The document summarizes a book called "The Stain, Crisis in Conscience" by Ed DeVos, which tells the story of a Roman centurion who oversees the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and experiences a crisis of faith. The centurion is first ordered to supervise the beheading of John the Baptist and begins to doubt his Roman faith. Later he faces further challenges to his beliefs after encountering Jesus and witnesses his impact on others. The author drew on his own military experience and Christian faith to show how Jesus influenced both Jews and Gentiles.

1. Centurion’s Experience with Christ Creates Crisis in Conscience
Author Ed DeVos reveals the crisis in conscience experienced by a Roman centurion
charged with overseeing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in his book The Stain, Crisis in
Conscience, a Historical Novel, recently released by Halo Publishing International.
Houston, TX (USA), October 31, 2012 -- Written in the first person from the Roman perspective,
DeVos takes the reader on a journey which begins ten months before the crucifixion of Jesus
when the centurion is ordered by Herod Antipas to supervise the beheading of John the Baptist.
Before doing his duty, this warrior of Rome is challenged by John to put his trust in John’s God
instead of in his Roman deities. While the centurion rejects John’s plea, doubt arises in him,
haunting him in the months ahead as he faces an appeal from a trusted friend, the words of an
old Jewish man, and many others who speak about a man named Jesus of Nazareth who is
spreading the word of God.
Ed, a retired Army infantry officer, relates that the idea for the story came to him about 15 years
ago. Motivated by his personal military experience and his strong Christian faith, he wanted to
show how Christ’s life impacted many people, both Jews and Gentiles, before and after his death
on the cross.
The author said he used The Bible as his primary source of information when writing The Stain
which appeals both to Christian believers as well as those struggling with faith in the story of
Jesus. The Stain speaks to those asking “Who is Jesus,” and “What makes Christians believe in
Jesus?” DeVos said. The title is metaphoric for the blood of John the Baptist and of Jesus Christ
stain both the sandals and the soul of the centurion as he is challenged anew after Jesus’ death
with the crisis of conscience welling up in his heart.
Halo International ( http://www.halopublishing.com ) Publisher Lisa Umina said readers will get
inspiration from The Stain. “The way the story is written in the first person from the perspective of
the centurion is unique and a creative way to tell about the life of Christ and the conflicts
Christians often have with their faith,” she said.
DeVos spent 20 years in the Army and worked as a financial planner after retiring from military
service in 1989. He has a Bachelor’s degree in business and a Master’s degree in military arts
and science. He honed his writing skills some years ago by writing a series of articles on South
Carolina’s role in the Revolutionary War for a local newspaper. The author hopes to continue
writing and develop a series titled “The Almighty Warriors,” about other soldiers who experience
their own crisis of conscience on other battlefields of history.
Ed and his wife, Susan, were raised in Lake Worth, Florida. They now attend a Baptist church
near their home in McCormick, South Carolina. They have two adult children and four
grandchildren.
To reach this author, e-mail edevos@wctel.net, or call (864) 391-2346. To order The Stain, visit
http://www.halopublishing.com.
Press & Media Contact:
Lisa M. Umina, Publisher
Halo Publishing International
AP #726 / P.O. Box 60326
Houston, TX 77205-0326 - USA
Toll Free: 877-705-9647
lisa@halopublishing.com
http://www.halopublishing.com