Fellowship is Miraculous

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 4

Chapter 1

“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.”

Proverbs 27:9

“Hello, my name is Sharp Iron, son of Hard Iron and Shiny Iron. I am part of a family dynasty of Earth ponies well known as pastors in Equestria for generations. Going back to when my ancestor Wrought Iron stepped off the Mareflower, we have worked hard to bring about the good news of the Gospel to our fellow ponies.”

“Growing up, I always knew that many ponies live their daily lives without any thought for something truly better, perhaps as a consequence of just how idyllic Equestria seems to be. For them, their world started and ended right where they stood, and their thoughts and actions were seen as mostly inconsequential as a result. For me and my best friend Glowing Wool, we knew that if we could reach out to our neighbors, they would no longer despair but instead know more about the Lord our God who created and continues to sustain them, giving them a renewed sense of joy, hope, and purpose. Because of this, both Glowing Wool and I earned our cutie marks in evangelism, and eventually went on to graduate from Equestria’s largest seminary.”

“Neither of us thought we were going to make this large an impact in our youngest years. We were two young Earth ponies, I worked with my family crafting and selling iron tools used across Equestria, and Glowing Wool’s family were sheep farmers who produced wool. Both of our families sat together in church on Sundays, along with a congregation of mostly other Earth ponies. Yeah, there were also a few unicorns and pegasi in our congregation as well, but most Christians in Equestria are Earth ponies, as we naturally tend to be more humbled about who we are given our lack of the others’ abilities. Nonetheless, I eventually became exposed to other ponies over time and learned more about them. By doing so, my abilities to share the Gospel with them became better, as I learned the importance of building bridges in fellowship.”

“Now that I have become the newly appointed lead pastor of our church plant in Ponyville following my father’s retirement, I feel that we have an amazing opportunity to strengthen the local church and lead the folks here into a relationship with Jesus. With Glowing Wool at my side, we both carry an iron-willed determination to carry out God’s will throughout Equestria. Along the way, we run into a whole bunch of different ponies. Earth, unicorn, pegasi, in all shapes, sizes, and colors; nonetheless, all are beloved creations fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God (Psalm 139:14). Among these are a group of young mares, in the early stages of adulthood and trying to find their purpose in life. I am not sure if I will be successful in reaching out to them, but my love for God and neighbor fuels my motivation. Let me tell you about my most recent adventure in Ponyville.”

It’s another beautiful Monday morning here as I took a short walk from my home in Ponyville to First Baptist Church of Ponyville. Yes, we may be the first here, but certainly not the last. Armed with my suitcase of paperwork and lunch from my wife, Sweet Iron (with the help of our son, Sharp Iron Jr.), I walk through the side door of the imposing building and am warmly greeted by our secretary.

“Good morning, Pastor Iron.”

“Good morning to you too, Charity. I hope things have been well for you lately.”

“They certainly have, Pastor. I could really feel God blessing me as I was reading my devotional last night. Who ever thought that I could learn so much about wisdom in daily life?”

“Amen, you know I love to hear things like that, Charity. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be off to join our Pastoral staff in prayer for the next hour.”

“Very well, Pastor. Don’t forget my prayer request.”

“We won’t!”

As I head into the church sanctuary to pray with the stallions who make up our pastoral staff, Charity hears the office phone ring. She proceeds to pick it up.

“Hello, this is Charity speaking from First Baptist Church of Ponyville. How may I help you?”

“Hello, is Pastor Sharp Iron available today? I’ve been wanting to see him about some things, and I had some questions.”

“Well, Pastor Sharp Iron will be in prayer with our staff for the next hour, but he should be available for the rest of the day. Would it be alright if you left your name and number and we called you when he’s ready to see you?”

“Of course! My name is Twilight Sparkle, and you can call me at 555-1234.”

“Perfect! Thank you, Ms. Sparkle and have a nice day!”

As Twilight hung up her phone, she returned to her desk, stacked with many books. Spike came to her side.

“Morning, Twilight.”

Twilight beamed a bright smile at Spike. “Good morning, Spike! I hope you slept well.”

“Sure did, Twilight.” Spike continued to speak as he prepared himself a bowl of Fruity Gems for breakfast. “Looking forward to helping out Rarity today since all my chores around here are checked off.”

“Hope you have fun, Spike.”

As Spike walked into her study, he was astonished by the stacks of books next to her. “Twilight, what are you reading about now?”

“Well Spike, I was up later than usual last night because I was thinking about the idea of metaphysics in this world.”

Spike raised his brow. “Meta-what now?” He often found himself confused by many of the things Twilight studied.

“Spike, metaphysics is the branch of knowledge that deals with one’s being and purpose in this world. ‘Who am I?’ ‘What is my purpose in this world?’ ‘How did we even get in this world?’ I’ve lately found this stuff fascinating.”

“Umm, ok.” Spike wasn’t sure what to make of it. “Have fun! I’ll just be over at the Carousel Boutique if you need me.”

“See you later, Spike.” Twilight then turned back to her books. “There seems to be so much in the way of everypony trying to answer these questions. How do I know which one is correct? Ugh, it’s so overwhelming!” Just then, Twilight’s phone rang again. Twilight went to answer it, this time hearing a male voice on the other end.

“Hello, is this Twilight Sparkle?”

“Hello. Yes, it’s me. You must be that Pastor Sharp Iron I’ve heard about.”

“Yes, I am Pastor Iron. My secretary told me that you had called earlier during our morning prayer time and apparently had some questions for me.”

“It’s true that I have a lot of questions. I want to know more about purpose in life, and where I fit into that. Something’s telling me that there’s more to it than I already know.”

I couldn’t help but smile at this. “Well Twilight, you came to the right place! I’ll be in my office waiting for you, and I’ll be glad to answer any questions you have.”

“Great, see you soon, Pastor.” As Twilight hung up, she begins to get anxious about what to ask. “Oh my! Just what am I going to exactly ask him? What if he judges me for my views?” Twilight took a breath. “Relax, Twilight. You can do this.”

Twilight walks out of the library and towards the church, greeted by a tan-colored stallion with a slicked back, dark-brown mane and tail. He was also wearing a red cardigan with a collared white undershirt, and his brown eyes smiled as he saw Twilight approaching the church.

“Ah, you must be Twilight Sparkle! I am Pastor Sharp Iron. It’s lovely to meet you.” As I give Twilight a hoofshake, she awkwardly greets me.

“Nice to meet you, Pastor. I’m sorry, I just have a lot on my mind right now.”

“Don’t worry, we can step into my office and talk about these things on your mind.”

Chapter 2

“So, what’s your life story, Pastor?” I may have just met Twilight, but I’m already intrigued by her curiosity.

“Well, I’m originally from Irondiana. My family still lives there, I moved to Ponyville a few years ago when our new church plant finally opened after we converted the former warehouse. You know, I was just like you growing up. I was always thinking about what God’s plan for my life was. As it turned out, I was meant to evangelize to everypony. That’s how I got my cutie mark.” I then show my flank to Twilight, which has a picture of a Bible on it.

“Wow, that’s, um, a great story, Pastor.”

“I took my studies as far as enrolling in EBTS, that is, Equestrian Baptist Theological Seminary.” I then point towards my framed degree on the wall. “You know, the Lord doesn’t want us to be trapped in the darkness of ignorance, but rather implores us to be sober-minded and watchful (1 Peter 5:8).”

“That’s nice and all, but I don’t know much about your ‘god.’ What is His purpose for us here? Everyone is Equestria already seems so happy and satisfied. How do we even know there is a god?”

I look across my desk at Twilight. “Well, God created us to serve and glorify Him, so then…”

“Wait, what do you mean by created? Did we not evolve from smaller ponies?” Twilight was taken aback by this. Nopony ever seemed to question this before.

I shook my head. “I’m afraid not. I mean, surely you are aware of just what a complicated, interconnected system this whole universe is, right? The probability of having all this just form by a random accident is next to nothing. In addition, this view presupposes that we ourselves are just a ‘random accident’ too, rendering all morals and purpose as futile including the so-called Elements of Harmony. Rather, I see it that God specifically created the world with an intelligent design in mind, and that every species was created as its own ‘kind’ from the start with a purpose. Nothing can just appear from nowhere; it must have been something created by someone with a specific purpose in mind. The world is no different, Twilight.”

Twilight looked back at me as she was writing down notes. “That’s interesting, but not a lot of other ponies seem to think much about this. At least not in my inner circle.”

“I can’t say I’m surprised by that. You are a unicorn after all, and it seems that most unicorns and pegasi I’ve encountered think that they have no need for God in their lives, given their extra abilities.”

“That may be true in general, Pastor, but even I’ve come to recognize many of my own limitations. It’s something I learned as a student of Princess Celestia.”

I was taken aback. “You mean that you’re a student of Princess Celestia? You must be very gifted to be studying under her tutelage.”

Twilight blushed. “Thanks, it’s an honor to be her student, of course. But this whole purpose thing was really getting to me lately. It’s surprising that you say all this though. Throughout Equestria, everyone seems to be happy and good. Does that not count for anything, Pastor?”

I shook my head. “I wish it did, Twilight, but that’s not the case. Are you familiar with the concept of original sin?”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth. He wanted to be close to us, so he created us to be stewards over the Earth and everything in it. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for us to become deceived by Satan, who lead them astray. As a result, every bad thing that has happened in this world first became possible, because we fell into sin. See, sin refers to any act that is in disobedience towards God, and Satan exploits our desires so then we rebel against God.”

“But why would God create such a wicked being like Satan? Wouldn’t that be endorsing sin?”

“God created Satan, but he was a very different being than he is now. Originally, Satan was one of God’s greatest angels, becoming known as ‘the Day Star’ (Isaiah 14:12). He unfortunately rebelled against God and was cast out. As revenge, Satan wants to lead everypony astray and drag them down with him. He has a wide variety of tools at his disposal to achieve this.”

“I see.”

“Take what you said about most of Equestria, for example. You said that most ponies seem to be constantly content with the world around them. In God’s eyes, this represents a sort of complacency that serves to distract everypony from what God wants for them. Satan exploits this further to cement this complacency in the hearts of everypony. Without a rock solid foundation on which to live their lives, these folks fill that void with the temporary things of this world, and altogether ignore the eternal matter of our Lord.”

Twilight’s horn then lights up. “I’m sorry, can I just get a cup of water from the water cooler? I’m still listening.”

“Of course, Twilight.” As she got up to get some water, I continued my explanation.

“Let’s put it this way: Those who trust in the Lord are wise and have built their lives on a solid foundation of rock, and those who focus on worldly things have built their lives on sand. When something happens in this world, it comes at them like the rain and the wind. Those who trust in God are able to weather that storm, while those who put their trust in worldly, temporary things can and do lose them (Matthew 7:24-27). I mean, you could be rich one day, then lose all your Bits. Or, you could have a big house, and it could be then lost.”

“And that’s why bad things happen to seemingly good ponies, right?” I nodded.

“It’s not about ‘good vs bad,’ because in God’s eyes, all of our works are filthy rags to him (Isaiah 64:6). We are all lost without God, Twilight.”

“Lost?”

“Yes, apart from Him, we are all deserving of Hell. God doesn’t send anyone there; ponies send themselves there because they seeked to live their lives apart from God. In Hell, you are eternally separated from God, and punished for your sins.”

“Yikes, that’s a terrifying prospect.” Twilight continued to write. “But wait, how do we know exactly where Hell is? Is it any different from Tartarus here in Equestria? Also, why would God send anypony there? Could he not simply reform them of their sinful ways?”

“Those are very good questions, Twilight. The truth of the matter is that Hell is much worse than Tartarus could ever be. Since Tartarus is here on Earth, God still maintains some degree of control over it and so it basically serves as a glorified prison here. Hell is different because of a complete absence of God, meaning that one is completely at the mercy of sin and darkness. I doubt that’s a path anypony wants to go down.” I then smile. “The good news is that we no longer have a need to fear about sin’s destructive path. Because God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten son Jesus, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).”

“Tell me more about this ‘Jesus.’ He sounds interesting.”

“Jesus Christ is the son of God, sent by God down to Earth so then we could come to know God more. Everyone was interested by His actions here on Earth, and He was perfect, sinless, and fulfilled the Law entirely. Unfortunately, He also caught the eye of the authorities, whose leadership saw Him as a threat to their power. As a result, they crucified Him, driving nails through His wrists as He was left on that cross to die.”

Twilight winced, knowing well that crucifixion was a particularly brutal execution method that was once prevalent.

“In addition to this crucifixion, many of Jesus’ followers were arrested and driven out of the public sphere. In spite of this, the church still managed to thrive. Amazingly, Jesus didn’t die from this crucifixion, but rather ascended to Heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1). He took that punishment so we not only don’t have to but can also be forgiven for our own sins by trusting in Him alone. That’s why came down to Earth, Twilight. He wanted to be among us and show us His love for us.”

“I wonder why Celestia never mentioned any of this.”

“I certainly have utmost respect for our Princess as a worldly ruler, but she is not our savior Twilight. She did not create you; she does not know all things about you or this world; she did not die for you; and she cannot save anyone. Only God can do these things, Twilight.”

