Whip Larsen is a gun-totin’, fire and brimstone preacher who carries a Bible in one hand and a load of miracles in the other. He’s not the usual mild-mannered reverend. He’s a double-fisted shooter who stands tall in the pulpit. But after the tragedy of his wife’s death, this man of God closes down his tent and becomes an expert gunman with the evil intent to go looking for the face that is burned into his memory.
One night, while in a saloon drinking, he finds himself face-to-face with a cowboy who takes his mind off his deadly plan, and makes him burn with lust. An invitation into the man’s bed leads to an affair, but the familiarity of this man’s face haunts him. Where has he seen it before? Was it among the faces in his congregation, a face he’d seen at the bottom of countless whiskey bottles—or was it behind the smoking gun that killed his wife?
“Sin, sin, sin! You’re all sinners, and you’ll burn in Hell! A burnin’, scaldin’, everlastin’ fiery Hell, created by God for Satan and sinners like you unless you repent!”
Sweat crept down his rugged face as he looked around, his sharp eyes glaring into every dark corner and into every face.
“The Devil’s in this tent tonight!” he hissed. “He’s sittin’ beside you now, tellin’ you it’s all lies. He’s makin’ you thirsty for that devil whiskey or hungry for that painted up hussy!”
With a sudden movement, he tore his frock coat from off his back, rolled the arms of his shirt up as if he meant business, and stood there looking like a mad gunslinger. And then, with one angry movement, he kicked his pulpit aside and stood threateningly on the edge of the platform, his hands clenched in fists.
“I ain’t afraid of you, Devil!” he shouted, his thick, unruly hair shaking as he shifted his fiery gaze to every part of the tent. “I’m here to whip you for God! I’m here to show these people the way to salvation, and you won’t get in my way!”
He could feel God’s power upon him and made a shocking move that had every eye of the congregation upon this scandalous hellfire-and-brimstone preacher. With one swift movement, he suddenly lifted his Bible in the air and threw it into the aisle at the sinners’ feet. “I give you God’s word! There it is, step on it, defile it, tear it to shreds, because that’s exactly what you’re doin’ if you ain’t livin’ by it!”
Suddenly, a shout came from the back of the tent. “Oh, God, preacher, save me!”
Whip Larsen looked toward the voice and saw a man jump up from his seat, run into the aisle, and fall to his knees. He quickly jumped down from the platform and ran to him. “Tell me, brother, are you a sinner?”
“Yes! I need to be saved. Save me, preacher!”
“Do you believe, brother? Do you believe Jesus can save your soul from Hell?”
“Yes,” the man said in desperation. “I believe, preacher. I do believe!”
“Then open up your heart, sinner, and let Jesus into your heart and soul!”
“I do, preacher, I do! My heart is wide open!”
Whip reached out and laid his hand on the man’s head, then looked heavenward as if he could see past the dark shadows of the tent’s ceiling. “God!” he shouted out. “Do you hear me, God? Here’s one of your lost lambs. He’s cryin’ out for you to save him. He’s no better or no worse than the rest of us here, but he came to you, Lord, filthy with sin and in need of your help. Save him, God, save him and wash the dirty sin out of his soul now!”
Just as the spirit of God fell upon the man, he became so excited he looked up into the heavens and howled like a wolf, then fell down on the ground and began shaking like a man possessed.
Sounds of sobbing and gasps filled the tent.
Whip immediately whirled around and lifted a hand toward the choir, indicating to them to begin singing. He then ran up the aisle, jumped up on the platform, turned, and dramatically lifted up his hands to his congregation.
“Now is the time, dear sinner! Not a second to waste. Jesus is callin’ you!” He pointed toward the Bible that still lay in the aisle. “See that Bible? That’s the Holy Word straight from Heaven! You can choose to accept it or turn away from it, but I urge you to come to Jesus now. Tonight! And all you black-hearted sinners out there, listen to me. If the devil’s got you believin’ his lies and you turn away from Jesus, when you walk out of this tent tonight, you’ll be walkin’ out hand-in-hand with the Devil!”
Almost as if a dam had burst, the people immediately jumped out of their seats and streamed up the aisle bringing Whip down off the platform to meet each one with a prayer for their salvation. He then laid hands on those who needed healing, urging everyone to believe for a miracle. “Here they are, God!” he cried out. “They’re your children. I’ve done all I can do. I’ve brought them to you, God. Now save them! Save them and put them on the path to righteousness!”
It didn’t surprise any of them to see this fire-and-brimstone preacher perform one miracle after the other. By the time it was over, many were lying in the aisles, slain in the spirit, while the Bible still lay there, its pages turned to a warning about false prophets.
