When Earl and the boys got home, they was all busy takin their Saturday night baths to get ready fur Sunday-go-to meetin. Water was put on to boil in the two big kettles outside and in big pots on the stove. The tub was put into the kitchen and curtains drawn around it. Each person in the family got a turn in the old tub and the water was changed when it got cold. Bar soap was used for washin everything, even their hair! The boys filled and emptied that tub, over and over. I will say, the garden got a good waterin on Saturday nights, as the boys always emptied the bath water into the garden. A garden hose had one end in the garden and the other in the tub and one of the boys would run out and siphon the water to get the tub to empty. They had gotten to be pretty good at that, sose they didn’t get a mouth full of bathwater!!

  A good supper for Sunday was cooked on Saturday night so nobody had to cook on Sunday. All they had to do was set it out. This was because of the day of rest. Everybody’s good clothes were washed on washday, but on Saturday night the ironing was done and the clothes were all laid out neat for Sunday morning. On Sunday morning, they had a breakfast of oats with sorghum molasses and milk. “Ma, we’re down to the last of the sorghum molasses. When will it be time to take our cane to the sorghum press?” Karen asked her mom.

  Ma said, “They is gettin set up now and it should happen in the next two weeks, sometime. Everybody stack yore dishes on the sideboard and Karen please wipe down the table and let’s load up fer church.”

  They loaded up in the wagon, cause it would be a mite crowded in the car and took off for church. The Higgins were mighty proud of their church. It was a wooden structure set up on cinder blocks. They had real wooden pews with a velvety seat and backing. There were holders behind each pew where the songbooks were stored. Up front, behind the preacher was a row for the choir to sit in. The Preacher’s wife played the piano, which was adequate and accompanied the songs. The preacher was also the music director. The preacher today preached a good old ‘fire and brimstone’ sermon, which served two main purposes: getting the people to check their hearts and see if they were right with God and to keep them awake. After a long, hard week working their fields, people tended to drift off when they sat still. After makin sure everyone was wide awake, the preacher spoke to the congregation about how much Jesus loved them. That, in fact, he loved each of them so much that he died for each of their sins, which everyone has.

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  On the way home, Hattie said, “Ma, I have a question. Jesus loves me and I love him right back. Why did he have to die so I could be forgiven and go to heaven? Couldn't there be another way?” She started crying and said, “I don’t want him to die. He loves me even when I am bad and forever and always. I want to meet him.”

  Ma put her arm around Hattie and said, “ Honey, after Jesus died, three days later he rose from the dead and he is alive again and you will meet him one day if you receive him to be your Savior. Don’t worry.”

  Hattie said, “How can I receive him to be my savior?”

  Her Pa said, “Hattie, when you get to be up around ten or eleven years old, If’n you decide to have Jesus as your savior, you can pray then and ask Him to forgive you and live in yore heart. You are still a little young to make a commitment like that.”

  Hattie frowned and was quiet the rest of the way home.

  Meanwhile, Steve had done his shopping and had parked his car where he couldn’t be seen, but he could watch the Higgins place. He saw them leave for church and could tell by the way they were dressed that that was where they were going. Steve settled in for his Sunday lunch of a bologna sandwich and potato chips and drank some water with it.