Twilight finished writing. “Wow, pastor. It seems like quite a lot to take in. I need to return home to study more. Thanks for all the notes.”

I smiled at this. “My pleasure Twilight. Just know this one last thing before you go.” Twilight tries to find space on her notepad. “There are three things that a system of belief must have to be fundamentally true. It must be able to explain our origins, it must be able to tell us how we ought to morally live our lives, and it must be able to explain to address the issue of how mankind can be redeemed. Remember that in your studies.”

“Thanks Pastor Iron, I will!” As Twilight headed out the door and back home, I opened my briefcase and began my paperwork.

Meanwhile, Spike was putting away boxes of folded linens for Rarity as he finished up the list of chores. Rarity went over to Spike just after she had finished with a client.

“Well done, darling! Now the fine linens for my upcoming projects are right where they should be.”

Spike blushed as Rarity beamed a bright smile. “Aw shucks, Rarity! Anything for you…” Just as Spike dazed off into his secret crush, he just as quickly snapped out of it when Rarity spoke.

“Spike? Are you… alright?”

“Y-yes, Rarity!”

“Good. I’m just about to close the shop for an hour for lunch. You cannot bring about fabulosity on an empty stomach, you know!” After Rarity hangs a ‘closed’ sign in the door and gave Spike some Bits, she goes into her kitchen and places a small pot of vegetable soup on the stove. “Sweetie Belle and I had this last night. I think it’ll do the trick!” As the soup was reheated, Spike couldn’t help but be lulled by the aroma of the soup. He didn’t know what enticed him more, the soup or the alabaster mare preparing it. As the two of them sat at the table, Rarity began to ask Spike about life.

“So, anything new with you and Twilight?”

“Nothing much with me. Twilight had nothing for me to do at the library today, so I came over here to help. Though Twilight seems to be reading up about this, uh, ‘metaphysics’ thing or whatever it was.”

“Whatever do you mean, Spike?” Rarity became intrigued.

Spike shrugged. “Oh, you know. Something about our meaning and purpose in life, I dunno.”

“Purpose in life? I thought that was established when we received our cutie marks.”

“I know, but she, uh, seems to think that there’s more to it than just that, apparently. She went to talk about it with this pastor dude. I think his name was Sharp Iron or something like that.”

“You mean from that church up the street? When did Twilight start going there?”

“Oh, this is just a visit with their pastor to answer these questions.”

Rarity stood up. “Well, I’ll have you know Spike that while I was in Manehatten, folks from his church would always accost me at simply the worst times out on the streets! I simply have no time for those predators.”

“P-predators?! I mean, they seemed kind of odd to me, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say that, Rarity.”

Rarity glared down at Spike. “Do not let Twilight be sucked into this! They will simply turn her into one of their minions! Besides, we already have our cutie marks and our magic, so I don’t think we need to be told what our ‘purpose’ is.”

Spike nodded. “Okay, Rarity. I’ll be sure to speak with Twilight about this.”

After Spike finished his soup, he returned home to find Twilight, hunched over her desk as usual.

“Hey Twilight.”

“Hey Spike. How was it at the Carousel Boutique today?”

“It went well. I got all the chores done, and she gave me these Bits and some vegetable soup, so you don’t have to worry about lunch for me.”

“That’s mighty generous of her, Spike.”

Spike chuckled. “Yeah, it was. She also asked about you and I told her about your visit to the church. She told me to tell you that you should be careful. Apparently they’re ‘vultures’ and ‘want to suck you in.’”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Now, now Spike. They may seem strange to us, but we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Pastor Sharp Iron seemed like a very nice stallion and explained all my questions in quite some depth. Here are my notes.” Twilight handed Spike her notebook, filled with detailed notes of our earlier discussion.

“Wow, this Pastor Sharp Iron seems to know a lot. What does he mean by all this, though?”

Twilight chuckled. “Oh Spike, I know it seems like a lot to take in, even I feel that way. No worries, I’m sure we can arrange to meet with Pastor Sharp Iron. Perhaps so you can get acquainted with him and see that he’s just a normal pony like the rest of us.”

“Well, if you say so. I just don’t know what to say to the guy. Won’t he think I’m some kind of heretic or something.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it. Pastor Iron is kind and benevolent, based on my meeting with him. In fact, I think I can set something up where we can meet with him.”

Chapter 3

The next day, Twilight and Spike are sitting at Sugarcube Corner, waiting to meet with a certain somepony during her lunch break.

Twilight greeted her. “Oh good Rarity, you’re here!”

“Nice to catch up, Rarity.” Rarity bends down and pinches Spike’s cheeks.

“Ooh, how could I forget about my Spikey-Wikey!” Spike laughs as Rarity brings out her affection for the young dragon. Just then, a familiar pink pony came up to them.

“Hi guys! Glad to see you here!”

The three of them greeted her in unison. “Hi Pinkie Pie!”

“You guys are in luck! We just whipped up these super-yummy cupcakes. Would you like some?”

Rarity smiled. “Yes please, Pinkie. I believe we’ll take three. One for myself, Twilight, and Spike.”

“You better make that four, Pinkie!” The other two were expecting me, but not Rarity. Another pony looks over at me.

“Hey, Pastor Sharp Iron!”

“Hey, Sundance! I hope you’re able to come out to tonight’s Bible study.”

“I will!”

Rarity looked at Twilight in shock. “Uh, what is he doing here?”

“Oh, well, Spike told me about what you told him, so I set this meeting up to clear the air between you two. I’m telling you, Rarity, he’s not a bad guy.”

Rarity’s eyed narrowed. “Hmmm.”

“Hey, Pastor Sharp Iron! How are you doing today?!” Pinkie Pie gave a friendly smile as I went up to the counter.

“Too blessed to be stressed! By the way, your cupcakes were a hit at the church potluck. You ought to keep bringing them.”

Pinkie grinned. “Okie dokie lokie, Pastor!”

Rarity put her hoof to her forehead. “Don’t tell me Pinkie Pie goes there.”

Twilight winced. “She probably just delivered cupcakes there; perhaps he can tell us about that. Oh, here he comes! Hello, Pastor!”

“Twilight, Spike.” I then look over at the third guest. “And you must be Rarity. I am pleased that you could come out today.”

Rarity blushed as she shook my hoof. “Nice to, uh, meet you, Pastor.” I could already tell that she was quite hesitant about this.

“So, I hear that you’ve run into some of our members while out and about in Manehatten, am I right?”

Rarity puts on an embarrassed face. “So, I guess Twilight told you about that, Right?”

“Yes, she did.”

Rarity sighs. “Look, Pastor, you seem like a lovely stallion and all, but those ponies made absolute fools of themselves doing what they did and made me feel uncomfortable! I mean, how could anypony do that to themselves! Not to mention they were preying on others.”

I chuckled. “They didn’t do it to themselves, they simply did it for God, just as they were called to do. And I wouldn’t call reaching out to others with the Gospel ‘predatory.’ It was simply an act of love for those around them. You should be thankful that they took the time to tell you about how you can be saved.”

“Saved? Whatever do you mean, Pastor Iron?” Rarity raised her eyebrow. I was about to explain when Pinkie Pie came out with a tray of cupcakes.

“Here are your four frosted cupcakes!” Pinkie’s grin could always light up a room.

“Thank you, Pinkie.” As we say this in unison, I look outside and see the warm sun shining upon glistening grass.

“Hey, why don’t we eat outside? It looks like a very nice day out there. Pinkie, you could even join us.”

Pinkie Pie grinned. “Sounds great! Mr. and Mrs. Cake, I’m going on my lunch break!”

“Alright, Pinkie! We’ll see you in an hour!” Two middle aged ponies, one blue and the other yellow, came out and immediately recognized me from supplying our potlucks.

“Good afternoon to you, Pastor Sharp Iron! It’s lovely to see you again!”

I smiled at Mrs. Cake’s greeting. “Lovely to be here today! I’m just taking these folks to tell them more about what I was called to do. By the way, great cupcakes last Sunday! The congregation loved them.”

Mr. Cake smiled sheepishly. “Well, thank you. It was our pleasure.”

The others agreed to my plan and Pinkie put our cupcakes into a paper bag. She even joined us upon my invitation. Now that we found a spot under a nearby tree. Now that we set up there, all we need to do now is…

“Say grace?” The four of them seem confused by the concept.

“Well, before we eat, we ought to give thanks to God, for He has blessed us with this food.”

“Oh, um, sure thing.”

I then look at the four. “Just close your eyes and remain silent.” Just as I was about to start, Pinkie was about to shove a whole cupcake into her mouth. “Ahem, Pinkie.”

“Whoops, sorry Pastor!”

As they then obliged, I began to pray.

“Dear Heavenly Father, we just want to thank you for this time we have to come together and learn more about you and your truth. Lord, I pray that you may open the eyes and ears of my friends here in Equestria to your Word and that they may come to know you more. I also want to thank you for this food, Lord I pray that you may bless it to our bodies and that we may bring glory to you. Thank you and I pray this in your name, Amen.”

Once we settled in, I resumed my explanation from earlier.

“So, you were asking me about salvation, right?” Rarity nodded. “Well, I can explain this with the 5 Gs: God, Guilt, Grace, Gratitude, and Glory. God made everypony in His image and because of that, we all owe Him obedience (Genesis 1:1). However, we are also guilty because we have sinned and fallen short (Romans 3:23).”

“Sinned?”

“Yes, any act of disobedience against God is sin. All the bad things you see in this world are the consequence of our sin.”

“Hmmph. Well, I don’t think I’m quite like that, darling.”

“Yeah, doesn’t the goodness of everypony outshine that?!” Pinkie Pie was quick to agree, as was Spike.

“Yeah, I’m not such a bad guy!”

Twilight gently prodded the others. “Come on guys, just let him explain further.”

I then look at them with a raised eyebrow. “So, none have you have ever lied? Or stolen anything? Or cheated? Or said mean things about other ponies? Or have an unhealthy wanting for things others have?” None of them had much to say, because once they thought about it for a minute, they realized that they were all guilty of these and other things. “Not to mention, our so-called good works will not save you from your sins.”

“What do you mean, Pastor? Everypony seems to look really pleased by our good works.” Pinkie Pie had an innocent glimmer to her eyes, but I refused to give in to that.

“That may be true, Pinkie, but in the eyes of God our works are seen as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). We could never meet anything like God’s standard of righteousness, no matter how hard we try on our own. It’s simply futile.” I decided to use an analogy that may help them understand this and the next part.

“Girls, and Spike. Imagine that somepony got arrested and was found guilty of numerous crimes, and it’s a long list of crimes.”

The four others nodded. “Go on.”

“The pony is stuck with a difficult situation. He either must pay a fine so high that he cannot possibly afford it or spend the rest of his life in prison. However, someone else then bursts into the courtroom and somehow pays this fine on the guilty pony’s behalf. Suddenly, the pony is no longer guilty, but rather is free. What I mean is that the pony’s list of charges is like our sins, and the prisoner-to-be is each of us, and the one who paid the fine for him would be like Jesus because only He is sinless and can atone for our sins through His grace.”

“Tell us more about Jesus, He sounds like a cool dude for doing that!” I gave Spike a smile for his excitement.

“Certainly. Jesus knew that we could never save ourselves, so he came down to Earth and took the penalty for our sins. He was crucified…”

“Crucified?” Pinkie, Rarity, and Spike were unsure of what that term meant. Twilight turned towards them to explain.

“So, crucifixion refers to an ancient execution method where somepony is nailed to a t-shaped wooden cross where they are then left to die. Unfortunately, the practice was once quite common.”

The other three winced at the thought of it. I continued my explanation.

“So yes, Jesus was crucified as punishment for our sins, past, present, and future. However, not even death could stop Him; because He was sinless, it also meant that he could not die but was rather resurrected soon after and now sits at the right hand of God. This is the grace that He extended to us.”

“Whoa, I never thought of it that way. You mean that this Jesus would do all that just for us?!” I couldn’t help but smile at Pinkie. It’s not often that I see somepony get this excited about our Lord.

“Yes, and that’s the grace component, where only God alone can save us as we are justified by His grace (Romans 3:24-26). Because of this, we ought to owe our gratitude to the Lord.”

“How ever can we do this, Pastor? Did you not say earlier that our works hold no merit in the eyes of God?” Rarity had a point there, as I did mention that.

“Even though our own works cannot save us, we still ought to surrender ourselves to Him and live according to His will for us. Any works that come out of that simply happen to be a sign of us bearing good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit (Luke 6:44). From there, we then live to glorify God in all our thoughts and deeds. We will be gradually sanctified and edified to become more like Him.”

Rarity paused for a moment, then spoke out. “So, you mean those ponies I saw on the Streets of Manehatten…”

“This was exactly what they wanted to share with you and everypony. They wanted to welcome others to hear this good news, just as Christ had welcomed them. Even in a more difficult spot to speak the truth about God, they knew that the Lord was using them to bring about His glory in new places.”

