1996 issue 8 - book reviews: books by henty and evans - counsel of chalcedon
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8/12/2019 1996 Issue 8 - Book Reviews: Books by Henty and Evans - Counsel of Chalcedon
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of Independence and
its
aftermath with
the French
Revolution and
its reign of
terror.
Morison notes,
But
the
mere mention of the
French
and Latin-American
revolutions shows how
fundamentally
ours differed
from
theirs. Our
Revolution
may
be
said to have begun
with Washington and
Jefferson
in Virginia and
the
brace
of
Adamses in Massachusetts;
and ended with Washington,
John Adams, and
Jefferson as
the first three presidents under a
new federal constitution, with
Sam
Adams governor under a
conservative
State
Constitution
written by his cousin John. By
contrast, in no other important
revolution of modem times
did
the leaders who started the
revolution end it. (Ibid., p. 3
Opponents of the
revolution
here
suffered no atrocities
akin
to
what happened in
France.
There were
no
summary
executions
or purges
of
enemies of the
people.
Morison notes, Whilst
treatment of
the Loyalists
is
not
one of the things which we
view with pride, it was not
nearly so severe
as the
treatment of
counter-revolutionary
groups in
the great
revolutions
of our
time.
Thousands
in France,
hundred of thousands in
Russia, and
millions
in China
were arbitrarily killed by
revolutionaries
for no
other
reason
than that they were
opposed
to
the
new regime,
or
owned
property
that the new
regime wanted. By contrast,
in
this
country
there
were no
mass
expulsions, much
less
executions; and
the great
majority
of American
Loyalists
never left the
States
but
eventually became
good
American
citizens.
Also, a
surprisingly
large
number who
did leave,
drifted
back.
(Ibid.,
p.8
The
typical
revolutionary
of
modem times never gained
control or had influence
during
our revolution.
The eaily
agitators
like Tom Paine, left
soon after the war for
France
where
he
could gain
a
respectable hearing. The
rowdy Sons of Liberty in
Boston
and Philadelphia quietly
disappeared because, as
Morison notes, they had
nothing
constructive to offer,
and the people simply forgot
their existence:
(Ibid., p. 28)
Credit
for
this must
go
to the
restraining hand of Christianity
which held in the reins of the
revolutionary impulse. The
laws of Nature and Natures
(jod held sway over the minds
of the vast majority in this
country so
that lawlessness
could not gain a foothold. The
people here fought for the
principle that there were laws
that could not be annulled by
kings
or
parliaments and
were
not about to
fall
into the same
disrespect
for
divine, eternal
authority they had
observed
in
others.(TO E
CONTINVED)
8 f THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon I October,
996
In
Freedom
s
Cause
AStory
of
Wallace and
Bruc
e
by G.
A.
Henty. Preston/Speed
Publications,
RR
4,
Box
705,
Mill Hall, Pa. 17751. Ph.
(717) 726-7844 (c) 1996, hb.
$20 .00.
Liberty or death. This was
the stark choice the people of
thirteenth/fourteenth century
Scotland faced if they rose up
against their English rulers.
Many would say that it was no
choice at all. How could the
Scottish people ever hope to
gain their freedom
on
the
battlefield? Many of the nobles
were English supporters. Few
people could be expected to
rise up against the numerically
overwhelming English anny
that would assuredly invade
from the South. Edward I, the
king of England, would
qUickly and consistently resist
any and all attempts by
.
Scotland to rule itself. The
odds seemed insunnountable.
Yet with the right leader, with
a long tenn commitment and
above all
with
Gods good
providence it could be
accomplished.
Using Bums' masterful
historical work, The Scottish
War of Independence as his
basis, G.
A.
Henty penned this
thrilling account of Scotlands
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8/12/2019 1996 Issue 8 - Book Reviews: Books by Henty and Evans - Counsel of Chalcedon
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s)1ccessf)11 struggle for its
independence. This heart-
stopping aCCO)1nt makes for
fascinating reading. Its
importance is highlighted as
the individ)1al reads with the
knowledge that this fiction
is
solidly based
on
fact)1al
events.
At
the O)1tset, the reader is
introd)1ced to
YO)1ng
Archibald Forbes whose father
has recently been killed and
his land overtaken by the
neighboring Kerr family The
reader follows Archie as he
grows into YO)1ng manhood
and joins with William
Wallace's small force in a
determined effort to end
English rule. Within the
book's pages the reader meets
William Wallace, Robert the
Bruce,
and King Edward I
The pages are full of heroic
activity, heated battles and
heartless treachery Yet the
book
is
far more. The heroes
are tender warriors,
determined to win on the
battlefield, because of their
great love for their homeland
and their wives and mothers.
Thro)1ghout the book the
family s importance is seen in
Archie's protection of his
mother, the grief of family
persecution, a surprising
marriage and courageous
family )1nity in chaotic times.
The book becomes a real page
turner as heroes face hand to
hand combat and imminent
death upon imprisonment
with seemingly no way of
escape.
Scattered thro)1ghout the
book are several pages of
narrative. These pages are
easily read and remind the
reader of Henty's desire
to
be
historically accurate. These
pages
add
to the educational
benefits of this book.
