The Heart's Confinement

The Bishop's Inspection

In the days that followed, Graham did not come to see her again, leaving Aelia to even doubt if the man who had entered her room that night was just a dream. Yet, the hair clip firmly clasped to her head reminded her otherwise—it was real.

"Lust contends with the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit contends against lust... It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid s****l immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans who do not know God." — 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

Before the altar, "Aelio" the missionary held the Bible in his hands, teaching the doctrine to the believers as usual. As the words from these books flowed out of his mouth, the unease of the past few days momentarily eased. Aelia deeply believed that as long as her prayers and offerings to the Lord were sincere, He would bestow His grace upon His faithful servants. Five years ago, she had been plunged into turmoil due to her exceptional beauty, but Jesus Christ had rescued her from the anguish of her soul, prompting her to renounce all carnal desires as a human being and devote her spirit and body entirely to her Lord.

Sexual desire was the original sin; Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden succumbed to temptation and thus lost paradise. Inherent beauty was also an original sin, as it inevitably tempted human desires. Only by maintaining the purity of body and soul could one serve the Lord Jesus eternally.

At this realization, Aelia suddenly felt ridiculous for being disturbed by a man for the past few days, shaking her peace in the Lord after so many years of dedication.

"Aelio the missionary, your sermon is excellent. I have a question and wish to hear the missionary's answer." A familiar, deep, yet magnetic voice suddenly echoed in the church, causing Aelia's body to tremble instantly. Though she recognized the voice and knew who it belonged to, she had to lift her eyes to look at the newcomer—she couldn't afford to show any trace of herself in this situation.

"This attire! Could it be Bishop William Graham of the Zayik district?... I heard that a knowledgeable bishop has recently been appointed in the district, well-versed not only in every page of the Bible but also experienced in foreign studies..." Whisperings arose among the crowd.

"Who are you?... Your Grace, Bishop?" Before Aelia could decide how to react, Sister Lucy, usually reserved and solemn, dashed towards Graham.

However, Graham did not stop in response to her enthusiasm. His gaze remained fixed on Aelia at the altar, as he walked forward with steady and deliberate steps.

Aelia, standing at the altar, forced herself to remain composed, hating herself for her emotional fluctuations due to inadequate practice. Yet she had to prepare herself mentally for Graham's forthcoming questions. This was a familiar scenario of a teacher questioning a student; five years ago, Aelia had experienced it many times.

"I ask you, in the first book of Genesis in the Bible, what is woman?"

"Woman is taken from man's rib."

"What is woman's sin?"

"The sin of disobeying God's command, the sin of being seduced by desire, influencing man's left and right..."

"Aelio the missionary, you speak well. Continue to spread the doctrine of the Lord."

Watching the Bishop complete his inspection of the work, Aelia, who had just answered questions with tense nerves, finally breathed a sigh of relief. She silently congratulated herself on the simplicity of Graham's questioning compared to five years ago. Meanwhile, Sister Lucy, who had focused her attention entirely on the Bishop, for a brief moment thought she saw a disdainful smile in the Bishop's eyes.

"Oh, and Aelio, your qualifications are still shallow, and your academic studies need to be strengthened. From now on, my attendant will take you to my residence every Friday for tutoring."