“Hmmm. Pastor Sharp Iron, I think I need to head back to the Carousel Boutique to think this all over. I thank you for telling me this and clearing up some misconceptions.”

“Well, I’m glad I could help explain this, Rarity. Please let me know if you have any more questions.”

Rarity smiled and waved as she trotted away. “Of course, Pastor. Ta-ta!”

“Oh, look at the time! I don’t want to be tardy again!” Pinkie shot up from her spot and shook my hand rapidly. “Thank you, Pastor! I enjoyed this afternoon with you!”

“Glad I could share the good news. Please let me know if you have any further questions.”

“Okie dokie lokie!” Next thing I knew, an energetic pink blur zoomed off into the distance before I could say more. I was now just left with Twilight and Spike.

“Well, did you two feel like you learned something new?”

Twilight smiled. “Of course, Pastor. It seems to make sense now, that we do have a purpose and should be living for it!”

“Yeah, I think you seem to be onto something. I mean, Twilight was thinking about this whole meta… meta…”

“Metaphysics, Spike.”

“Thank you. Yeah, it seems that she’s now a lot closer to finding her answer.”

I grinned as Spike concurred with Twilight. “Well, I thank God for bringing us all together! If either of you have questions, please let me know.”

“We will, Pastor. Thanks for coming out.” As Twilight finished, I shook her hoof. I also shook Spike’s hand, after which we then parted ways. Twilight and Spike back to the library, and myself back to the church.

Chapter 5

The next day, Rarity and Fluttershy were on their weekly spa date. For the both of them, it was a relaxing way to wind down after each week. However, their usually topical spa discussions were pre-empted in favor of Fluttershy telling Rarity about our encounter yesterday as they sat in a mud bath.

“Whoa, darling. That’s quite a family history for Pastor Sharp Iron.”

“I know, I never knew that it was so instrumental in Equestria’s history. Do you think you and Twilight are the descendants of those unicorns aboard the Mareflower?”

Rarity paused for a second. “Well, I know that my ancestors would’ve remained in Canterlot at that time because we established a fashion house that’s still operating there today. We couldn’t have arrived here until much later. Twilight on the other hand, I don’t honestly know. Perhaps we should tell her about this so we can find out.”

“Sounds like a good plan, Rarity.”

After they left the spa, they went over to the library to see Twilight. Fluttershy didn’t want to have to explain the same things over again, so she handed Twilight her notes.

“Wow, that’s quite an interesting personal touch to our history. Even though I’ve read just about every book there is about Equestria’s history, it’s interesting to hear it from the perspective of Ponyville’s earliest known clergystallion.”

“Why yes, darling. Even though I doubt my family came to Ponyville this way, perhaps yours might have.”[

Twilight laughed. “I don’t think so. I mean, I only came to Ponyville a few years ago when Princess Celestia wanted me to learn how to live among regular ponies. Before that, we spent our whole lives in Canterlot. Perhaps a visit to the town archives might clear things up. Spike!”

“Yes Twilight?”

“Can you keep watch of the library? We need to see Mayor Mare about something important.”

“Oh, okay Twilight.”

“Great, we’ll be back soon!”

As the three mares entered the town hall, they were greeted by the tired gray stallion at the front desk.

“Can I help you three?”

Twilight spoke up. “We needed to see Mayor Mare to get access to the town’s archives.”

The stallion sighed. “Do you have an appointment?”

“Well, no…”

“Sorry, Mayor Mare is busy with her duties and requires an appointment in advance. Have a nice day.”

“But…”

Just as Twilight was about to object, Mayor Mare came down from her office. “Ah, it’s nice to get your duties done ahead of time! Oh, hello Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rarity! How can I help you three today?”

“Hello Mayor Mare! The three of us need to access the town archives to be able to answer some questions. Would we be able to take a look?”

“Why certainly! I’ll take you back to the public archives; I hope it clears up any questions.”

The three smiled and spoke in unison. “Thanks, Mayor Mare!” As they headed back, the gray stallion turned towards them.

“Wait! You need an appointment to…”

“Don’t you have those reports to file, Mr. Solimaire?” Mayor Mare and the others caught the bureaucrat with a game of solitaire on his computer. He became flustered as Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rarity laughed.

“Uh… yes, your worship. I’m on it!”

As they went into the archives, they pulled out several folders. One of these was marked ‘Ponyville records: Pre-1900, Volume 1.’ As they sifted through the laminated records, some of which were hard to read by now, Twilight found just what they needed.

“I found it, girls! The first Ponyville census.”

Rarity became antsy. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s take a look at it, then.”

“Yes, let’s take a look.” As Fluttershy also wanted to see it, Twilight held the page in front of them.

Twilight was musing aloud, so Rarity and Fluttershy could follow along. “Hmmm, let’s see. There’s Wrought Iron here, and both the Apple and Pie family are recorded, so Pinkie Pie and Applejack’s ancestors were clearly among the same stock of Canterlot’s Earth pony underclass. They’re even listed as having arrived on the Mareflower, which is on the next page. I don’t see my family name, which basically confirms what I already knew. Hold on, Rarity!”

“Yes, Twilight?”

“Take a look at this.” Rarity was surprised by what she saw.

“Wait just a minute. So, my ancestors arrived on the Mareflower too?!”

“It seems so. According to this, Elusive Belle is counted among the census, and she arrived from Canterlot via the Mareflower.”

“But that’s impossible! My family was always in Canterlot with the other unicorns.”

Fluttershy then spoke up. “Umm, well, Pastor Sharp Iron did say that some unicorns also joined him on the migration.”

“Rarity, perhaps there’s more in your family’s folder. It should be in section A-F over there.” Twilight then pointed Rarity to the section containing her family’s folder. As she retrieved it and opened it, the three studied it further.

“Okay, here we are: ‘Elusive Belle, born as a unicorn in Canterlot among the affluent merchant class. Established the original Carousel Boutique and worked as a renowned seamstress. Her innate generosity meant that she sympathized with Canterlot’s Earth pony-dominated underclass and would provide them with clothing that would be more than the rags on their backs. Elusive grew disillusioned with the way her fellow unicorns were treating these Earth ponies and decided to go with them and help establish Ponyville Colony. From there, she continued to provide clothing and linens to the colonists as she opened a second Carousel Boutique and taught several of the colonists how to make their own clothes. As the Equestrian Civil War broke out, she returned back to Canterlot to resume her operations safely and would remain there for the rest of her life, leaving the 2nd Carousel Boutique in the hands of her unicorn daughter, Destiny Belle. It was here that the uniforms for Celestia’s Royal Ponyville Militia were made, in addition to most of the other clothing worn by the colonists.'”

“Wow, Twilight. I never knew any of that about myself. I guess Elusive and Destiny would’ve been known to Pastor Iron’s ancestor, uh, what was his name again?”

“Wrought Iron.”

“Thanks.”

“Hey, is there any information about mine or Rainbow Dash’s families from that time?” Fluttershy’s curiosity had been piqued.

Twilight sighed. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Fluttershy. From what I’ve read, the leaders of the Pegasus Empire knew they would be captured in the last days of the war, so that was when they went full out and wanton executed just about anypony who wasn’t a pegasus for the most absurd reasons, even if they were civilians.”

“Which must’ve been how they got Wrought Iron.”

“Exactly. They also set fire to their archives out of fear the Kingdom of Equestria would know their secret information and use it against them. A pity, as they were meticulous record keepers and much of the early pegasus knowledge and history was lost in seemingly an instant. Even if there are records for you and Rainbow Dash, it would be information from much later. I don’t see it being relevant to this.”

“I understand, Twilight.”

“Perhaps we should get back to talking with Pastor Sharp Iron about this.” Fluttershy and Rarity nodded in agreement as they left the town hall.

Chapter 6

Fluttershy was up in Cloudsdale later that day, waiting for Rainbow Dash to finish up her shift controlling the local weather. While she waited, she had the notes she took from my last discussion with her. She was anxious about how Rainbow Dash would react to hearing this.

Fluttershy shakes her head. “I simply can’t believe that what’s around me was built upon the slavery of other ponies.” Even though the pegasi had long shed their brutish past, many still looked down on other types of ponies. For them, their history as feared warriors remained a sacred cow-like idol.

“Hey Fluttershy! Glad you could make it.”

“Hey, Rainbow Dash. I thought I could talk to you about what Pastor Sharp Iron was talking to me about, especially our history. It’s been bugging me, lately.”

Dozens of heads turned towards Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Do they dare question Cloudsdale’s achievements?

Rainbow Dash blushed. “Heheh, I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about. Perhaps we could take this discussion to my house.” The two pegasi quickly flew back to Rainbow Dash’s house.

“So, what exactly did Pastor Iron tell you, Fluttershy?"

“Well, he told me about how his ancestor Wrought Iron settled in Ponyville, and how our Pegasus Empire ancestors were so cruel to them.”

Rainbow Dash looked surprised. “The Pegasus Empire?! You mean some of the toughest warriors in our history?!”

“Now Rainbow Dash, I’m sure he wasn’t trying to blame either of us… Wait, where are you going?” Just as Rainbow Dash was about to rush out the door, she turned towards Fluttershy.

“To give Pastor Iron a piece of my mind!” As Rainbow Dash zipped out the door, Fluttershy struggled to keep up.

“Wait for me, Rainbow Dash!” Once they got to Ponyville, it didn’t take long for them to find my church by spotting the church steeple that towered above the rest of Ponyville. As they entered the church lobby, they caught the attention of my secretary.

“Hello, welcome to First Baptist Church of Ponyville! How may I assist you?”

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy went up to Charity’s desk. “Hi, we need to speak with Pastor Sharp Iron now.”

Charity smiled. “Let me see if he’s available. One moment, please!” Soon after, I came out to greet them.

“Why, hello! Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash! How can I help you two?”

“Fluttershy told me about what you told her, and I’ll have you know that us pegasi are the strongest, fastest, and toughest out there!”

I was taken aback Rainbow Dash. “Hmmm, well, perhaps this is something we can all discuss in my office. There’s no need to get all worked up.” The two pegasi follow me back to my office.

“So, where would you like to start, Rainbow Dash?”

“Let’s see, uh, perhaps everything!”

I sigh. “Okay, I was thinking of something a little more specific than that. Have a detail you want to discuss?”

Rainbow Dash paused. “Hmmm. Okay, how about the part where you encounter the Pegasus Empire! They surely weren’t that bad! They couldn’t have been!”

I give Rainbow Dash a disappointed look. “Rainbow Dash, I’m honestly surprised you’re saying this. I mean, you were probably sitting in the same history class as Fluttershy when they taught about this. Surely, they taught you about these things I told Fluttershy.”

“But Pastor, I learned too that we were the best ponies. I too was shocked by what you said.” Fluttershy’s defense was fair, as she was actually surprised by a lot of what I said earlier.

“Well, here are the words of his journal, passed down through the generations.” I open up a book titled ‘Iron Family History’ and lay it on my desk. “I’m sure what you find here will be consistent with what I told Fluttershy.”

The pegasi were amazed as they read it. “Whoa, so you really were right about what Pastor Iron told you.” Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, I mean it’s not only shaped the early history of modern-day Equestria, but also shaped the spiritual life of my own family. Remember this, Rainbow Dash, the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).”

“The wages of sin is death?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”

“It’s simple, ladies. Any thought or act that goes against God is sinful, and a combination of pride, greed, and wrath caused the old Pegasus Empire to collapse following the Civil War, once the consequences of those sins came to pass. They may have claimed the life of my ancestor Wrought Iron among thousands of others, but his legacy and our family’s faith still holds strong today. Meanwhile, the former Pegasus Empire is largely forgotten, exacerbated by the fact that most of their records from that time are considered as lost.”

Rainbow Dash looked at me like I was crazy. “No, it can’t be. Many of us pegasi look up to them as gods.”

“And they’ve clearly failed as gods because they not only gave into sin, but also have ceased to exist. Only the true God of the Universe is both sinless and eternal in nature. Not that I blame the pegasi for believing their propaganda, but just because the majority is doing something doesn’t make it automatically right.” At this point, an angered Rainbow Dash tries to lunge towards me, only to suddenly look down in disappointment.

“D’oh, I can’t attack someone like you. Look, I know that mine and Fluttershy’s ancestors weren’t perfect, but they still mean a lot to us. Do you have any idea how humiliating it was for us to have it all in the Empire, only to lose it and then find ourselves subject to the rule of Canterlot?!” Fluttershy put her hoof over Rainbow Dash’s shoulder for comfort.

“I sure do, Rainbow Dash. A few years prior to the Civil War, Wrought Iron along with his family and followers settled what is now Ponyville. They originally grew up in the slums adjacent to Canterlot but left because they were looked down upon by the Canterlot elites. Sure, they weren’t warmongers like the Pegasus Empire, but the shame and ridicule many heaped upon them eventually became too much. It still didn’t stop us from establishing Ponyville and doing great things.”

Rainbow Dash smiled. “Is that so? My ancestors were some of the Empire’s best athletes, always winning and staying on top. I guess it runs in the family.”

