In an English county market town, a young man lives with his uncle, a key figure in the Church of the Last Purification, a sect originating from Toronto. This church holds the belief that evil is merely an illusion, a doctrine that sets its followers apart from their skeptical neighbors. As the narrative unfolds, the young man grapples with the troubling questions his faith fails to answer.

A World of Illusions

The young man's uncle runs a small furniture business and is deeply involved in their religious community. The Church of the Last Purification teaches that God, being wholly good, could not have created evil; thus, evil must not be real. Adherents are taught to reject the reality of any misfortune, illness, or demise, viewing them as mere errors in perception. The mantra, "Don’t let Error in," defines their worldview, offering comfort in the belief that they alone comprehend the world’s true nature.

Questioning the Beliefs

Despite the community’s firm beliefs, the young narrator starts to harbor doubts. He struggles with understanding how such an illusion of evil could exist if not created by God. His attempts to seek clarity from his uncle yield only reiterations of their faith’s teachings, leaving his questions unanswered and his mind unsettled.

A Visit from the Reverend

The situation takes a turn with the arrival of the Reverend Hubert Timberlake, a prominent minister from the church's headquarters in Toronto. Timberlake's visit is a significant event, marked by a public address and a personal visit to the narrator’s home. Aware of the narrator's uncertainties, Timberlake proposes an afternoon outing, suggesting a punt on the river as an opportunity to bond and discuss.

The Misadventure on the River

The venture on the river begins amicably enough, with Timberlake at the helm, eager to exhibit his understanding and camaraderie with the younger generation. However, his disregard for the narrator’s warnings about the river’s current leads them into a tangle of willow branches. In a dramatic mishap, Timberlake is lifted off the boat, left dangling awkwardly above the water, a moment that starkly undermines his composed facade.

Revelation in Humility

As Timberlake struggles to regain his footing, the narrator experiences a moment of profound epiphany. The minister's vulnerability, his shirt untucked and his dignity compromised, becomes a metaphorical unveiling of his human fallibility. This encounter sparks a realization in the narrator: the leaders of his faith, like all humans, do not possess definitive answers to life’s most challenging questions.

Maintaining Appearances

The episode ends with the narrator assisting Timberlake back into the boat, concern lingering in the air. Despite the mishap, Timberlake insists they continue their outing, resolutely maintaining a pretense of normalcy. Upon their return, he refuses offers to change out of his wet clothes or warm himself by the fire, clinging to the semblance of unflappable composure.

Life’s Unanswered Questions

Time passes, and sixteen years later, the narrator hears of Reverend Timberlake's death at fifty-seven, due to heart disease. The news solidifies the narrator’s earlier realization: no one is immune to the flaws and mysteries of existence, not even those who claim spiritual enlightenment. The once towering figure of faith had succumbed to the very vulnerabilities his teachings denied.