Old Jeb was a wandering stranger
No one knew where he came from
Some said he came up from the train yard
He was laughed at, made fun of and shunned
He could often be seen in the alleys
Seemed he always just wandered and roamed
Sometimes he would sleep under bridges
Or make an old corncrib his home
The children in town would talk to him
When their folks weren’t around to complain
“Now you stay away from that crazy old man!”
You could hear all the kid’s mother’s say
The mean kids and bullies would taunt him
They’d pound him with rocks and they’d say
“My old man said that you’re good for nothing!”
He’d just smile and walk out of the way
His clothes, they were torn and so tattered
His old hat too small for his head
You could smell him long before he got to you
His old eyes were bloodshot and red
Old Jeb, well he wasn’t a drinker
Like most of the hobos ‘round town
And Jeb never bothered anybody
And he rarely even let out a sound
There was one thing that Jeb made a habit
And it filled all the locals with fright
He would stay in the alley by the First Baptist church
He would sleep there every Saturday night
Well, sister Jolene started talking one day
To sister Mary Ann Bernard
And Mary went and talked to Sally Sue Wills
At the gossip fence in Sally Sue’s yard
And the ladies that were there had to go get their hair
Fixed up down at Linda Lou’s Cuts
And they asked Linda Lou, “Girl, what shall we do?”
And they filled her ears with the local, vocal smut
If there was one thing they knew,
they could depend on Linda Lou
To make sure that the news got around
By the time she was through, almost everyone knew
At least all the folks in our town
And if it seems that I’m picking on the ladies
Well, just let me tell you some more
Because Billy told Johnny told Alex told Phil
‘Round the wood burning stove at the store
By now, I guess you get the picture
Or by now I guess you should anyway
And by now you are asking both me, and yourself
“Well, what in the world did they say?”
And I sure hate to answer that question
‘Bout what all the folks said that day
It’s easier to answer with a question
And that is, “What DIDN”T they say?”
One night they all gathered at the general store
(In the back, near the Pepsi machine)
And when things settled down, they all gathered ‘round
To discuss what to make of this thing
“Why, I heard that that man is Hitler!”
“Why, no, he is Elvis for sure!”
“No, he’s a Muslim with a self-imposed disease
For which there just isn’t a cure”
Well, Bertha Bartholomew figured
He was an agent for the C.I. of A
And her husband, Ben, put his two bits in
(That’s all she let him say that day)
Old Ben asked, ”Well, why don’t we ask him?
There’s no telling what we might find”
The town folks just gasped as their chests they all grasped
“Ben, have you lost your darned mind?”
But after the meeting was over
As Ben made his way to the house
He turned towards the church; he wanted to search
(Yes, there were complaints from his spouse)
He wanted to speak for himself to old Jeb
“These folks are just worried to death
If there’s anything important to know about him
Why, I will just find out myself”
And on the way down to the alley
The Lord started dealing with Ben
“Has anyone told Jeb of Jesus?
And how He forgives us of sin?”
“Does anyone see him as human?
Has anyone offered him food?
Has anyone offered a warm place to stay?
Instead of just treating him rude?”
“Has anyone offered him work or a job?
Has anyone offered him clothes?
Here he sleeps in an alley right next to the church
And the church folks just turn up their nose”
Before Ben got down to the alley
He walked along with tears in his eyes
And he knew that the purpose of his visit had changed
And to Jeb he must apologize
And as soon as he rounded the corner
He heard a voice ask… “Who goes there?”
And he said, “It is me, Ben Bartholomew
I mean you no harm, I declare”
“I have come in behalf of the city
I have come knowing not what to say
I have come here to offer you tidings
I’ve a nice room at home where you can stay”
“And I’ve come now to ask your forgiveness
For the way we have shunned you so bad
And I’ve come to offer a listening ear
You can tell me your story so sad”
“And I’ve come here to tell of the Savior
How He died on the cross just for you
And He wants you to pray and to know Him
And to have your old spirit renewed”
While Ben waited for Jeb to answer
To laugh or to curse or to weep
Old Jeb turned his eyes to the heavens
As gentle as a baby, asleep
And in a soft voice Jeb was speaking
To the wonderful Father of Lights
And he said, “Master I’ve found another
That makes five righteous men here tonight”
“And You said that You’d spare this old city
If we angels could find only five
And my Master I’m reporting for duty
To guard them and keep them alive”
And he looked back at Ben, ever softly
And much to Ben’s startled surprise
He saw a bright fire like a furnace
Burning hot in Jeb’s wild flaming eyes
Well, Jeb drew a sword from his garment
And a big smile shined bright on his face
And much to old Ben’s wild amazement
The flesh of Jeb’s face burned away
Ben watched on in total amazement
In the light of a full yellow moon
As his old, earthly shell just melted and fell
Like a butterfly breaking from a cocoon
Where an old man had once stood before him
There was now a great warrior in arms
And the angel said, “Ben, you will soon see the end
But see that you are not alarmed!”
“’Cause when you see these things start to happen
You’ll know that your redemption draws nigh
And very soon you’ll see the Savior
As He splits wide the great eastern sky”
The angle said, “Be on your guard now!
But see that you don’t live in fear!
Someday soon we will gather God’s children!”
And he smiled and then he disappeared
And it seems that Jeb never existed
With his wandering and worries and cares
And Ben knew he’d just spared the city
By entertaining an angel unaware