The three of us then chuckled. “Right. See, it’s not a bad thing you admire your ancestors, and I bet many were good ponies. That said, we ultimately ought to give thanks to the Lord, for He is eternal, He is sinless, and He sustains all of us as the giver of life. There’s no use in making an idol of created ponies as they are none of those things. Rather, we are commanded to give praise and worship to our Creator for those reasons.

“You mean that someone created everypony and this whole world?”

“Why, yes. It’s not like something as complex as these things are could just appear from nowhere. And because we were created by God with a purpose, it also means that each of us has a purpose in life, which is to bring glory to God in all that we…”

“Now hold up! Your saying that God created all of this? How come I can’t see God?”

“Well, Rainbow Dash, those are very good questions. We cannot see God with the naked eye because God is a spirit, and we must worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). As for…”

“Wait, how can a spirit be male?”

“May I finish explaining, Rainbow Dash?” Rainbow Dash nods.

“It is true that a spirit technically has no gender as we know it and that God transcends gender in that way, but God cannot be an ‘it’ because God wants a personal relationship with each of us. We cannot relate to, or obey, an ‘it.’ Furthermore, those who grow up in life without a male rule-giver are likely to do great harm to others. Just look at all the colts and fillies who grow up without a stallion father-figure, it’s like that with us and God.” Rainbow Dash looked away uncomfortably; throughout her years at flight school as well as during her Wonderbolt training, she’s met several of those who grew up without a father figure.

“God is also described in male terms because simply, everypony is much more likely to obey a male authority figure. If that can be attached to traits like mercy, compassion, and caring for the downtrodden, they will more likely emulate them. This is why even for those without a father figure, God serves as an effective, if not better substitute, because God is also sinless in nature.”

“Well, when you put it that way, Pastor, I guess it would be nice if more ponies were like that. I just… I already have plenty of faith in myself. Just look at all the awards I have on my wall.”

I remained unconvinced. “Rainbow Dash, when you go to stand before God, none of that will matter.”

“Huh, why not?! Wouldn’t He have seen all my achievements, being the creator of all things, as you claim?”

“See them, yes. Know about them, yes. Using that as a way to be saved? No.”

“But Pastor…”

“Don’t make idols out of these things. Your pride has caused you to focus on created, worldly things and elevate them above our God the creator. Again, when you stand before God and give an account for your life, none of those things are relevant. Rainbow Dash, I want you to think about this one thing. You too, Fluttershy.”

Both mares nodded.

“Even among those who claim the Lord as their own, not all will be saved and enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do His will. Many will claim that they did all these things in His name, but the Lord truly knows their hearts, and will turn them away from Him because they continued down a path of sin (Matthew 7:21-23). Now, what does that tell you about someone who disregards the Lord altogether and makes an idol of worldly things? You would both be wise to think about this in your life.”

“Yes, Pastor.”

“Alright then. It is always better to build one’s house on rock than it is to build on sand. The things of this world are like the sand. They can be ‘washed away’ and lost in an instant. Just look at the old Pegasus Empire as an example. They were once a feared military power, but because they put their trust in the things of this world, it was all lost once the Civil War ended and they had nothing left to stand on. God wants better for us, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.”

Rainbow Dash looked at me uncomfortably. “You have a good point about that, it’s just… I never thought that God would want someone like me. I’m brash, I’m bold, and I play by my own rules. How could He make use of that?”

I looked at Rainbow Dash with concerned eyes. “Now don’t you say that. Being bold is an essential part of being a Christian, because the righteous are bold as a lion (Proverbs 28:1). Sounds pretty bold and brash to me. Also, following God means to be sanctified by Him, where we begin to emulate His virtues in our lives. It’s all part of the free gift of salvation, which is available to all who wish to renounce sin and take up their cross.”

“Take up you cross?”

I then hand the mares copies of the New Testament as well as a study guide. “Here, perhaps you should take these. The guide will be able to help you with these things more. I wish I could chat more, but I have to fill out this paperwork. Please reach out if you have any questions. Oh, also tomorrow evening we have our young adult Bible study at 7. Why don’t you and your friends come out?”

“Thanks, Pastor. We’ll think about it.”

Fluttershy then gently nudges Rainbow Dash. “Uhh, yeah, thanks.” The two then head straight over to Twilight’s to stew over all this.

Chapter 7

“Can you believe that guy?! Using all his fancy-schmancy knowledge to rub salt in my wounds and downplay all my achievements?! What an egghead!” Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy stood passively by as Rainbow Dash ranted.

“Look, Rainbow Dash, he didn’t mean to do that, he just wanted you to not see those things as the end all and be all in life.”

Fluttershy agreed. “Yeah, Rainbow Dash. He was also being so nice to us.”

Rainbow Dash looked over at them angrily. “Don’t tell me you’re now defending him!”

“Just calm down, Rainbow Dash. Breathe in, and out.” Fluttershy at least managed to calm her friend down before she lost her temper. “Now look, Pastor Sharp Iron wasn’t attacking us as a whole, he was just describing what had happened in the past. He personally said to me that I wasn’t at fault for this, so neither are you.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I think I’ll stick with faith in myself and my achievements, thank you very much! I don’t need him or anyone to tell me what I’m worth.” A peeved Rainbow Dash then heads on home.

Twilight shrugged her shoulders. “Gee, what’s gotten into her?”

Fluttershy winced. “She’s always been that way, don’t worry too much. Though what if the Pastor is right? What if there’s more to life than what’s around us?”

“Yeah, perhaps this is something we should ask Princess Celestia about. We already know that she has a history with the Iron family.” The two of them left the library and hoofed it over to Celestia’s palace. Along the way, they stopped by Sweet Apple Acres and were greeted by Applejack.

“Howdy Twilight, Fluttershy.”

“Hey, Applejack.”

“May I ask where you two are heading off to?”

Twilight smiled. “We’re off to see Celestia because we were wondering about what she knows about the Iron family…”

“Ah yes, the Iron family.” Just hearing their name brought a smile to Applejack’s face. “They supplied our family for centuries with the finest iron and iron tools in all of Equestria.”

Fluttershy then spoke up. “Right. Well, we were recently speaking with Pastor Sharp Iron about some things and wanted to talk to Celestia about it.”

Applejack then lost her smile. “Sharp Iron? You mean the son of Pastor Hard Iron? I haven’t heard from him in a few years.”

Twilight then answered. “Well, from what I know Pastor Hard Iron is now retired. Sharp Iron has taken over as Lead Pastor.”

“Right. Well, you and Fluttershy pass on the Apple Family’s regards.” Applejack looked away with a sad look as she made this request.

Twilight looked concerned. “Applejack, are… are you alright?”

“I’m fine, thanks.”

“Well, tomorrow night he’s doing a Bible study, and…”

“I said I’m fine! Please.”

Twilight and Fluttershy shrugged. “Well, ok. Please let us know if you need anything.”

Applejack let out a grunt. As Twilight and Fluttershy hoofed away, Applejack shuddered as she hid behind an apple tree with a tear coming out her eye.

“How could God have allowed these things to happen my family?” Applejack wept quietly as memories of the tragedy that struck her a few years back resurfaced.

After gathering Rarity and Pinkie Pie, the four of them bowed before Princess Celestia as they stood in her presence.

Celestia smiled warmly. “Hello, my loyal subjects. How may I help you today?”

Twilight then spoke up. “My dear Princess, we have spoken recently with Pastor Sharp Iron from that church.”

“Ah yes, Pastor Sharp Iron. We communicate regularly as he serves as an advisor on religious freedom in Equestria and abroad. He and his family have been an upstanding presence in my Kingdom going back hundreds of years. I still remember when his ancestor Wrought Iron was among the signatories of the Marena Carta. Since then, he and his descendants have provided a sense of hope and purpose for many Equestrians.”

“We’ve heard all about them, your Majesty. We even looked over Ponyville’s records and they confirmed what he told us about his family. Princess, we come before you because we have been told that there’s more to life than what’s immediately around us. I’ve been reading books about so-called ‘metaphysics’ and I credit Pastor Iron with his advice. That said, I am still overwhelmed by all this, as he even claimed that you are not our savior, nor did you create any of us; nor know all things about you or this world; nor that you died for everypony; nor can you provide salvation. He said that only God can do this.”

Celestia nods. “Twilight, I am well aware of the Iron family’s teachings. That said, it is true that I am not like those things.”

The four looked on in surprise. “You’re not?!”

“I am afraid it is true. I never intended to be worshiped as an idol, as my abilities are limited to merely interacting with what is already created. I did not create the sun and Earth, nor did my dear sister Luna create the moon. Pastor Iron is right in that there is more to life than our immediate surroundings and possessions. I would certainly encourage you to continue to learn more about these things and dwell on them. Perhaps your Elements of Harmony could be related to this.”

“Wow, thank you, your Majesty!” As the four of them bowed one last time in reverence, they all headed home for the day.

That night, all of the Mane Six were asleep, and all of them slept peacefully. All of them except Rainbow Dash, of course. Her tossing and turning was nothing compared to her dreaming.

“Whoa, where am I?!” In this dream, Rainbow Dash found herself alone in a dark room. She was well known for her brash and cocky nature, but now she felt neither of those things. She was quivering, unaccustomed to feeling so vulnerable and defenseless. She couldn’t help but be consumed by dread; the room was darker than a coal mine and none of her friends were by her side. Suddenly, a bright light pierced through the darkness.

“Who’s there?!” Rainbow Dash was greeted by this strange being, unlike anypony she had ever seen. This being approached Rainbow Dash and dressed her in a bright white garment, totally unblemished by sin.

“Rainbow Dash. Do not be afraid, my child.”

“How do you know my name?”

“Rainbow Dash, I am an angel and a servant of the Lord our God. I was sent here to warn you, so then you could warn your friends. Come with me, now.” Before Rainbow Dash could say anything else, the two of them were whisked away into a whole new place. Rainbow Dash was amazed by the sight.

“Where are we? This place is so beautiful and peaceful!”

The angel immediately responded. “Rainbow Dash, we are standing outside Heaven, where God’s Kingdom resides. All of those who accepted Jesus into their hearts come hear when God calls them home. Rainbow Dash, do you see that pony over there?” As the angel pointed, Rainbow Dash squinted her eyes. She immediately recognized the mare standing before God.

“Tha… That’s Surprise, my fellow Wonderbolt! She just died in that accident while training not long ago.”

“Correct, Rainbow Dash.” As the two of them looked ahead, God was speaking directly to Surprise as she gave an account of her life.

“Surprise, in spite of your sins you have come to accept me as your savior and had all your sins washed away. For that, your name was recorded in the Book of Life and you have eternal life in me. Welcome home, my child. Well done!”

As Surprise entered God’s Kingdom, Rainbow Dash tried to call out to her. “Hey, Surprise! It’s me, Rainbow Dash! Hello! Can’t you hear me?”

The angel turned to Rainbow Dash. “She cannot see or hear you, my child. To abide in God means you cannot abide in worldly sin.”

Rainbow Dash looked down in guilt. “And to think, I used to tease her when she was reading her Bible in the barracks.”

“That said, God has His plans for your friend as he does for all. Come along, I have something else to show you.”

Rainbow Dash and the angel looked into another part of Heaven. “Rainbow Dash, over there is Wrought Iron, one who used his God-given gift to bring many others to glory, all the way to the moment he was martyred for his faith. Because he asked for forgiveness of his sins, he now abides in God’s presence.” Rainbow Dash squinted, making out a silhouette of the stallion ancestor of Pastor Sharp Iron. He was singing God’s praises.

“Wow, Pastor Sharp Iron wasn’t lying about any of this!” As Rainbow Dash expressed her amazement, the angel once again spoke.

“My child, it is written that: ‘Whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven’ (Matthew 5:19). Not only was he saved, but his zeal for the Lord has brought many others to God.”

The angel then frowned. “Now come along. I have something else to show you. Something completely different.” Before she knew it, the two of them were in a completely different place. It was nothing like Heaven. As she heard sounds of screaming and weeping, Rainbow Dash became scared.

“Where are we now?! Everything looks and sounds so terrifying!” Not far from where they stood, many millions of ponies were suffering in eternal torment from the complete absence of God. It was noisy and chaotic, completely free of God’s orderliness.

“Rainbow Dash, we stand before Hell. They all refused to ask God to forgive their sins and let Him into their hearts; they must stay here for they cannot abide in a perfect, holy, and just God. There are some people here you know.” Rainbow Dash winced, as she recognized a few of them. One in particular caught her attention.

“Is that… Commander Hurricane?!” Rainbow Dash froze in horror at the sight. All her life she looked up to Commander Hurricane as a symbol of power, wealth, and strength. Here, he had none of those things. His gaunt appearance was highlighted by the numerous scars all over him. He was being constantly attacked by these ugly demonic creatures while being reminded of his sins from when he was still alive on Earth. He turned towards Rainbow Dash as a desperate means of escape. When he realized it was fruitless, he immediately began to warn her about what could be.

