The World of Henty

Over the past few days, I have picked up By Conduct and Courage again. I had started it long ago, but business delayed my reading further until the weekend when I acquired a cold. So I've had more time to sit and read than normal. This historical fiction novel is said to be Henty's last published work. As such, I had requested it on a birthday list of years gone by, presuming that Mr. Henty would want to put important topics into a book he wrote when progressed in years. I have not been disappointed. While Henty's writing style is somewhat aloof or stoic (at least compared with Ballantyne!), his main character, Will Gilmore, is especially motivated by a sense of honor.

While I haven't read the entire book yet, I have sensed the obligation that Gilmore feels toward: (1) Miss Warden (later Mrs. Archer), the womanly daughter of the village parson who assisted and encouraged Gilmore in his early studies. (2) His own family name. His father died as a wandering musician when Will was quite young, and Gilmore is determined to discover his lineage and honor his family name (I'm looking forward to seeing how this progresses). (3) His adopted parents who raised him in the fishing village of Scarcombe. In the middle of the book is a touching scene when Will returns from the navy to surprise his adopted parents by not only his presence, but the news that he will able to provide them with a guinea per week - money that he has earned by his own "conduct and courage." The old folks fervently bless God for providing for them through their adopted son, who has delivered them from their former state of poverty.

Any time I read a Henty novel, I have an inexplicable feeling of entering another world - a world in which honor and duty are taken for granted; a world which embraced God's distinctives between masculinity and femininity, and in which it was therefore considered normal for all men - even young ones - to protect women and children; a world in which the poor and needy are compassionately cared for; in which hard work is honorable and rewarded, and indolent laziness is held in disdain and punished.
In short, when I read Henty, I enter a world in which Christianity prevails. One does not have to look far to realize with sobriety that our society does not embrace these distinctives of Christianity. What has happened? A few short generations after that of Mr. Henty, honor and duty are scorned at, men and women's roles are twisted out of recognition, women are offended when a man opens a door for them, concern for the poor is relegated to the state, and the hard-working citizens are required to support those who will not work.

Young people, it is our mission to restore the world of G. A. Henty. It is our mission to devote our lives to the fundamental principles built upon the gospel of Christ. It is our mission to know what we believe, and then live what we believe.

Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side;
Some great cause, some great decision, off'ring each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever 'twixt that darkness and that light.

Then to side with truth is noble, when we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit, and 'tis prosp'rous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses while the coward stands aside,
Till the multitude make virtue of the faith they had denied.

Though the cause of evil prosper, yet the truth alone is strong;
Though her portion be the scaffold, and upon the throne be wrong,
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above His own.
~ James Russel Lowell (1819-1891)