A Reconstructed Life

Imagine you are a die-hard rebel soldier at the closing of the Civil War. What you are fighting for is sacred right? After all, how can the southern economy survive without slavery? If there are no slaves, who will pick the cotton? And who are these northerners telling us what we can and cannot do? The Union invaded our lands for Pete''s Sake!!! Anyone with an ounce of intelligence would see this as an incursion on blessed soil! A destruction of our rights and way of life!!!

For Lawrence Ambrose, this is exactly how he feels. It is how he feels until he sees the light. Like the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus, Lawrence eventually sees what slavery really is - evil.

But for Lawrence, it will take time before he sees the errors of his ways. As the war ends and it is clear the Confederacy has lost all hope of waging a successful outcome, Lawrence lays down his weapons at Appomattox. Now he and his best friend Sully must make a long and treacherous journey back home to Atlanta. They encounter many mishaps and adventures ranging from an attack by ravenous wolves to an unexplained explosion in Charlotte causing untold death and destruction.

After weeks of various travails, they eventually make it home to Atlanta; and that''s where the story really begins. With the Reconstruction Era beginning, Lawrence now has to find his way in a new and sometimes perplexing world. He has to find a new occupation and a new lease on life; both materially and spiritually. With the help of the freedmen of Atlanta, Lawrence realizes how wrong he has been. A light shines on the immorality of slavery and Lawrence is ashamed of his past beliefs.

As a budding preacher, Lawrence soon realizes he has to help change "hearts and minds" of the southern people. With the Ambrose family finding a new home in the north of Atlanta, Lawrence has a pulpit from which he can expound on his newfound beliefs. But will everyone accept his views? Lawrence is met with opposition, especially from his father-in-law W.E. Fuller who happens to be his family''s main benefactor. Lawrence runs into opposition from all fronts. He even learns that the "great" W.E. is running a burgeoning chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. How will Lawrence overcome the attacks both physical and spiritual? How will he overcome the dark forces of his father-in-law and the KKK? With spiritual renewal and the strength of Sarah his wife, Lawrence finds a way to help his family, the freedmen and bring new hope that the South will rise again.

Eventually Lawrence and Sarah have to leave the Fuller home and make it on their own. W.E prevents Lawrence from preaching the truth about slavery and this forces the couple to seek out a new home in Atlanta. Lawrence has been given the pastorate of a church in downtown Atlanta and he soon sees the struggle for equal rights firsthand as he tries to help the freedmen. W.E.''s reach is long however, and he disrupts the efforts of the freedmen to register to vote and to educate themselves.