“Rainbow Dash! You must tell everypony in Cloudsdale to stop worshiping me and turn to Jesus! I do not want anypony to end up here! All I ever wanted was to be powerful, but I turned my back on the Lord and only cared about myself! Do not let yourself or anyone else be sent here, I beg of you! Aaaah!” Just as Commander Hurricane finished speaking, he was once again attacked. Rainbow Dash recoiled in fear. The sheer depravity of this place was well beyond what she could’ve imagined.

“Get me out of here! I can’t take seeing this anymore!” Immediately, Rainbow Dash and the angel were back in the dark room. Overwhelmed with fear, she sobbed into the angel’s arms. “Please don’t send me or my friends there! I beg of you!” The angel then spoke to her.

“Rainbow Dash, the reason Commander Hurricane was there is because he never accepted God in his life. He not only lost his Empire, but soon after his own life as he was executed on Princess Celestia’s orders for his many war crimes. He was the one who in fact ordered the kidnapping and execution of Pastor Wrought Iron. For all these sins, he was banished to Hell. My child, if you died today, you would be sent there immediately upon death.”

“N…no. What about all the things I’ve done in my life?”

“Rainbow Dash, your works don’t matter because the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). My child, this free gift is available for you and all your friends, and only this can save you.”

Rainbow Dash was confused. “But why would God send all those ponies there? That doesn’t sound very loving of Him.”

“Rainbow Dash, God did not send them there. In fact, He never intended for Hell to be for anyone on Earth, only for Satan and his demons because they rebelled against God. These ponies send themselves there because they refuse the free gift of eternal life and live in sin; they are hardly any different from these demons.”

Rainbow Dash looked up to the angel in desperation. “I can’t live like this anymore! Please free me from the curse of sin!”

“Rainbow Dash, the only one who can do that is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He defeated sin and death so then all can be saved. You must ask Him for forgiveness of your sins. He loves you and everyone so much that he took the punishment on the cross so you could be forgiven.”

“God loves me? That can’t be right! I’ve been so arrogant and prideful that there’s no way I can stand before God.”

“That is not true, Rainbow Dash. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:16-17). My child, I must leave now.”

Rainbow Dash began to panic again. “No, please don’t go!”

The angel came to her side. “Rainbow Dash, remember what I have told you. You don’t have to have the same fate as your former friends. You must warn those around you to repent and turn to the Lord! They must be born again (John 3:3).”

“Born again? But I’ve already been born! How can this be?”

“Rainbow Dash, you must be born again spiritually, where the new you turns away from your sinful past and abides fully in God.”

The angel then left. Just as Rainbow Dash tried to go after him, she woke up in a cold sweat.

“I can’t believe what I just saw.” With the memory of this dream fresh in her mind, she got out of bed. As she walked past where Tank slept, she couldn’t help but feel relieved that she hadn’t in fact died and faced judgment. She went over to her desk and wrote down everything she could remember about this dream.

“I gotta tell Twilight about this.”

Chapter 8

“Wow, that’s really is, uh, something, Rainbow Dash!” An astonished Twilight simply couldn’t believe that anypony could have a dream like that, let alone somepony who deemed anything outside of her narrow range of interests as being ‘for eggheads.’

“It’s all true, Twilight! The angel showed me my former comrade, and Wrought Iron, and Commander Hurricane, and a bunch of others I knew! It all felt so real to me!”

Spike tuned in to their conversation. “How can any of it be real, though? Was it not a dream?”

Twilight turned towards Spike. “Well, sometimes there’s more to a dream than just a few images in one’s head. Perhaps this specifically meant something to Rainbow Dash and that she was meant to get this dream.”

“It wasn’t just me. The angel told me that all of us would meet the same fate as Commander Hurricane and millions of others!”

“Well, what did Luna tell…”

“That’s the other thing. I never saw Princess Luna in my dream. She normally appears in our dreams, but she wasn’t there this time! It’s gotta mean something different if she wasn’t there, Twilight!”

“Hmmmm, perhaps so. Why don’t we speak with Pastor Iron; does it not this sounds like his sort of thing?”

The three nodded and headed to First Baptist Church, once again greeted by my cheerful secretary Charity.

“How may I help you three today?”

Rainbow Dash went up to Charity’s desk in desperation. “Can we please see Pastor Sharp Iron?! I… I had a dream that I need help understanding.”

Before Charity could say more, Pastor Sharp Iron and Pastor Glowing Wool came walking into the lobby.

“Well, it’s nice to know that we have all those leftover bits in this year’s budget! I think we…” Pastor Iron then notices the three friends standing there. “Good morning Twilight, Dash, and Spike!”

“Good morning, Pastor!” The three greeted in unison, with a desperate Rainbow Dash coming up to me.

“Pastor, you won’t believe it! I had this dream, and I saw an angel, and…”

“Whoa, Rainbow Dash. Why don’t you and your friends come to my office to discuss it.” I then turned to my long-time friend. “Glowing Wool, why don’t you pass on the good news about this monetary blessing to the Head of our Missions department? It looks like I’ve got some laypony duties ahead.”

Glowing Wool smiled and nodded. “Right away, Sharp Iron!”

I then guide the three of them to my office. “So Rainbow Dash, please tell me everything about your dream last night.”

“Well, it started off with me in this dark room. I was getting scared because I was alone, when all of a sudden this big, bright being came before me. It was totally unlike any creature I’ve seen here in Equestria! It was all like: “Do not be afraid,” and I followed it. First he showed me Heaven, where I saw my recently-deceased fellow Wonderbolt, Surprise, as well as your ancestor, Wrought Iron. It was so beautiful and awesome! Afterwards, he took me to this really horrible place called Hell, which makes Tartarus look like the time-out chair in comparison; I also saw Commander Hurricane there, among others. I not only learned that he was the one who ordered Wrought Iron’s execution, but he also told me to go and tell everypony about Jesus. He said that was the only way they could avoid this wretched place!” Rainbow Dash panted as her little rant ended. “I know, you probably think I’m crazy for saying this stuff.”

I then chuckle as I pull my Bible out and open it to the fourth chapter of 1 John. “I don’t think you’re crazy, nor does the Bible. It says here: ‘Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:1-6).’”

“So that means…”

“Rainbow Dash, this angel you met led you to knowing what eternal salvation is, and the consequences for those who turn their back on the Lord in favor of their own sinful pursuits. All the while, he confessed to you that Jesus is our savior. Dash, this angel clearly was sent from God to you.”

Rainbow Dash looked surprised. “But why me? Don’t you remember what I said to you when I first met you? That I wanted to live for myself and seek glory in my achievements? What’s God going to do with someone like myself?”

“Rainbow Dash, look at many of the other figures in the Bible.” I flipped through and showed her numerous examples. “Adam allowed Eve to be deceived (Genesis 3), Noah got drunk (Genesis 9:21), Abraham lied (Genesis 12:10-13, 20:2), Moses got angry and disobeyed God (Exodus 17), David was an adulterer (2 Samuel 11), Solomon was addicted to his carnal desires with hundreds of women (1 Kings 11:4), Peter denied knowing Jesus when he actually did (Luke 22:54-62), and Paul persecuted those who followed Jesus before he did and continued to sin afterwards (Romans 7:18-25).”

Rainbow Dash, along with the others gave me a confused look. This didn’t stop me from getting my main message across. “Look, I know it seems confusing, but God still used all of these men for His glory. I don’t see why He couldn’t do the same with you here in Equestria.”

“Which exactly plays into this idea that we all have a purpose, Eureka!” We were interrupted by Twilight’s sudden epiphany. “It’s so clear now that God has given us a purpose in our lives, and we ought to obey Him! Rainbow Dash’s dream makes that clear!”

“Exactly Twilight, but you know, salvation is about just ‘knowing’ the Gospel, but rather surrendering yourself to God alone and bringing Him glory! That’s what we were created to do!”

The three of them all seemed to be overjoyed by the idea that they too could be saved.

“Pastor Sharp Iron, how can we be saved?” I was glad that Spike understood what Rainbow Dash’s dream meant. I turn to the three of them.

“Close your eyes and bow your heads. We can ask the Lord for forgiveness, for He took the punishment for those sins so we can be saved.” We all did these things as I started this prayer. ““Dear Lord Jesus, these three individuals: Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Spike know that they are sinners, and ask for your forgiveness. They believe you died for their sins and rose from the dead. They turn from their sins and invite you to come into their heart and lives. They want to trust and follow you as their Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen.”

“Amen!” As we came together in a group hug, all of Heaven was rejoicing in God’s three newest children. Our happiness was interrupted by a sudden sense of hunger. It was now lunch time.

“Listen, guys. Why don’t we go downstairs to the fellowship hall for some lunch? We run a soup kitchen Mondays-Saturdays and it’s available free-of-charge to everypony.”

“Sounds great, Pastor” As the three agreed with me, I closed up my office and we went down to an area with several tables and chairs. Already, several ponies had come in to enjoy today’s special, which was mac ‘n’ cheese with collard greens and bread rolls. As they were being served, they encountered a familiar mare.

“Trixie? What are you doing here?!” The three of them seemed astonished to see her in a church.

Trixie turned towards them. “Why yes, it is I, the saved and repentant Trixie! Thanks to the work of God and Pastor Sharp Iron, of course.”

I smiled. “Lovely to see you again, Trixie! Why don’t you join us at our table? These three just accepted Jesus Christ into their lives.”

Trixie leapt with joy. “Hallelujah! Trixie is joyed to hear that they will be a part of our congregation!”

We then sat down, and I lead our group in saying grace, thanking God for this food and our other many blessings. As Trixie was about to open a package of peanut butter crackers, I turned towards her.

“Trixie, would you mind sharing your testimony with Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Spike? I’m sure they’d love to hear it.”

Trixie smiled. “Trixie is pleasured to share her testimony about how I escaped from a dark life of shame and bondage. It all started about two years ago, after I was run out of Ponyville…”

Chapter 9

*Two years earlier*

Trixie was seen hauling her wagon out of Ponyville. Not even Snips and Snails were there to help her, for even they were disgusted by her actions; nor could she return home, as her own family had long written her off as a disappointment who selfishly squandered the many privileges and opportunities most other ponies could only dream of. Granted, she was under influence by the Alicorn Amulet, but she was ultimately the one who chose to wear it and lust after its power. Shunned by everypony, she left Ponyville in pursuit of a new life elsewhere.

Trixie sighed. “Well, at least Trixie still has her wagon.”

“All right, stick ‘em up, Trixie!” A masked Earth pony stallion suddenly appeared and held a lance towards her. She rapidly complied with his orders as he went inside to see if anything of value could be taken. Alas, there wasn’t, just boxes of worthless things only Trixie could value.

“Hey, that’s not nice of…”

The robber angrily chuckled as he pointed his weapon back at Trixie. “And who are you exactly to say what nice behavior is?! I heard about what you did back in Ponyville. Don’t you try and pull any tricks on me to get out of this; you almost crushed my friend with that wagon back there!” His hoof was shaking as the lance’s sharp tip stood just an inch from Trixie. She could hardly speak as she was paralyzed by fear.

“B-but, what about my wagon?! You didn’t take anything from it!”

The robber smirked. “You mean that worthless junk? Oh Celestia, it’s practically a dumpster on wheels!” The robber’s eyes then narrowed. “Now, give me all your Bits.”

“What?”

“You heard me! Your Bits! NOW!!”

“Tr… Trixie doesn’t have any!”

“Liar! Everypony knows that performers like you are totally loaded!” The robber grabbed Trixie by the cape and yanked her towards him. In the process, her pouch filled with several hundreds of Bits fell to the ground. He immediately snatched it up, shoving Trixie to the ground. Before he could run off though, he calmly turned back to face the defeated blue mare.

“Oh, and this is what you get for everything you did in Ponyville and lying to me about your Bits. Hmmph! Not so ‘great and powerful’ now, are you?” Nonchalantly, he lit a match and threw it into an open window of Trixie’s wagon, causing it to ignite almost instantly. As the robber ran off, Trixie stared in utter devastation as just about everything she had left to her name was going up in flames. She then collapsed onto the ground, sobbing until her eyes became dry and puffy. Once she regained her composure, it was dark out.

“Trixie needs to find a place to stay before things get worse.” She took up refuge in a nearby cave in the side of a cliff just outside of Ponyville, with her hat and cape as her only possessions. It was her only choice, as the next village was 10 miles away and she was too tired to trot that distance.

In the following months, Trixie resorted to petty theft, burglary, and selling questionable goods to bring the Bits in. What did it matter to Trixie if she stooped to the level of that robber? Everypony hated her, so it’s not like she had anything left to lose, plus she wanted revenge on the town that not only humiliated her but also caused her to lose everything she had. Eventually though, the law caught up with her and she was arrested one night while attempting to break into Sugarcube Corner for Bits and food, after Pinkie Pie recognized her and called the police.

*In the courtroom*

“By the power vested in me through Princess Celestia, Trixie Lulamoon, I sentence you to 1 year in prison at the Ponyville Correctional Center for Troubled Mares. That is all.”

