate that light and be saved.

Are you not all equal children of the Lord, created directly by His breath blown into dust?

Follow your conscience given by the Lord."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Harriot's hand holding the pen trembles.

Everyone closes their mouths.

The Lord is in everyone's heart. Be saved through that Lord. Follow your conscience.

This is not just a pleasing sermon. This is...

A new doctrine.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"The Lord is truly merciful. Care for all humanity and make them in the image of angels. At the time of resurrection, you will be like the angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:30)

Feed them so they do not steal from others in hunger, and give them love so they do not kill people. That is truly how to keep the commandments."

Everyone fell silent at the angel's words.

His words were not merely compassionate.

His words were a sharp sword.

Everyone felt it.

A completely different story was unfolding from what Nemo had been saying before.

He who had only spoken of loving each other and repenting was now clearly discussing church doctrine.

They were now... at a crossroads.

This was Nemo's will.

They also believed this was the Lord's will.

No one thought this came from the "Dictionary of Christian Denominations" (1997 edition) that Nemo's "father" had left behind.

There was also a reason why Nemo chose this particular doctrine.

By generalizing without clear doctrine, saying things like "follow your own conscience," he could reduce doctrinal conflicts within the sect.

If doctrinal conflicts and debates arose, and if questions and answers about "what is an angel" and "how should an angel act" accumulated among the believers...

These would soon become arrows and shackles aimed directly at Nemo.

Thus, while preventing doctrinal conflicts, he emphasized social practice and the exploration of ignorance, creating an outlet for passion in another direction.

In a direction that wouldn't send arrows back at Nemo himself.

Therefore, this doctrine was for Nemo's own freedom and safety.

"I, I... so you're saying we should care for all humanity?"

"Yes. That is the Lord's will."

This time Manteo asked.

"But... I've heard that the Lord is very jealous. He punishes those who worship other gods."

"..."

"And beyond the eastern lands of Europe, I've heard there are many people who worship different gods or worship the same God in different ways. Which of them should we care for and which should we abandon..."

"The Lord."

Nemo interrupted Manteo. The sun shines brilliantly behind him.

"Abandons no one."

"...Ah!"

"He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth. (Acts 17:26)

How can you distinguish between Catholics and Anglicans, or between English, French, and Algonquin?

You shall serve only all the Lord's people."

This doctrine too served the same purpose.

The less doctrinal conflict between factions within the sect, the freer Nemo becomes.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Regardless of the ulterior motives, everyone was silent after hearing such shocking words.

Harriot's hand stops, White's lips recite the Lord's Prayer, and González's hands fold neatly.

Everyone was half trembling as they welcomed this wondrous moment.

Original sin, justification by faith, the priesthood of all believers, and so on.

From the outside, these doctrinal disputes might seem hollow.

But those "trivial" arguments about how many angels can sit on the head of a pin or whether ordinary believers should drink wine during the Eucharist actually determine everything.

For the church, doctrine is like a skeleton. From doctrine, the church's structure and worldview extend.

And now, that very doctrine was being revealed.

People like Harriot and Raleigh could quickly imagine what kind of church would be built.

An egalitarian, democratic, and free church.

As such, in normal cases, it might be a church that could lose its center at any time, with believers scattering and losing power.

A church where egalitarianism could become lawlessness, democracy could become disorder, and freedom could become excess.

However.

They had an immortal angel as their center.

This church would neither fall nor disappear.

"Follow your conscience given by the Lord."

This light was not a powerless firefly, but would become a flame that burns the world.

The Lord had once again given them a new commandment.

Humanity.

Devotion.

They now shouldered the duty to spread throughout the world like apostles filled with the Holy Spirit to deliver this message.

They were chosen for this sacred duty.

For this, the angel descended to Croatoan, on the edge of the world.

For this, the angel saved 30 English people and the Spanish army.

For this, the angel converted Walter Raleigh and revealed miracles before many.

Eleanor Dare, Thomas Harriot, Manteo, Vicente González, John White, Walter Raleigh.

Six people.

Exactly half of the Lord's twelve apostles.

Walter Raleigh was in ecstasy at this realization, shedding tears when...

"...Huh?"

"Walter Raleigh, what's wrong?"

"No, I, that is..."

Suddenly he remembers something.

He starts fidgeting and sweating profusely. While everyone wonders, Walter Raleigh closes his eyes tightly and asks the angel:

"This... is a trivial question. I'm truly sorry for raising such an insignificant and childish question at this moving and sacred moment, but..."

"Just speak."

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"Um... well..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Thomas Harriot.

Why did he plant such curiosity in my heart and make it grow at such an important moment?

Walter Raleigh thinks to himself, then closes his eyes tightly and exclaims:

"Aren't Adam and Eve the ancestors of mankind?"

"Hmm."

"And in the Bible, there are three sons of Adam and Eve: Cain, Abel, and Seth!"

"That is correct."

"How did they have descendants?"

"..."

"I mean, did they commit incest? Or were there other created humans not mentioned in the Bible?

If the former is true, then humanity inevitably committed sin, making them all sinners... or rather, didn't the Lord push humanity toward the path of sin...?

If the latter is true, why do those who didn't eat the forbidden fruit bear original sin...?"

When Walter Raleigh carefully finished speaking, the angel smiled slightly.

"..."

"..."

"..."

At once, everything becomes quiet.