Admittedly, I knew little of
this era of Scottish history It is
seldom if ever taught in
schools. These valiant men
who fought in freedom's cause
are too important to be
overlooked or ignored.
Henty wrote these books as
adventure reading for boys.
As
an adult I found this one (as
well as previously published
volumes) to be highly
informative, engrossing
and
entertaining.
God's providence is clearly
seen on page after page. What
a reminder that
our
unchanging God continues to
work providentially
in
every
event in our own day As we
well know such providence
does not work always in the
way we desire. This is seen in
the book. A hero, William
Wallace, dies. Will anyone be
raised
up
to effectively take his
place as leader? Scottish
soldiers visit the Irish
and
ask
for their help. The request is
denied. How can the
beleaguered forces press on?
At what personal expense does
help come from some former
enemies? Answers to these
questions highlight God's
good providence.
Henty, writing during the
Victorian period, does
not
write history
with
Hollywood
glitz in mind nor with a
desire to please man's
depraved nat)1re. He rightly
knew that accurate historical
writing has its own unique
glamour. After all, fact)1al
historical writing reflects God
at work
in history Who then,
could lightly ask for more
glamour than God's
handiwork provides?
Reading this volume
reminded
me
of the
excitement conveyed in good
historical writing as well as the
education that can be gleaned.
Don't miss out
on
either. Buy a
copy for yourself. Read t and
share it with your family
Q
The Theme
Is
Freedom
Religion,
Politics,
and the
Amelican Tradition by M.
Stanton Evans. 422 First
Street SE, Suite 300,
Washington D.C. 20003, 366
pgs., hb, 1994, 24.95.
During the week of July
4th, one or
more
poll results
were released, shOwing the
little knowledge many citizens
have regarding the origin of
the annual Fourth ofJuly
celebration in America.
Accompanying this is the
increasing demand by many
for the civil government to
insure their multiple rights,
October
996
THE COUNSEL
of
Chalcedon 19
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8/12/2019 1996 Issue 8 - Book Reviews: Books by Henty and Evans - Counsel of Chalcedon
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defined
by
themselves, are
granted and protected.
The examples are but a
few
that could
be
given to
show
the timeliness and importance
of
the publication of
The
Theme
Is
Freedom
Contrary to
the flow of modem thought
and c;:ulture the author does
not ground the freedoms we
have historically enjoyed
in
human autonomy Instead, he
rightly grounds our liberties
within the outworking of
Christian principles.
The author defines freedom
in
these words: Freedom in
these pages means the absence
of
coercion - to the extent that
this is feasible
in
organized
society It means the ability of
human
beings to act
in
.
voluntary fashion, rather than
being pushed around and
forced to do things (p . 23).
Accompanying such freedom
is self-government. The
Citizenry must act
in
accord
with moral law
under
the
omnipresent eye of God. This
results
in an
obedient people
who
do not just obey because
some authority is
in
the area.
They are aware of a higher
authOrity to
whom
they must
one day give
an
account.
Again, quoting Mr. Evans:
Self-government required
observance of the moral law
respect for the rights
of
others,
restraint upon the passions.
Virtue was thus a necessary
precondition to a regime of
freedom,
and
a nation that lost
its religiOUS moorings was
considered ripe for tyranny (p.
35).
This thinking goes against
current teaching that religious
absolutes lead to repression.
The author tellingly shows the
despotism that can easily flow
from a government
that
derlies
religiOUS absolutes.
In
the chapters that follow
the author provides a wealth
of infonnation showing the
influence of Christian thinking
and beliefs on medieval
governing philosophy a:nd the
development of common law.
It was this heritage
that
c c o m p ~ n i e d the English to
American shores. The author
rightly points the application
of Christian thought to the
development of governmental
philosophy
in
America, rather
than the influence
ofJohn
Locke and otHers who are
often and wrongly given the
credit.
Only
as we
understand key
Christian thinking, such
as
the
existence of a higher law than
that of earthly kings, the fact
of original sin necessitating
checks and balances and the
results of a king or a people
breaking contract unilaterally,
can we understand our
political heritage.
Having provided and
developed this basis for
liberty, the author looks at the
Declaration of Independence
and the Constitution
in
terms
of it. The author s research
20 TH COUNSEL
of
ChalcedOIl October,
1996
and application provides
gratifying reading particular+y
for those who are unaware of .
the heritage of our freedoms.
Naturally, the writer clearly
shows that the French
Revolution was in many ways
opposed to the principles that
resulted in the fighting of the
War for
Independence Mr:
Evans also examines the
connection of civil
government and religion and
the misinterpretation of this
concept by the Supreme
Court.
As
go.
od as
.the book is, it is
made better by the excellent
bibliography the author
provides. Many today are
anxious to study history
on
their own, so they can
be
more discerning of revisionist
history This bibliography
provides numerous resources
for those interested. The
index is also useful for using
the book
as
a reference
ona
variety
of
subjects.
We live in a day
in
which
historical knowledge is on the
wane. This book is a helpful
antidote. t can be read with
pleasure by those aware of the
origin of our freedoms. Those
with little knowledge of the
roots of our liberties can read .
this with great profit. It is
particularly important that
college students read this
material that they might be
equipped to deal with the
misinformation they may
receive
iJ;l
their American
history classes.
Q