As the judge banged his gavel and she was led away in shackles, she actually felt a sense of relief. At least now she was in a place where she would be fed and sheltered, not to mention she could be away from those who hated her most. However, prison wouldn’t be as easy as she thought, as her reputation for arrogant hubris followed her there. She eventually lost weight because she barely ate and mostly kept to herself in the outside yard, always fearful that she was a prime target due to her past fame. The majority of inmates gave her dirty looks, and a few even tried to get physical with her, so that she would “know her place.” After many brutal days of being terrorized by her fellow prisoners, she would collapse and sob in her cell. She eventually gained a newly-transferred cell mate, who was a large and well-built pegasus named Ebony Breeze. Ebony Breeze took notice and developed a sympathetic and protective attitude towards Trixie as a result. One day, Trixie noticed her cell mate reading this strange book.

“Hey Ebony, what are you reading there?”

“Why, this is the Bible, I borrowed it from the prison library. I may be here for 2 more years, but it’s been keeping me going while I’m here.”

“The Bible?! What’s it about?”

Ebony Breeze grinned. “Well, it teaches us that regardless of what the world around us may think, God loves us and can redeem us of our sins. You know, I was once an angry and lost mare like you, Trixie. All my life, I was picked on because I have these stripes from a zebra ancestor, so one day I snapped and, well, one thing led to another. It was the cell mate that was I was with before you who told me about this Bible study that’s held on Fridays. We learn about who God is, and how we can be saved from our sins and be loved for who we are. Trixie, you don’t have to be defined by your past.”

“I… I don’t?” Trixie was genuinely surprised at this news.

“Tell you what, our next lesson will be tonight after dinner. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you see.”

As Trixie nodded, Ebony handed her a white business card with gold text on it. Trixie looked down at the card.

For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

– John 3:16

That night, she and her friend were led by guards towards the room where our fellowship took place. Trixie was amazed by this atmosphere; the mares here didn’t give her dirty looks or look like they were about to lunge at her. It was so peaceful.

“Nice to see you again, Ebony Breeze! I hope you’ve been dwelling on last week’s reading of Romans 7.”

“Sure have, Pastor!”

“And I see you brought a new friend. What’s your name?”

Not wanting to provoke anyone because of her arrogance, she remained subdued in her greeting. “I’m… I’m Trixie Lulamoon.”

“Nice to meet you, Trixie! I’m Pastor Sharp Iron, and I’m here to teach everyone about God’s love for us. You know, I’ve heard your name mentioned quite a bit before. Even among these mares here, because they were praying for your safety and your salvation.”

“You prayed for me? Nopony’s ever done that before. Most ponies want nothing to do with me.”

“Well, that’s about to change, Trixie! We have a group of unicorns, pegasi, and Earth ponies here who all seek out God’s awesome grace. Surely there’s room for you as well.” Overjoyed by this acceptance, Trixie joined the rest of us as we read through Romans 8.

After we finished reading this chapter, Trixie was overwhelmed by what she had read.

“Trixie can’t believe this! God really does love me and want to save me!”

I then go beside Trixie. “Trixie, get on your knees and tell God that you want him in your life.”

Trixie did just that. “Dear Lord, Trixie realizes that she is a sinner in need of a savior! Please forgive Trixie and come into her heart! Trixie wants to turn from her past and trust and follow you in all things!” Trixie fell to the floor as she finished repenting.

“Amen!” The inmates and I rejoiced in Trixie’s salvation, likewise, all of Heaven rejoiced at their newest child of God.

In the following days, Trixie gained a brighter outlook on her life in prison. Yes, some days were still hard, but she found that she could eat more and do more in the outside yard as she was no longer paralyzed by fear. Trixie was eventually released a month early on good behavior. As she took a box of her few remaining belongings, she gave Ebony Breeze a hug and handed her a piece of paper.

“Thank you for everything! Please keep in touch.”

“I would love that, Trixie.”

Several minutes later, she was picked up by the stallion who taught her to trust in the Lord.

“Pastor Sharp Iron!” She ran up and gave me a hug.

“Welcome back, Trixie! I hope things went alright for you in prison.”

“Trixie’s so thankful that you taught her about God. There really is hope for us!”

Chapter 10

As Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Spike finished their food, they were all astonished by this story.

Twilight blushed. “Wow, Trixie. We had no idea you went through so much!”

“And she’s been thriving since!” I grinned as I described the next steps. “The following evening, my family hosted her whole family for a large roast squash dinner, where Trixie also reconciled with her folks. She then joined our church and was eventually baptized here. After her family and our congregation had forgiven her for her past actions, the rest of Ponyville gradually accepted her as well. She now works for a friend of mine who runs Ponyville’s General Store, where she lives in the apartment above and stocks shelves for him to make some extra Bits.”

“Trixie also volunteers at this soup kitchen on Saturdays! Trixie is a changed mare now!”

“Right, I didn’t forget that. Trixie’s also happy because she found out that her former cell mate is due to be released soon. According to the last letter she sent Trixie, that stallion who burned down her old wagon and mugged her at knifepoint is now in prison himself and will likely be there for quite a while, let’s just say.”

“That’s great news, Trixie!” Rainbow Dash gave Trixie a hug, followed by Twilight and Spike. Trixie then heard her watch beeping.

“Well look at that, Trixie needs to return to the General Store for work. Thanks for listening to my testimony!” As Trixie trotted off, the other three turned towards me.

“Whoa, so I guess even the worst among us can be redeemed.”

“That’s right, Spike. As I said before, the Lord wants all to be saved from their sins. Why do you think so many of every pony race, as well as a few non-ponies, come here?”

Twilight smiled. “Well, we just wanted to thank you for lunch. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we learned a lot today from you as well as Trixie.”

“It was my pleasure. Don’t forget our Bible study tonight; you’re all invited!” The three of them left as I returned to my office, but it wasn’t the end of these conversations.

“Wow, that really sounds like a lot, Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy was astonished by just how much Rainbow Dash had changed.

“Yep, I’m just happy to know that it doesn’t matter whether or not I’m seen as the greatest in all of Equestria. Now I know that there’s so much better that is to come from the Lord. By the way, we have a Bible study tonight. Would you like to come?”

“Well, I don’t think I have any major chores with my animals tonight, so yes, I’ll come.”

“Awesome! I’ll see you there, Fluttershy!”

Likewise for Spike, he shared his recent experience with Rarity when he was helping her put some boxes away in storage.

“That’s a very interesting series of events, Spike! I especially find it peculiar that Rainbow Dash was the one who saw that angel in her dream.”

“Yes, and it’s clear now that God has been with us this whole time! Say, we’re having a Bible study at the church tonight. Did you want to come?”

“Hmmm, well, I got all my orders done for the day, and we just finished putting those boxes away. Of course, Spike! Why not?”

Pinkie Pie also agreed to come along after hearing about these plans when Rarity came by Sugarcube Corner to pick up a loaf of bread.

“Oh boy, sure sounds like it’ll be a real party!”

That evening, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Spike all came to a portable behind our church. They all came in and greeted me. Several other young mares and stallions greeted them as well, including Trixie.

“Welcome everypony! Glad you all came. It looks like we have some new faces here; they are Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Spike, and Rarity. In the true Barnabas spirit, let’s give them a warm welcome!” Everypony tapped their hooves on the floor in approval.

“Now, there doesn’t seem to be any announcements tonight, so let’s pray. Bow your heads, everypony.” They all obliged as I began to pray. “Dear Heavenly Father, we just want to thank you for tonight, for giving us the opportunity to get together to fellowship with each other and to praise and worship you alone. We pray that we would be able to make use of what we learn here tonight and would be able to apply those lessons in our daily lives. Lord, we thank you for all this and pray this in your name. Amen.”

As I was about to start my lesson, Fluttershy raised her hoof. “Um, excuse me, Pastor. I don’t have a Bible with me. Nor do my friends.”

I smiled. “No worries, guys. There are extras on the bookshelf over there.”

The rest of the night went as planned, with everypony breaking off into smaller groups to discuss tonight’s material. After they finished their activity sheets, most of them had gone home or to the nearby Chick-fil-Hay. Most of them except for the six newcomers. They came into my office to tell me how they felt about tonight.

“So, I’m glad to hear that everyone of you had a nice evening!”

The bunch of them smiled in unison. “We sure did!”

“I never really thought all that much about God, but He sounds like a wonderful being to look up to.” I was surprised, but I was glad to see Fluttershy open up more to others.

“Indeed, darling. I really got to see everypony here for who they are, and they not what I thought they were.” This evening, Rarity got to see our church in a new light, and she was pleased by it.

“I liked the part how we got together and played all those games in the beginning!” Pinkie Pie blushed. “Our Bible reading lessons were fun as well.”

I smiled. “I’m glad everyone had such a good time here.”

Twilight began to blush. “We did, though we’re sorry that Applejack couldn’t come by. It’s just that…”

“Twilight, I know exactly why she didn’t come with the rest of you tonight.” The rest of them looked shocked as I made this statement.

“Girls, and Spike, have any of you ever noticed that Applejack’s parents are never around?”

The mares all nodded. “Yes, we have noticed.”

“Right. You know, she and Big Mac used to come out to Sunday School as well as the youth group for our middle schoolers. That was, until the accident.”

I then continued to tell the girls that five years ago, Applejack’s parents both met their untimely demise in an accident when an apple cart they were riding back to their farm in heavy rain rode over a weak edge on a cliff that gave way, causing them and the cart to violently tumble into the rocky ravine. Not only has my family long been good friends with the Apples, but the worst part was that I was the one who had to bear the bad news to Applejack and Big McIntosh. Both of them fell into a deep depression, eventually losing their faith in God because they felt it wasn’t fair that God would “take” their parents from them this soon. I still see Granny Smith and Apple Bloom at church on Sundays, and receive updates about the three Grandchildren, but I haven’t spoken with either Applejack or Big Mac since then.

The girls look at me with sad faces. “Wow, we had no idea about this. Applejack doesn’t like to talk about it, so we don’t usually go there.”

“Well, it’s really unfortunate. I’ll have you all know that I know I will see both of them again one day in Heaven because both were God-fearing ponies who tried their best to instill Biblical values in their daily lives and in their children.”

“That’s really a shame that she and Big Mac had to go through all that.” Twilight then looked up at me. “Pastor, do you think that we could pray for the Apple family? This must still be hard on them.”

“I agree, so let’s all pray.” I start off as everyone bows their heads.

“Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for all things and are grateful that we can look to you and rejoice in you no matter what we may face here in Equestria. We just want to pray for the Apple family as they have faced many difficulties due to the deaths of Applejack’s parents those years ago. Please forgive them for turning their backs on you and allow the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts. We pray that you may comfort them during this time, so then they can look to you for their rest and their salvation. We pray that they will recover from this loss and that all three can come to rejoice in your presence. We pray all of this in your holy name. Amen.”

“Amen!”

The girls were all relieved to hear that I cared about the plight that the Apple family has been going through over the past few years, a plight that stubbornly refused to go away. I then smiled with the girls.

“Tell you what, I’ll pay the Apple family a visit tomorrow and try to help them. I’m confident that I can get through to them.”

“Sounds great!” As we rejoiced, the girls noticed it was getting late and decided to head over to Chick-fil-Hay to hang out with their new friends. As they leave my office, my smile turns into a worried look as I think about how things may go tomorrow.

“Lord, give me strength.”

Chapter 11

I was very fortunate to have gotten my paperwork planned for today finished in advance. As a result, I was able to use one of my vacation days today to address the Apple family. I couldn’t help but reminisce at the beauty of the local countryside. Not before long, I found myself in a familiar place: Sweet Apple Acres. My family’s relationship with the Apple family goes back generations as they bought the iron tools we made. As I knock on the door, a familiar green matriarch smiled as she answers the door.

“Is that you, Pastor Sharp Iron? Nice of you to come by today!”

“Hello, Granny Smith. I’m glad to see things are going well around here.”

“They sure are. Come on in!” As I came inside, I sat at the dining room table next to Apple Bloom. She had a piece of paper in front of her.

“Hey, Apple Bloom! What are you working on?”

“Hey Pastor Iron! This is just some homework I’m getting done before school starts. It’s almost finished.”

I smiled. “Nice to know.”

Apple Bloom then looked over at me. “Pastor Sharp Iron, some of the kids in my class teased me because I brought my Bible to school. Especially Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.”

“Do they now?” Apple Bloom nodded. “Well, the Lord tells us while it may be tempting to fight back, we ought to ‘turn the other cheek’ and pray for them (Matthew 5:38-39).”

“Amen!” Just like in church, Granny Smith always knows to say it out loud.

“Thanks for the tip. My friends Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle try to support me but are unsure of how to respond to those who pick on me.”

“That’s what God’s grace is for, Apple Bloom. You leave Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, and the rest of them in His hands, meanwhile your character will stand out as an example to those around you of the good fruit that you bear. They will recognize you by these fruits (Matthew 7:20).”

Granny Smith then looked up at the wall clock. “Well darn tootin’! It’s time you head off to school, Apple Bloom.”

“Alright, see you later, Granny Smith and Pastor Iron!” As Apple Bloom trotted out the door, I came into the living room to talk with Granny Smith.

“So, how are things going with Applejack and Big Mac?”

“Seem okay to me. They’re out in the orchard harvesting apples, as is the usual, I reckon.”

