Cash Johnny - Man in White

Two of the most wonderful friends that God ever gave my wife and me were Johnny and June Cash. Now that they are both in Heaven, we miss our times together with them. During one of our vacations together, I watched Johnny working many hours on a book he was writing. He had done extensive research and study of the life of the apostle Paul, and amazed us as he talked about Paul and we shared the Scriptures together.

Johnnys book is a novel based on Paul, entitled Man in White.When it was first published several years ago,my wife and I both read itthen read it again! Now that it is to be reprinted, I hope that its new audience will enjoy the novel, and be challenged to also read the entire biblical account of Paul, the great follower of Jesus Christ, the Man in White.

Billy Graham
May, 2006
Montreat, NC

A Novel About the Apostle Paul

JOHNNY CASH

1986 by John R. Cash

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

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Publishers Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the authors imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Cash, Johnny.
Man in white / Johnny Cash.
p. cm.
ISBN-10: 1-59554-237-X
ISBN-13: 978-1-59554-237-3
1. Paul, the Apostle, SaintFiction. 2. Church historyPrimitive and early church, ca. 30-600Fiction. 3. Bible. N.T.History of Biblical eventsFiction. 4. Christian saintsFiction. 5. ApostlesFiction. I. Title.
PS3553.A7937M3 2006
813'.54dc22
2006006840

Printed in the United States of America
07 08 09 10 11 QW 7 6 5 4 3 2

This book is dedicated to my father, Ray Cash,
18971985, veteran of World War I.
Discharge: Honorable. Conduct: Good.

The friends of the Nazarene became united
And I became enraged
And led a slaughter zealously
I found their secret places
They were beaten, they were chained
But some of them were scattered
Justified in fearing me.
Then the Man in White
Appeared to me
In such a blinding light
It struck me down
And with its brilliance
Took away my sight
Then the Man in White
In gentle loving tones spoke to me
And I was blinded so that I might see
The Man in White

COPYRIGHT 1986 BY JOHN R. CASH
AURIGA RA MUSIC, INC.

CONTENTS

I t is highly unlikely that, having taken years, and with a lengthy period of respite from writing Man in White, I could possibly name everyone who, in some way or another, directly or indirectly, purposely, incidentally, accidentally, unknowingly, unwillingly, unintentionally, uncaring, unwanting, or eagerly, hopefully, helpfully contributed to the completion of this publication.

Many dont remember, as I may not, nor do they realize the vital role they played in this work, and I regret that I failed to give due credit to those whose contribution fails my memory.

Thanks to Irene Gibbs, my secretary, who typed, retyped, retyped, and retyped.

To Roy M. Carlisle of Harper & Row San Francisco, who, after reading the first draft, said, Come on now, John. Give me a break. Put a little more prayer and thought into the first scene depicting a Christian worship service, then write it again, please?

Thanks also to the agnostics, the atheists, the unconcerned, and the uncaring. These may have been among the most inspiring and encouraging by providing the negative force I needed against my determination.

Im a traveling man, and I meet a lot of people. I have, on occasion, had the opportunity to talk to people of diverse persuasions. I introduced myself to an Orthodox Jew at the Newark Airport baggage claim area. Reluctantly, he shook my hand. He took a step backward in hesitant awe when I asked him,Could you please tell me a little about the Feast ofWeeks, as it was celebrated around AD 60?

He finally warmed to the subject and supplied me with insight into that period.

I had numerous dinner-table discussions (sometimes confusing) with conservative synagogue members about first-century Temple life. I was instructed by Jewish associates in ethics, traditions, customs, and actions from the old school, the new school, and the unschooled.

I went to a Western store in Los Angeles and bought saddlebags that I carried over my shoulders for the last five years of my travels. In the bag was my book. Also the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible; the New International Version; the Catholic Bible; and from time to time, Everyday Life in Jesus Time; Foxes Book of Martyrs; A History of the Early Church; The Twelve Apostles; The Twelve Caesars; the Jewish Encyclopedia; and the writings of the Romanized Jewish historian Flavius Josephus.

June read each and every page and in her painfully honest way let me know what she thought. I listened, waited, prayed, and then acted upon my own judgment, as I did with other, less outspoken critics.

A reporter asked me, What is this about a new book youre writing?

Its called Man in White, I replied.

Neat idea. Man in White by the man in black.

I nodded, waiting.

Whats it about? he asked.

The apostle Pauls conversion, before and after, I explained. Its a novel.

Nothing about yourself?

No, it happens in the first century AD.

Really, a novel? Anything about prisons? he laughed.

Yes, as a matter of fact, Paul sang in prison. He sang a jail-breaking song.

Really. What was the song? he asked.

I dont know, I said. He and a guy named Silas sang a duet, but they never recorded it.

Others Ive talked with about it were excited, or at least intrigued.

Is it written from the Baptist Churchs angle? one asked. You are a Baptist, arent you?

Paul was not a Baptist, I replied. He admonished those whose doctrinal tenets focused on John the Baptist.

Then youre a Catholic, maybe? he asked.

Maybe, I said, since catholic means universal.

But not the Roman Catholic Church? he asked.

No, I said. Paul was a Jew. He was a doctor of the Law.

Then its written from the Jewish viewpoint, right?

No, mine, I said.

But youre a Baptist.

I finally settled on a fundamental answer. I, as a believer that Jesus of Nazareth, a Jew, the Christ of the Greeks, was the Anointed One of God (born of the seed of David, upon faith as Abraham had faith, and it was accounted to him for righteousness), am grafted onto the true vine, and am one of the heirs of Gods covenant with Israel.

What?

Im a Christian, I said. Dont put me in another box.

There was a long pause, and then he said, Really, Adolph Hitler was a Christian.