The Christmas Candle Page #5

no longer requires your candles.

But that's a standing order.

It has been for

two hundred years.

It's standing no more,

I'm afraid.

But I just delivered

three crates.

Yes,thank you,

but we only need one.

But... but--

[DAVID] Trust me when I say,

it's for the good of Gladbury.

[BEA] What does he know

about the good of Gladbury?

This is our legacy,

and he's meddling with it.

I say we light the candle

right now. We've earned it.

We're going to

give this candle away.

To whom'!

[BEA]

Of course.

God bless you, sir.

God bless you, ma'am.

[WORKER]

These are ready to go.

[WORKER]

Give us a hand.

[typing]

[BEA] Whatever will

they think of next?

[SECRETARY]

May I help you?

Um, we're here to

see Thomas Haddington.

And you are?

We're his parents.

We have a gift for our son.

[SECRETARY]

Mr. Haddington':
away.

But I'd be happy to

receive it on his behalf.

[EDWARD] Perhaps we

could leave it for him.

[EDWARD]You watch,

Bea, he'll come home.

...of redeeming grace.

Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

In my short time in Gladbury,

I have seen many miracles.

I have seen angels at work.

I have seen them on the

rooftops, at kitchen tables,

and in this very sanctuary.

In fact, I see these angels now.

Mr. Hardy Collins.

Dear Ms. Leonard.

Herbert Hopewell. And every

single one of you who has

allowed the light of

Christ to shine through

your good works this

Advent season.

From what I've read

of Gladbury':
past,

this town has

glowed with a certain

miraculous light

for generations.

But today marks the dawning

of a new age in Gladbury.

[DAVID] It is my hope that

in centuries to come,

our beloved church will

shine even brighter still.

Ghastly.

[WIDOW LEONARD]

It's witchcraft! Witchcraft

in the house of the Lord.

[electrical shorts heard]

[CHILD]

Mummy! Daddy!

Get the children!

[DAVID]

Everyone, please!

Remain calm!

[MRS. BICKERTON]

Oh, my poor sweet baby Jesus.

F-F-F-F

Fire!

Dorothy... Dorothy,

get the boy out.

[DAVID]

Remain calm!

[OLIVER] My hat!

Please, everyone, remain calm!

[HERBERT] No,

my grandfather's altar!

[DAVID]

Herbert!

[DAVID]

Herbert!

[DAVID] ls he going

to be alright?

[DOCTOR]

He's dead.

[EMILY]

Reverend!

Miss Barstow.

It's my father.

He's called for you.

[EMILY]

You're alright, Father.

Reverend Richmond's arrived.

Pray for me, Reverend.

What ails you, Mr. Barstow?

Dr. Clem':
diagnosed

Father with consumption.

[EMILY] Said he's

done all he can do.

[WILLIAM]

God'll do the rest.

Right, Reverend?

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

[EMILY] Do you have anything

to say for yourself'!

I'm sorry, but I can't give your

father what he's asking for.

All he wants is--

I know what he wants.

[EMILY]

Then give it to him.

You're a minister;

he's a dying man.

You can't give him

a simple prayer?

Look, if it's so simple,

then why don't you do it?

I don't believe in miracles.

The fourth candle of Advent,

our last before Christmas Eve,

represents the peace of God,

who passes all understanding.

In the coming days of Christmas,

let us be instruments

of this peace,

Shining light where

there is darkness,

hope where there is despair,

sowing joy where

there is sadness...

...and faith where

there is doubt.

You asked me

to fill your pulpit,

and instead

I emptied your church.

You mustn't take all the credit.

I did ask you to come.

I am a man of faith,

Lady Camdon.

I believe God worked

in the appointed time.

But in our modern age,

the lame don't walk,

blind men do not see,

and the sick die.

But sometimes they live.

Walk with me, Reverend.

[LADY CAMDON]

Twenty-five years ago,

our town suffered

great hardship.

That's when the Haddingtons gave

The candle to

Reverend Pillington.

But when he lit

the candle to pray...

...well, he nearly burned

the vestry to the ground.

The poor dear was in despair,

and then, within

the church walls,

a treasure was discovered,

several gold crosses

and a ruby brooch.

A hidden treasure?

Well, had it not

been for the fire,

it would've remained hidden.

And thankfully, there was just

enough to repair the church

And to provide for Gladbury's

impoverished

families that winter.

The very first

Christmas Candle

went to my

great-great-great-grandmother.

Once she was a

hopeless orphan, and then...

Miracles are part of

our inheritance, Reverend.

Tell that to Mrs. Hopewell.

I believe you'll find

Mrs. Hopewell':
faith to be much

stronger than the grief

she's feeling now.

Your doubts don't

trouble me, Reverend.

On the contrary,

they inspire my faith.

[honk]

[BEA] Edward,

have a look at this!

It's a carriage

that pulls itself!

In all my days...

Bea! It's Thomas!

It's Thomas.

[THOMAS]

Father. Mother.

Oh, look at you,

handsome and fancy!

That carriage of yours!

It's called a Stanley Steamer,

one of the first of its kind.

I had it shipped from America.

[EDWARD] Shall I help you

bring in your luggage?

[THOMAS] Oh,

I'm not staying, Father.

Oh, not staying, don't be silly.

I'm married, Mother.

I'm on the way to

meet her family now.

Getting married.

Name's Priscilla.

She's the daughter of a baron.

Oh! And, are you happy?

I'm finally making a name

for myself, for the family.

Business is expanding,

and one day I'll

introduce you to Priscilla.

Why did you come?

I know how much this candle

means to you, to Gladbury,

but it's lost on me.

You must light it and pray,

and then you'll see.

See what, Mother?

A miracle?

Gladbury needs you, son.

The world needs me.

I'm lighting up entire cities.

It was good to see you.

Both of you.

[THOMAS]

Merry Christmas.

Thomas, the miracles, the angel,

you saw it with your own eyes.

I was a child. I saw

what I wanted to see.

Goodbye.

[BEA]

Thomas.

Reverend.

I would like to see your father.

[William coughing]

[EMILY]

Father. Father.

[DAVID]

Mr. Barstow, if I may.

[DAVID] And it came to

pass that a certain

blind man sat by the

wayside begging,

He cried, "Jesus, thou Son of

David, have mercy on me."

And Jesus said unto him,

"What wilt though that

I should do unto thee?"

The blind man said unto him,

"Lord, that I might

receive my sight."

And Jesus said, "Go thy way;

thy faith has made thee whole."

And immediately

he received his sight

and followed Jesus in the way.

Did I not say to you

that if you would believe,

You would see the glory of God.

And they took away

the stone from the

place where the

dead man was lying,

and Jesus lifted up

his eyes and said,

"Father, I thank you

that you have heard..."

And these are written

that you might believe

that Jesus is the

Christ, the son of God,

and that in believing,

you might have life.

Behold there came a leper

and worshipped him,

"Lord, if thou wilt, thou

canst make me clean."

And Jesus put forth his hand...

My little daughter is

at the point of death.

I pray thee, Lord,

come and lay hands on her,

that she might be healed.

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