Fantasy Moon
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Most assuredly.
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November 2008: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Uncle Tom's Cabin
- Thread starter Robert
- Start date
silverseason
New Member
I think she is making a general point about lack of compassion for others. In Chapter 12, there is an incident on the boat going south where the slave trader sells the baby of one of the females. Stowe says:
The trader had arrived at that stage of Christian and political perfection which has been recommended by some preachers and politicians of the north, lately, in which he had completely overcome every humane weakness and prejudice. His heart was exactly where yours, sir, and mine could be brought, with proper effort and cultivation.
I was reminded of this when Henry Paulsen is asked to use some of the money for relieve homeowners and he replies that the money is for the preservation of the financial system. Systems and the care and increase of money are more valuable than the people whom the system should be serving.
Fantasy Moon
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You bring up an interesting point. I always wonder what people thinks that hoarding money is going to do for them. It's not like we can take it with us when we go. So why not give it to those who need it?
oskylad
Member
In Chapter XVI, Ms Stowe looks to the future and comments that "the negro race ... will exhibit the highest form of the particularly Christian life, and, perhaps, as God chasteneth whom he loveth, he hath chosen poor Africa in the furnace of affliction, to make her the highest and noblest in that kingdom which he will set up, when every other kingdom has been tried, and failed; for the first shall be last, and the last first."
It is interesting that in today's world the "typical" modern Christian is a young woman of color living in the global south. Philip Jenkins has reported in The Atlantic: "If we want to visualize a typical contemporary Christian, we should think of a woman living in a village in Nigeria or in a Brazilian favela." Religious freedom advocate Paul Marshall claims that "within a couple of decades, Africa will be the continent with the most Christians."
African Christians have much to teach us. They challenge the secularised outlook of the West and the West's understanding of right living.
As the church in the West has deteriorated in recent decades, many Anglican churches have left The Episcopal Church and alligned themselves with African bishops. The response of The Episcopal Church to such "disloyalty" is to bring in the lawyers and fight for the property. It has been said that they may lose the people, but they still want the steeple.
It is interesting that in today's world the "typical" modern Christian is a young woman of color living in the global south. Philip Jenkins has reported in The Atlantic: "If we want to visualize a typical contemporary Christian, we should think of a woman living in a village in Nigeria or in a Brazilian favela." Religious freedom advocate Paul Marshall claims that "within a couple of decades, Africa will be the continent with the most Christians."
African Christians have much to teach us. They challenge the secularised outlook of the West and the West's understanding of right living.
As the church in the West has deteriorated in recent decades, many Anglican churches have left The Episcopal Church and alligned themselves with African bishops. The response of The Episcopal Church to such "disloyalty" is to bring in the lawyers and fight for the property. It has been said that they may lose the people, but they still want the steeple.
oskylad
Member
Although I enjoyed the book, I found many episodes to be excessively sentimental or even mawkish.
This was especially true for the illness and death of Eva, "whose little hour on earth did so much of good".
It also came out when St Clare was under conviction as he walked up and down the room. When he said "I believe I'll go down the street, a few moments, and hear the news" it was obvious he was not going to last the night.
And even when Tom was held up as a Christ figure, his normal dialect would almost disappear whenever he talked about his relationship with God.
This was especially true for the illness and death of Eva, "whose little hour on earth did so much of good".
It also came out when St Clare was under conviction as he walked up and down the room. When he said "I believe I'll go down the street, a few moments, and hear the news" it was obvious he was not going to last the night.
And even when Tom was held up as a Christ figure, his normal dialect would almost disappear whenever he talked about his relationship with God.
oskylad
Member
In Chapter XXVIII, St Clare recognized Tom's good theology. And so it was.
Tom claimed that "the Lord has a work for Mas'r." When St. Calre asked what sort of work it is, Tom responded "why even a poor fellow like me has a work from the Lord; and Mas'r St. Clare, that has larnin, and riches, and friends,--how much he might do for the Lord!"
"Tom, you seem to think the Lord needs a great deal done for him," said St. Clare, smiling.
"We does for the Lord when we does for his critturs," said Tom.
The heart of Christian theology stands for the bold claim that Christians are justified by grace, for Christ’s sake, through faith alone, apart from works of the law. This is coupled with the equally bold assertion that good works necessarily follow faith as naturally as a tree bears fruit.
Martin Luther saw that “[e]very occupation has its own honor before God, as well as its own requirements and duties. Just as individuals are different, so their duties are different; and in accordance with the diversity of their callings, God demands diverse works of them.”
