 
SECOND PLACE WINNER
Jessica Israel
WHAT CHRISTIANS CAN LEARN from the WRITINGS of G.A. HENTY, ABOUT the TRUE MEANING of MANHOOD.
Through the timeless tales written by the pen of George Alfred Henty, I have learned the true meaning of manhood. Through his lucid historical fiction, I have gleaned that true, Godly manhood is composed of several qualities. Chivalry, purity, humility, courage, obedience, and selflessness. Let us examine each inestimable quality in detail.
Chivalry — or courtesy — especially to women and girls, is a characteristic shared by all of Henty’s heroes. All of them treat women as delicate vessels, special charges to be respected, defended, and protected at all times. As in the case of Sir Archie Forbes in For Freedoms Cause he regards it as his duty to rescue Marjorie McDougal — a relative of his worst enemy, no less — while maintaining her womanly honor.
Purity is a quality so lost in today’s society, that when we see it, it is a genuine pleasure. Having purity permits the Henty man to be a true gentleman with honest concern and respect for women and girls. In his association with young ladies, the Henty man is not flirty or bold. Consistently proving his manliness, he has a passion for purity.
Humility is another wonderful trait all of Henty’s heroes are characterized by. The Henty man is never arrogant or proud, and never lets praise, promotion, or popularity go to his head. For example, Sir Gervaise Tresham in A Knight of the White Cross, who, after doing some extraordinary deeds on his battle galley, and being praised and honored by the Grand Master and others, he remained humble.
Not a single Henty character fails to represent the quality of courage. He is cool headed in the thick of the fight and quick witted in the hour of danger, as Wulf in Wulf the Saxon was. He, assisted only by two staunch comrades defended his Kings camp from a surprise attack until succor could reach them.
In all of Henty’s tales, whether the leader be William Wallace, or Robert E. Lee, he can always depend on the Henty man for instant, cheerful and thorough obedience, but that is not all! Going above and beyond, he goes the extra mile and exerts himself in extra undertakings while remaining obedient to his leader and true to his cause.
Last, but certainly not least, is the commendable trait of selflessness. The Henty man is selfless, he has no selfish ambitions for himself, but willingly works and serves others. He is generous with praise for others, but does not seek it for himself. He risks his life for others, as Beric out of Beric the Briton did by wrestling a lion in the arena in defense of a Christian girl he scarcely knew.
I think these are the vital components that make up a Godly, virtuous, manly gentleman, precisely the kind of man I wish for a husband some day. In my opinion, Henty’s man is an excellent role model for all young men and boys. This is what I have learned about the true meaning of manhood, from the eloquent pen of George Alfred Henty.
ABOUT JESSICA ROSE ISRAEL
I am thirteen, and the oldest of five children. I am educated at home by my parents, along with my siblings. My Mother is a full time homemaker, and my Dad is a painting/construction contractor.
My favorite subject in school is history (especially William Wallace and Stonewall Jackson and his wife), reading, and writing. My interests include piano, baking, sewing, midwifery, horses, goats, the bible (especially the Old Testament), the War for Scottish Independence, and the War for Southern Independence. My favorite sports are ice skating, and swimming. I strongly believe in the right to carry a gun, and States rights.
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