This seventh volume contains more pages because more is going on in the little town. You would not believe what people are doing while knowing that the Rapture will whisk them away tomorrow, but I think you will agree that the episodes on these pages are more likely than all-day prayer meetings. We could name a number of reasons for this because they are the same reasons that let us go with the flow on any day and hour. Dare we ask what stands behind that? Is it not disbelief? Events must take place that were scheduled and for which preparations have been made, of course. That this is the last opportunity to experience them is added justification. Naming a few, there is a championship baseball game; there is a craft fair at the park; there are sailing lessons on the lake. Why is there is a secular concert in the church auditorium tonight, supplanting the last of Pastor Murphy's week-long evening services?

We watch the game unfold play-by-play with Homer Foster pitching for the home team and his friend Victoria Martin pitching for rival Herne as they battle for the Youth Autumn League championship title, while Leila Labaki and Harrietta Foster converse in the stands, and home-team manager Earl Clark exchanges provocations with his nemesis Al Cypher.

On this her first sailing lesson Leila learns so quickly that she begins coaching the other sailors, leaving her instructor Earl Clark with nothing to do but admire her. Afterward she joins Evelyn in the baptism event which brings together explosive elements causing Earl to leave town.

The implied or direct focus is always on responses to the imminence of the Parousia, for these books constitute a comprehensive look at the Rapture from every angle. I think we all want to know how it can fit the biblical data and not be silly and unscientific. Though Pastor Murphy has attempted to delve into this realistically, tomorrow morning he will find the real answer. Is he free of doubts today as he thinks about that? Can anyone be free of doubts? Is it really a hoax?

While often discussing theology directly, these books deal in illustrations. Illustrations bring application to life. An illustration need not be unique, but if not even one illustration can be found, the abstract words of the application are not so inspiring. It's like instructions on the page of a cookbook. We must follow the instructions and prepare the food in order to taste it. Deciding whether or not we go ahead and do so may depend on an illustration. Of course experienced cooks taste the food just by skimming the ingredient list. Likewise, commentary writers have no use for illustrations.