Tom understood that he, though only a slave, nevertheless had a place in God's service. He saw that God had a call on St. Clare's life as well, and longed for St. Clare to respond to God's call. His prayer was answered, but too late for St. Clare to do "for his critturs."
Tom claimed that "the Lord has a work for Mas'r." When St. Calre asked what sort of work it is, Tom responded "why even a poor fellow like me has a work from the Lord; and Mas'r St. Clare, that has larnin, and riches, and friends,--how much he might do for the Lord!"
"Tom, you seem to think the Lord needs a great deal done for him," said St. Clare, smiling.
"We does for the Lord when we does for his critturs," said Tom.
The heart of Christian theology stands for the bold claim that Christians are justified by grace, for Christ’s sake, through faith alone, apart from works of the law. This is coupled with the equally bold assertion that good works necessarily follow faith as naturally as a tree bears fruit.
Martin Luther saw that “[e]very occupation has its own honor before God, as well as its own requirements and duties. Just as individuals are different, so their duties are different; and in accordance with the diversity of their callings, God demands diverse works of them.”
Tom understood that he, though only a slave, nevertheless had a place in God's service. He saw that God had a call on St. Clare's life as well, and longed for St. Clare to respond to God's call. His prayer was answered, but too late for St. Clare to do "for his critturs."
oskylad
Member
Many of us are like St. Clare who "like most men of his class of mind, cordially hated the present tense of action, generally".
Ophelia, on the other hand told St. Clare that "now is the only time to do a thing in", and "n the midst of life we are in death".
This brought St. Clare up short. He began to recognize that "one should be loving, warm and beautiful, full of hopes, desires and wants, one day, and the next be gone, utterly gone, and forever!"
Through reading scripture with Tom, St. Clare was reminded of the last judgment, and remarked "these folks that get such hard measure seem to have been doing just what I have,--living good, easy, respectable lives; and not troubling themselves to inquire how many of their brethren were hungry or athirst, or sick, or in prison."
Later on, St. Clare says of himself "what shall be said of one whose own heart, whose education, and the wants of society, have called in vain to some noble purpose; who has floated on, a dreamy, neutral spectator of the struggles, agonies, and wrongs of man, when he should have been a worker."
"I should say," said Miss Ophelia, "that he ought to repent, and begin now."
This should be a reminder to all of us of the truth contained in the old hymn that says:
"A world in need now summons us to labor, love, and give;
To make our life an offering to God, that all may live....
O God, who gave yourself to us in Jesus Christ your Son,
Teach us to give ourselves each day until life’s work is done."
Ophelia, on the other hand told St. Clare that "now is the only time to do a thing in", and "n the midst of life we are in death".
This brought St. Clare up short. He began to recognize that "one should be loving, warm and beautiful, full of hopes, desires and wants, one day, and the next be gone, utterly gone, and forever!"
Through reading scripture with Tom, St. Clare was reminded of the last judgment, and remarked "these folks that get such hard measure seem to have been doing just what I have,--living good, easy, respectable lives; and not troubling themselves to inquire how many of their brethren were hungry or athirst, or sick, or in prison."
Later on, St. Clare says of himself "what shall be said of one whose own heart, whose education, and the wants of society, have called in vain to some noble purpose; who has floated on, a dreamy, neutral spectator of the struggles, agonies, and wrongs of man, when he should have been a worker."
"I should say," said Miss Ophelia, "that he ought to repent, and begin now."
This should be a reminder to all of us of the truth contained in the old hymn that says:
"A world in need now summons us to labor, love, and give;
To make our life an offering to God, that all may live....
O God, who gave yourself to us in Jesus Christ your Son,
Teach us to give ourselves each day until life’s work is done."
oskylad
Member
In Chapter XXXIX, Ms Stowe makes the claim: "No one is so thoroughly superstitious as the godless man."
This prefigured a similar statement attributed (falsely, as it turns out) to G.K. Chesterton: "When a man stops believing in God he doesn't then believe in nothing; he believes anything."
This prefigured a similar statement attributed (falsely, as it turns out) to G.K. Chesterton: "When a man stops believing in God he doesn't then believe in nothing; he believes anything."
Libra
Active Member
I agree,
It seems that Stowe was trying to show a perpective from an innocent childs point of view.
I think it all boils down to that everyone has a purpose in this world and what each one does with it in their lifetime.