“Right. I was kind of hoping to speak to the two of them because I noticed that several of Applejack’s friends have taken an interest in coming to my church, and some of them have even surrendered themselves to the Lord. At last night’s youth group meeting, they were all there but said that Applejack didn’t want to come.” I then sighed. “Granny Smith, they’re still not… hurting from the loss, are they?”

Granny Smith bit her lip. “Well, both of them renounced their belief in God after the accident; they felt that because they felt it ain’t fair God would do this to them and their parents. Apple Bloom and I keep praying for them, but nothing has changed.”

“Do you think I will be able to talk to them? I can understand why they may be upset, but perhaps I could at least try to get through to them.”

Granny Smith smiled. “I’ll bring them in, and we’ll see how this goes.” She then walks out the door and called out towards the orchard. “AJ! Big Mac! You both have a guest!”

Applejack looked confused. “Guest? I ain’t expecting no guests today. Were you, Big Mac?”

Big McIntosh shook his head. “Eenope.”

“Well, he’s inside waiting for you both!”

When the two Apple siblings came inside, they were surprised to see me. “Pastor Sharp Iron?!”

I smiled and waved. “Hello, Applejack and Big Mac. I know you weren’t expecting me, but I need to tell you both something important.”

Applejack sighed. “Look, Pastor, if this is about Apple Bloom’s latest antics at Sunday School, Granny Smith already told…”

“This isn’t about her, Applejack. I wanted to address you and your brother specifically. What if I told you two about your friends? I saw them all at the youth group I led last night.”

Applejack looked skeptical. “All of them? I doubt it. Right, Big Mac?”

“Eeyup.” It honestly was dishearting to see that was the only way Big Mac now responds. He used to be a lot more talkative before losing his parents.

“Well, what if I told you that even Rainbow Dash was there. She surrendered her heart to God yesterday.”

“Really now? Don’t sound like her, she would be the last one to admit that she is anything less than the best.”

I looked directly at Applejack. “And that was once true, but then Rainbow Dash had a dream where she met an angel. This angel showed her Heaven and Hell as well as ponies she knew here in Equestria. The angel also told her about Jesus. When she spoke with me about it, I told her not believe every spirit…”

“But test the spirits to see whether they are from God (1 John 4:1). We still remember that one, Pastor Sharp Iron.” I remember teaching that one to Applejack and Big McIntosh during a study of John’s Epistles.

“Right. Well, now that I’ve mentioned your friends, I also wanted to talk about your, uh, parents.”

Both Applejack and Big Mac perked up at this. “Our… parents?!” I am really hoping now this whole discussion doesn’t go pear shaped.

“Yes, your parents. Applejack and Big Mac, I heard from Twilight and everyone about that talk you had with her and Fluttershy yesterday.”

Applejack blushed. “Well, I don’t usually get teary like that, but it’s been hard. Last week marked five years since we lost our parents. Pastor, why would God do this to us?” Both Applejack and Big McIntosh had a pleading look in their eyes.

“Well, as I taught you both before, God has a plan for everyone, and…”

Applejack then stood up. “Wait, are you saying that God wanted our parents to die?!”

“Calm down, Applejack! Let the Pastor explain!” At Granny Smith’s insistence, Applejack sat back down.

I resumed. “Everyone in this world will die someday because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We also know that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), meaning that the entrance of sin in this world is what consequently causes our deaths. Now I’m sorry that your parents happened to pass away in the way they did, but I also remember them as a God-fearing pair who always did their best to implement Biblical values in their daily lives.”

“I get that, Pastor, but it’s still ain’t fair! Don’t you know what Big Mac and I have even been through?! Doesn’t God care about us?!”

“I may not know everything, but God certainly does. He knows what is happening to you, as He sees the trouble of the afflicted; He considers your grief and takes it in hand (Psalm 10:14a). Also, God can relate to your pain because He grieved the crucifixion of His Son, Jesus. Even though it was painful, it was His plan to end our bondage to sin and the death and suffering it brings. He wanted to bring comfort, hope, and healing. See, God can and does use our suffering for His greater glory.”

“Then why do we still have to die, Pastor?”

“Applejack, Big Mac. It’s only a physical, worldly death. Those who put their trust in the Lord through Jesus will have eternal life. It gives me a reason to keep going because I know that I’ll return home to be with the Lord someday. I also know that I will see your parents among many others I knew in life. You two can have this as well, but only if you are willing to let the Lord back into your lives.”

To everyone’s surprise, it was Big McIntosh who spoke next. “Pastor Sharp Iron. The truth is, both Applejack and I have never denied the Lord’s existence in this world, but we both have struggled massively with Him ever since the death of our parents. You would remember, don’t you?”

“I do. After I told you the bad news, Applejack threw her notebook at my face and ran off, and you followed her out.” I then reached into my pocket. “By the way, I still have that same notebook here in case you, um, wanted it back.”

Applejack reached her hoof out and took it. “Thanks, I was wondering what happened to this.”

I then continued. “That said, it doesn’t have to be this way anymore. As I said, God loves you and wants to have a relationship with you, so then you may dwell with Him in eternity. Applejack and Big Mac, will you once again allow God to come back into your lives? He can and will heal you all from this, but only if you let Him.”

Applejack and Big Mac pause to think for a second. “Pastor, do you mind praying with us? We know that losing our parents ain’t no fun, but we don’t want to wallow in this shame no more. I think we will start coming out to church and the youth group again.”

Big Mac agreed. “I think I will too!”

I grinned in excitement. “Hallelujah! Welcome back to the fold, you two! Let’s take some time to speak with God.” As the Apple family gathered around me, I began to pray.

“Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you so much for Applejack and Big McIntosh as both of them want to follow you again after years of bondage to their grief. Lord, I ask that you may forgive Applejack and Big McIntosh for their sins and allow the Holy Spirit to begin working once again in their hearts. I pray that both of them may glorify you in all that they say and do. We thank you for this blessing and pray it all in your name. Amen.”

“Amen!”

The four of us came together in a group hug, rejoicing in the fact that Applejack and Big Mac are now free from their past sorrows. Likewise, all of Heaven was rejoicing as well. Once we stepped away from our embrace, I suggested bringing Applejack with me to Sugarcube Corner to celebrate. Big Mac resumed his work as Applejack and I went there.

“Good morning, Applejack and Pastor Sharp Iron!” Pinkie Pie came hopping out from behind the counter to greet us.

Applejack blushed. “Good morning, Pinkie Pie. Pastor Sharp Iron taught Big Mac and I a valuable lesson about faith.”

I grinned. “It’s true. They no longer feel like they are in bondage to the grief from before, because the Gospel’s truth set them free.”

Pinkie Pie jumped for joy. “Oooh, that is just super-duper awesome you are no longer feeling sad and alone, Applejack! If I didn’t have to clean this place later, I would totally fetch my party cannon!”

Both Mr. and Mrs. Cake then come out and see me. “Good morning, Pastor Sharp Iron! How can we help one of Ponyville’s most respected leaders today?”

“Well, I convinced Applejack that because of God’s grace she no longer has a reason to feel shame and grief about losing her parents all those years ago. If God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?”

“Amen, Pastor!”

Mr. Cake spoke following Applejack’s outburst of joy. “That’s great news, you guys. Is there anything special we can do for today?”

“We’ll have a dozen glazed apple fritters, on me! It’ll be a truly blessed day for all of us.”

Mrs. Cake gushed with happiness. “Oh, isn’t that just lovely! Pinkie Pie, we have an order to fulfil!”

Pinkie Pie smiled. “Right away, Mrs. Cake!” As the two mares went into the back, Mr. Cake turned to us.

“So, do you have any other plans for today?”

Applejack thought about it. “Hmm, I guess I’ll be heading back to the farm and all, given that there’s plenty more in the way of work…”

I then interrupt. “Tell you what, Applejack. Why don’t you and the others come over to my place for dinner tonight. I would love for my family to be able to meet all of you and welcome you as one of our own. Does that sound good?”

“Aw, shucks. I’d love that, Pastor!”

I grinned. “Wonderful! I’ll send out invitations to the others.”

Once the fritters were ready, Applejack took the box of them and we parted ways. Apple Bloom was simply over the moon to see that her two older siblings had been freed from their past sorrows by the God who saves. Likewise, she was also glad to have something she could now share with both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, considering they’ve heard about the Gospel from Rarity and Rainbow Dash.

Chapter 12

Late that afternoon, I arrive home to my wife, Sweet Iron. I had told her in advance about my plan to have Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Spike over for a dinner to celebrate their acceptance of Jesus into their lives. My wife pecks me on the cheek with a kiss as soon as I come in.

“Hey, honey. I’m glad to hear that you had such a nice day, especially with what happened with Applejack.”

“Well, it’s clear that I was ordained from the beginning to spread the truth of God’s Word among the citizens of Equestria. I have high hopes for them.” Just then, we turn to my son, Sharp Iron Jr., who just came in the door from school.

“Hey Mom!”

My wife embraced our son in a hug. “Hey Junior! How was your day?”

“We learned more about the land that makes up Equestria, and we also learned counting. I see a pattern in everything, which is just like God’s creation.” Junior then turned towards me.

“Hey Dad!”

“Hey Champ! I’m glad to hear you had an awesome day at school and that you can use these lessons in everyday life.”

“Yeah, it sounds so cool!”

“By the way, son, did you know that we’re having some special guests for dinner tonight? A bunch of my new friends have proclaimed the King of Kings as their own.”

Junior’s eyes widened. “Wow, Dad! That’s so cool! One day, they’ll be in Heaven like us!”

I chuckled. “That’s right, and it’s also why your mother is preparing a roast squash.” I then look at the clock. “Look at the time, it seems they’ll be here in an hour.”

My wife then peeked her head out of the kitchen. “Don’t worry, everything will be ready. Junior, I want you to take a bath and change out of your school clothes for our guests.”

Junior smiled. “Yes, Mom!” He then trotted up the stairs to get ready. My wife then came out to sit next to me at the table.

“Boy, it must have been quite a bit of work to be able to get the Gospel across to them, wasn’t it?”

“Well, there was quite a bit of wrangling, some skepticism along the way as well as some hard feelings, but it was all worth it in the end.”

An hour later, my seven friends arrived to enjoy a decadent roast squash dinner. After we had finished, I decided to allow our guests of honor to all share their testimonies to my family as we sat in the living room. Sure, some of them were still quite new to the Bible and may not know all that much about it, but I encouraged them to find something that spoke to them personally and base their testimonies around that portion of scripture. Twilight Sparkle went first.

“Hey everyone, my name is Twilight Sparkle and today I am here to tell you about my new relationship with the Lord. Growing up, I had few friends and a lot of ‘book smarts,’ but never really thought about my relationship God, the Bible, or salvation. I always thought of myself as a good pony in everypony’s eyes. Clearly, there is more to living than seeking the approval of others, but rather that God has given us each a purpose to glorify Him alone. I realized this at the foot of the cross, that there was nothing I could do myself to save myself from my sins, but that Jesus was the only one who could save me, for He alone is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). I would also like to thank God for bringing Pastor Sharp Iron into my life, for he has been a wise and discerning Bible teacher. Praise God for all things!”

Next was Rarity.

“Hello everyone, my name is Rarity and I want to tell you about my walk with God. All my life, I was steeped in vanity. Whether it was fashion, relationships, or shopping, I thought I had it all as I looked to worldly things and made it my identity. Fortunately, none of those things are what I look to for salvation anymore, but rather I have realized that I can have peace in our everlasting God. It was said in the Word, ‘Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).’ I too am also thankful that God put Pastor Sharp Iron in my life, for he has shown me just how much God loves me just as I am. Thank you, God!”

Next was Rainbow Dash.

“Hey, everyone! My name is Rainbow Dash and I am here today to tell you about the amazing work that God has done so far in my life. For a long time, I have always prided myself on my achievements in life, which meant that I always thought that I was always the best pony in the room. Unfortunately, this blinded me to my own sinful inclinations and only led me away from the Lord. I thought that because there were all these expectations others had of me, I had to trust in others’ judgments. Clearly, God has shown me another way, for which I will say: ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust (Psalm 91:2).’ I am also thankful for Pastor Sharp Iron as a spiritual teacher and advisor, for if it weren’t for his guidance, I would never come to understand and appreciate the truth of the Word. Praise God!”

Next was Applejack.

“Howdy, I’m Applejack and I wish to share my testimony with you today. For my whole life, I always quite headstrong. I had an independent streak in me, where I always felt like I had to do everything myself. However, this attitude basically broke me a few years ago following the loss of my parents. It was during this time that I thought that I could trust in myself, which sent me into a dark place emotionally. Fortunately, God had other plans for me. It was in the Word where Job proclaimed: ‘Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21).’ I am also thankful for Pastor Sharp Iron, for if he never met my friends, they would’ve never been able to share the Gospel with me and I would still be trapped in darkness. Praise the Lord for what He’s done for me!”

Next was Pinkie Pie.

