The Rest Of the Story…..

Dottie Stam
Minister of Music/Worship
dottie@apexbaptist.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Whatever happened to Mary Ann?’...I was asked this question multiple times during the presentation of A Frontporch Christmas. Even when I explained that she was merely a fictional character the question still persisted. “Yes, I know you changed her name, but the real Mary Ann....what happened to her?”

The belief that somewhere in the far past there lurks a real Mary Ann is hard to overcome. However, there were several characters that were based on real people and events of the early 1900’s. My paternal grandfather’s name was Green Titus Mills and he served as the model for ’Preacher Green.’ He was pastor of Green Level Baptist Church for decades and while I never met him, the stories told about him have made him come alive in my mind. My mother’s family suffered along with others during the depression years and she remembers the terrible event of their only cow dying. That meant no milk or butter for a family of 5 children. Her family were not members at Green Level Baptist, but some how Preacher Mills got wind of their situation and showed up at their doorstep. He told my Grandmother that he had heard about the cow and he had $5.00 to give her to help buy a new cow. That $5.00 was like $500.00 now. My grandfather was not a wealthy man and had a large family of his own. That $5.00 was a huge amount to give, but he gave it anyway. My mother, a little girl at the time, was awed by the kindness of this gentle man and always remembered it. Probably had something to do with her later falling in love with his son.

I was told about the big boarding house that stood in downtown Apex and Aunt Fanny was sort of a composite of several of the generous, kind women that populated Apex in the early 1900’s. They mothered everyone and everyone’s business was theirs. But if you were ever in trouble, they were there to help.

Allious Yates was named after a wealthy gentleman of that time. I know nothing of his character, but he sort of morphed into the ‘Scrooge’ character of the play. I was never really sure what would change his heart and break his pride but it seemed that nothing is so convicting than to have the person you have fought with for years ask you to forgive them. Allious was an honest enough gentleman to recognize that the fault had been all his and with that recognition realize all that he had lost. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in a man that can change him and that was true in Allious’ case. The Lord was merciful in bringing Mary Ann and baby John into his life. I think he, like Scrooge, was truly changed. “I will not be the man that I once was,” Scrooge said, and so it was with Allious. And with his confession, the Lord blessed him.

The character of Joe Broadwell was inspired by a movie I had seen earlier in the year. It was about a WW I officer who had seen his company butchered in the Argonne offensive as they held their position against overwhelming odds. This officer received several medals but could never get over the horrors of war and later committed suicide. I wondered what could have healed him and restored him to a meaningful life. The story of Joe offers the only solution I know of for those wounded in spirit as well as body. “Just go to the cross,” Mary Ann tells Joe, and when he does, he finds that his sufferings are only a faint shadow of the sufferings of his Savior who knows, understands and heals. Joe finds health when he forgets himself and devotes his life to caring for others.

I loved Irene Batchelor. It seems that every community needs a woman ‘who can get things done.’ And where would we be without those visionary women who ignore the cost to themselves as they pursue a ‘greater cause.’ I certainly am grateful to those brave women who campaigned for the right for women to vote. It took energy, dedication and sacrifice on their part and I admire them. But most of all, I loved that Irene was as willing to put her energies in a cause for the Lord Jesus as she was in getting the vote. In fact, that is the greater cause. Politics can shape society, but only Jesus can save and change the heart of man. I think Irene knew that and perhaps she was in the play to represent the courageous women everywhere who persevere in doing right.

“But what about Mary Ann?”, I can hear you ask. Well, she is every woman who has ever suffered tragedy and grief. Being helpless and hopeless she seems to fall under life’s proverbial ‘crushing blow’ only to be rescued by the mercy of God evidenced in His people. But I know that answer is not the rest of the story so here it is.

Well, Allious did help Mary Ann and baby John. He found that true to his son’s letter, he admired Mary Ann’s spirit and helping her became a joy. He had lost his son but he gained a daughter and a grandson. I expect he would have been very protective and suspicious of any other man who would have desired to gain her affections had that man not been Joe Broadwell. Joe and Mary Ann remained friends for a long period of time and gradually that friendship just shifted into love. Mary Ann encouraged Joe to go to Med School and was his biggest supporter in the church. (Actually, this is a true story. A church in Richmond agreed to send my uncle to Med school if he would serve on the mission field. He served in China until the communists ran him out). They just got used to talking together and being married is a better way to do that. I think they were blessed their whole lives by a love that grew with them and remained thankful for the way the Lord worked in all things for good. Baby John grew up with a loving Father and granddad. He followed in his Father’s Jeff’s footsteps and served in WW II in Europe as a medic. Mary Ann and Joe had 4 children of their own, all of which delighted Granddad Allious who had adopted them as his own grandkids. As for Jim and Josie, Jim never did find a girl prettier than Josie, and Josie figured she could keep an eye on Jim better if they were married so several years later they were married by Preacher Green. Their first born child was a sweet girl named Elizabeth who later became baby John’s wife. Both John and Elizabeth felt the Lord was calling them to be missionaries and the church had the blessing of seeing them go to serve in the Far East. After a lifetime of service on foreign soil, John and Elizabeth retired back to their home town and enjoyed their grand kids. John turned out to be quite a good story teller having a great deal of practice with the grandkids and it was at his wife’s, Elizabeth, urging that he recounted the tale of A Frontporch Christmas so that everyone could see that with God nothing is impossible.

So there you have it...the rest of the story.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO EPILOGUE HERE!

(Thanks to Paul Allen for the photo)