Jonas and Sally

In his first novel, Foss, an elder of a communal Mennonite church, pens a parable about a young couple who, brought together by God, must confront an ugly truth before they marry. In 1932, Jonas, a 20-year-old inexperienced preacher, is commanded by God in a dream to go to the tiny Michigan fishing community of Norsk Island. There, working as a preacher and a hired hand, he meets Sally, a troubled young woman with a four-year-old daughter. After confiding to Jonas that her child had been conceived as a result of rape, Sally finds her faith in God. Jonas soon hears God tell him to marry Sally, who happily accepts his proposal. But before they announce their engagement, Sally wants to reveal to her fiance the true identity of her rapist, who still lives on the island. The not-so-shocking revelation forces both Jonas and Sally to choose between forgiveness and revenge as they try to understand God's will. Stiff prose, stilted dialogue and a predictable plot give this novel a tract-like air. (Nov.)