“Hi everyone! My name is Pinkie Pie and I’m so excited about what God has done for me! Growing up on a rock farm, I had no idea that that there was anything greater than the things that I immediately knew of. However, over the past few days I realized that because of what happened with my friends, that there is something greater in this world than us, that there is a God who cares about you so much that he gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)! Seeing how God has used Pastor Sharp Iron and my friends to proclaim the Gospel’s truth is just so amazing to me. I can’t wait to be able to serve God in all ways possible!”

Next was Fluttershy.

“Hi, my name is Fluttershy and I’m glad that you came to hear my testimony. Yes, it is true that I have spent my life crippled by my shyness. I don’t remember how it started, but I was clearly in a dark place, cowering away from the world around me. Even though I had a happy life with my friends, I now realize just how badly sin and darkness have a grip on this world. I am forever grateful that God used Pastor Sharp Iron to reach out to my friends, because God alone gave them all the strength they needed to then reach out to me. My friends also edified me in the Word, so then I can put on the whole armor of God and be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:11). Praise the Lord for freeing me and giving me the confidence I need to stand up in this world!”

The final one was Spike.

“Hi, my name is Spike, and I’m here to share my testimony. I never knew anything about God growing up, nor did I care much about it. It wasn’t until I heard more about this from my friends recently that I began to think about it more myself. I had a realization when I read ‘We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28),’ and I realized that I had a specific purpose in life as endowed by God. I therefore wish to honor God through all that I do every day, because He created me and everypony for all these things. God is so great!”

Me and my family applauded at seeing how far these young mares had come. Just a few days ago, all had seemed utterly indifferent to the cost of sin. It was all sparked by the curiosity of Twilight Sparkle and her quest to discover what our ‘purpose’ was in this world. One conversation after another, six young mares and a young dragon had eventually been brought to glory and salvation. I had the special honor of baptizing each of them a few weeks later when they finally all felt ready to make a public proclamation of their faith. Also, because of the prominence of these mares in Ponyville’s society, I began to notice that more of Ponyville’s residents began to check out my church, and a few began to regularly attend as well. Shortly after Twilight’s baptism, she wrote a letter to her mentor.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Ever since my friends and I have discovered what our true purpose in this world is and surrendered ourselves to almighty God, it has opened up my eyes to new things in the world around me. Ponyville may seem calm and idyllic, but there are many who live their lives unaware that there’s more to life than we know. It is true that we all eventually receive our cutie marks, but I now realize that we are also not solely defined by them. It is clear that there is a God who loves us and wants all, Earth ponies, unicorns, pegasi, and even alicorns to spend all of our days glorify Him in our thoughts, words, and actions. I hope you can understand the position from which I write to you, as well as that I cannot wait to see how I can do all these things next.

Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle

Chapter 4

It was now 5 pm, which means that I’m finished work for the day. As I hoof it back home, I couldn’t help but notice a yellow pony tending to some animals along the path.

“Hello, neighbor!”

“Eeep!” As I say this, the shy yellow mare retreated back in fear. I don’t know if it was something I did or if this was a more general reaction towards others.

“Hey, don’t worry! I come in peace.” As I approach the frightened mare, some of the animals growl at me.

“Please don’t worry, my pretties.” Acting upon Fluttershy’s request, the animals stopped growling and stepped back as she approached me, looking to the side. I smile as I reach out my hoof.

“Hello, I am Pastor Sharp Iron of First Baptist Church, Ponyville. What’s your name?”

“I’m… Fluttershy.” She spoke at a volume just barely above a whisper. I then lean in.

“I’m sorry, what was that?”

“I’m… um, Fluttershy.” It just managed to be just audible this time.

“Lovely to meet you, Fluttershy. Say, you don’t happen to know of a Twilight Sparkle and a Rarity, would you? I was just…”

“Oh, but of course I know them! They are my friends!” Out of nowhere, Fluttershy seemed to leap up in excitement that was absent just seconds ago.

“Well, they wanted to meet with me along with Spike and Pinkie Pie. They had some questions about my beliefs and wanted to know more.”

Fluttershy gave a small smile. “Oh, that sure sounds nice.” I then crouch down next to her as she kept tending to the animals around her. “Pastor Iron, this is my pet rabbit, Angel.” Just as I reached out to pet Angel, he hopped out of Fluttershy’s arms and points at a colorful butterfly. As they both go after it, I was surprised by what I saw next.

“Y…you’re a Pegasus?!”

Fluttershy quickly turned around in surprise. “Is…something wrong, Pastor?”

“Oh, nothing is wrong, Fluttershy. I just thought that pegasi weren’t typically interested in animals like you are.”

“Well, I was never that good a flyer, so I never really fit in with the rest of Cloudsdale. Once I was old enough, I left Cloudsdale and came to Ponyville where I wouldn’t be judged.”

“I see. You know, there are a small handful of pegasi in my congregation. Many of the ones I’ve encountered, if I’m honest, seem to be too preoccupied with themselves to think about anything more than their immediate desires.” Fluttershy nodded; she knew exactly what I meant. “Why don’t I tell you about my ancestor’s run-in with the pegasi? Also, the clouds weren’t always just restricted for pegasi; there’s a reason they are now.”

Fluttershy smiled. “Sounds like a nice story, Pastor. Sure, tell me.”

“So, about 400 years ago, I had an ancestor named Wrought Iron, who was born and raised in Canterlot. Yes, he lived among the Earth pony minority in the adjacent slums, regarded as the forgotten underclass of Canterlot, but he was seen as a bright and gifted colt. By which, I mean that he had a gift for oration and drawing a crowd. By the time he was a teenager, he was writing sermons and preaching to the crowds. It’s how he got his cutie mark, which was a piece of paper with words on it to represent a speech.”

“Wow, he sounded like he was important.”

“He certainly was. As a stallion, his large following meant that he was influential when Princess Celestia introduced the Marena Carta. Here, he managed to help get Section 3 beefed up, which has guaranteed the right of belief and conscience, and established religious liberty here in Equestria; because of this, congregations were able to collect their own tithes and operate independently as long as they did not take up arms against the Crown.” I then frowned. “Even though this breakthrough was made, the unicorn elites of Canterlot grew increasingly intolerant of Wrought Iron’s preaching, as he often called them out for their arrogant and self-righteous ways.”

“What happened to him then, Pastor?” Looking down at Fluttershy’s doe eyes, I sighed.

“He was soon after driven out of Canterlot when a threat was made to burn down the church he had established there. Faced with a dire ultimatum as well as seeing a newfound opportunity, he, his family, all his followers (which was most of the Earth pony population of Canterlot), as well as a handful of disgruntled unicorns left Canterlot aboard the Mareflower towards a new land. One where we were free to worship God and live our lives in peace. We managed to form a new colony where all ponies could come as a refuge from this tyranny. That colony grew into what is now Ponyville.”

“That’s an interesting fact. I had no idea Ponyville was founded for that reason.”

“Yes, it’s why Canterlot is now almost exclusively populated by unicorns as those old slums were gradually demolished in the following years, because all the Earth ponies eventually left Canterlot. It’s also how the first unicorns came here. Those unicorns who were followers of Jesus and Pastor Wrought Iron had no choice but to leave, as they already faced scorn from their fellow unicorns. They were instrumental in helping him establish Ponyville. Many unicorns in Ponyville today are the descendants of those persecuted unicorns looking for refuge, as well as unicorns fed up with seeing the Earth ponies being mistreated.”

“So, you mean that Twilight Sparkle and Rarity…”

“Quite possibly so, Fluttershy. Even if they may not know it.”

All of a sudden, a multi-colored blur passed by us, surprising both of us. The rainbow-haired mare came back to us just as quickly.

“Hey, Fluttershy!”

“Hey, Rainbow Dash. I hope things are well.”

Rainbow Dash smirked. “Couldn’t be better! Hey, who’s your friend here?”

I then stood up as I shook Rainbow Dash’s hoof. “I’m Pastor Sharp Iron, from First Baptist Church of Ponyville.”

“I’m Rainbow Dash, the coolest, most awesome Pegasus in all of Equestria! Say, did you just mention that you work at a church?”

“As the Lead Pastor, yes. Have you heard of our church?”

“I have, but I never thought it was for me. It needs to be about, no wait, more than 20% cooler, no offense.”

“Well, I was just telling your friend Fluttershy about my family’s history here in Equestria. Perhaps that may reach your 20% threshold?”

“Sounds interesting, but I can’t stick around now. I have to get back and feed my turtle, Tank.”

Fluttershy rushed in to correct her fellow Pegasus. “You mean tortoise, Rainbow Dash.”

“Yeah, yeah, gesundheit. Well, I’ll catch up later, ‘Shy! It was nice to meet you, Pastor!” In what seemed to be an instant, we were greeted by another blur as she sped off home. It was a good thing Fluttershy was taking notes in her notebook, perhaps she could tell Rainbow Dash later.

“Now, where was I?”

“Wrought Iron and his followers helped establish Ponyville.”

“Right. So, it’s interesting that I ran into both you and Rainbow Dash because the next part of this story involves pegasi. I must warn you though, our early encounters were not pleasant.”

“Oh, my.” Fluttershy sunk into her seat, instinctively afraid of hearing what comes next.

“A few years after Ponyville was settled, the Pegasus Empire was engaged in its own military adventurism and colonialism across Equestria. One way they did this was by making allies with certain Native Buffalo tribes, a group of Changeling mercenaries, as well as a nearby Griffon colony facing tough times; they were all accomplices in their plan to harass, persecute, and even slaughter those the pegasi saw as threats in return for favored treatment. They hated what Ponyville represented, because it showed that different types of ponies could peacefully live together, and that nopony was inherently ‘superior’ in the eyes of God. They also wanted Pastor Wrought Iron’s head on a platter because they knew he was their number one threat due to his influence, and he never even took up arms against any of them. As they temporarily occupied Ponyville, this seemed to become more of a reality.”

“Yikes, that must’ve been terrible.”

“It was, as racism and xenophobia festered among the conquering pegasi towards anypony they saw as inferior. They even turned on fellow pegasi who were suspected of sympathizing with Ponyville’s ‘underponies’ and violently clipped their wings off as punishment. The scorn we faced back in Canterlot was nothing compared to this. A few ponies even returned to Canterlot out of fear for this looming threat. Surely, you would’ve learned about this as a filly in Cloudsdale history class.”

Fluttershy nodded. “Yes, but we were rather taught that us pegasi were a mighty race who brought about law and order wherever we went. I had no idea we caused so much harm.”

“I’m afraid that’s the truth. They saw Earth ponies as uneducated, and unicorns as weak. Both were forced into slave labor, which is how much of Cloudsdale’s early infrastructure was built. Once they no longer thought these slaves were of any value to them, they made it so their slaves could not enjoy the fruits of their labor and so any non-winged creature could no longer walk on these clouds and mingle among them. Even though we were no longer allowed in Cloudsdale, they continued to mistreat the citizens of Ponyville.” I stopped as I noticed tears well up in Fluttershy’s eyes. She leapt into my arms.

“I’m so sorry for what my ancestors did to you! Please don’t hate me!” I continued to speak as Angel and the other animals came up and gave comfort to Fluttershy.

“Now, now. The pegasi may be brash, but they’re no longer violent. Any pegasus who wants to join my church is welcome to do so, just as Pastor Wrought Iron did with those who disagreed with the Pegasus Empire leadership. Do not feel guilty, Fluttershy.”

As Fluttershy’s composure returned, I kept explaining.

“These violent acts caught the attention of Princess Celestia, who didn’t want to see Equestria descend too deeply into civil war. As a result, she sent in troops from Canterlot in addition to a large number of Ponyville residents who volunteered as a militia to fight against the oppressive Pegasus overlords and liberate Ponyville. It was a hard fight, but the Kingdom of Equestria won. Ponyville along with the entire former Pegasus Empire were then fully annexed to the Kingdom of Equestria, and the former Pegasus Empire leaders were arrested and jailed for war crimes. However, many of Ponyville’s residents were martyred for their faith.”

“Martyred?”

“Yes, it means they were executed for their beliefs. Wrought Iron was among these ponies. One night not long before this war ended, he was secretly preaching to his congregation. Out of nowhere, pegasi soldiers kidnapped him and held him for ransom on false charges of ‘sedition.’ Because the congregation couldn’t afford the ransom, he was executed on the spot. He died with a smile; even as the citizens of Ponyville pleaded for him to be spared, he looked over at them. With a single tear out of his eye, his last words were: ‘Do not mourn for me, for I knew what I was getting into. I reckon that these sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us (Romans 8:18).’ He has now gone home to be with the Lord, and I can’t wait to see him there someday.”

“Wow, that was an amazing story, Pastor. And his descendants have clearly kept the faith since.”

“That’s right, and also continue to spread the good news to our neighbors.”

“Thank you for sharing this with me. I should get going now because it’s getting late. It was so nice to meet you, Pastor.”

I smiled. “Nice to meet you too, Fluttershy. I have a Bible study to lead tonight, so I should be getting ready for that. If you have any questions, please let me know.”

As Fluttershy and her animals went back home, so did I, happy in the knowledge that I could reach out to all these ponies around me.