A small non-denominational church in Farmersville, the tiny flock gathered together on a hot summer night to worship and praise the Lord……

One woman had brought a friend who was hooked on heroin because some of the folks in that particular church believe that addicts are possessed by evil spirits and she wanted to get help for her friend…..an exorcism, of sorts.

Another woman sat in the back of the church taking it all in. Drugs and evil spirits? It was a bit much for her; she had been attending a church where such things were not even discussed.

The woman sitting at the back of the church had seen Hollywood’s treatment of the subject in movies like “”The Exorcist,”” and she knew that in ages past, before our human minds became so very enlightened, that people gave a lot more thought and respect to evil forces from the dark side. But, that was in days past, not today, where, for many, evil is a concept and not a reality.

Did these modern day folk really believe that demons could invade human bodies and personalities to cause mental illness, physical disease or specific problems such as deafness, blindness or addictions? Did these people actually believe that demonic forces could take control of nature and cause natural calamities and disasters? Surely not……….

The addict, with shuffling gait, was lead to the bench that was in front of the alter of the church. As his body was laid out on the bench something within him seemed to stir and he sat back up. A Christian hand reach out and touched his forehead. The addict began to scream and fight.

Other Christian hands reached out and tried to hold his body there. The addict struggled and shook off the dozen or so strong male hands that tried to hold him. His eyes were open, but nothing human was to be seen within them.

Christian hands got hold of him again. A sister gathered Bibles from the congregation of the church, as the addict was taken back to the bench at the altar. His face was grossly contorted, the sounds that he made were more animal than human.

A Bible was placed on his chest, one at each hand and one across each ankle. He couldn’t get back up, he was held down by five Bibles where a dozen people had not been able to keep him there before.