 
THIRD PLACE WINNER
Molly Ruth Anderson
THE ROLE of PROVIDENCE in G.A. HENTY’S WRITINGS
All too often providence has been neglected when history has been recorded or taught. Both agnostics and Christians agree that those who do not know history are likely to repeat history’s mistakes. However, for the failures of history to be known and avoided in the future, history must be accurately preserved. The entire truth of history cannot be presented without recognizing providence. If we disregard the role of providence in history, we not only miss myriad lessons of God’s goodness and power, but also fail to glorify Him. In an age when many denied the historical role of providence, God ordained that a man named George Alfred Henty record many times and events of history accurately and with a focus on the providence of God. Henty had a passion for preserving the mighty, historical acts of God for the next generation, and wrote scores of books in pursuance of this goal. God so blessed him and his work that we, in the fourth or fifth generation following him, are able to learn from his unique books. I have read over thirty of G.A. Henty’s books, and from each of them have gained a more thorough appreciation of God’s providence through history.
An overarching aspect in most of Henty’s books is God’s providence toward particular nations. Henty believed that the Lord is high above all nations as Psalm 113 says, and thus in all his chronicles of the great historical struggles between nations he is able to show that God had a master plan. Toward the end of St. George for England, Henty describes in detail the decisive battle of Poitiers. He recorded seemingly insignificant events in a sequence which clearly shows God’s Providence toward England, narrating how the Cardinal of Perigord begged the King of France to offer a peace settlement to the English, which the French king hesitantly agreed to do. Though the Black Prince refused the terms for peace, the Cardinal returned with altered terms, which the Black Prince again refused. Had this exchange not taken place, and occupied hours of time, the English would not have had time to fortify their position with trenches, and also may not have noticed that the right side of the hill, which they had thought a difficult enough ascent to prevent successful attack, was actually rather easy to climb; and therefore conceived of and positioned a clever defense for that part of the hill before the battle commenced. These fortifications were very instrumental in the victory of the English at Poitiers, and consequently in the preservation of England as an independent nation. While the English may have thought the offer of peace inconsequential at the time, since they did not wish for nor agree to peace and were eager to begin the battle, after the battle no doubt they were thankful for the Cardinal’s offer, and recognized the providence of God in the matter. Henty took the time to write of these things because he wanted his readers to understand that nations and their conflicts are controlled by the omnipotent hand of God.
A specific type of struggle was dear to Henty’s heart: the fight of true Christians for the freedom to worship God. Some of his books, including St. Bartholomew’s Eve and By Pike and Dyke concentrate on God’s past works of providence toward His church. I believe that Henty voices his own conviction through the mouth of the hero of By Pike and Dike, who says, ”There is honor and glory in the struggle [of the Netherlands to win freedom of worship]... I venture my life for religion and freedom here.” When I read Henty’s books about religious conflicts I often remember II Thessalonians 1:4-5, which similarly speaks of the glory of the perseverance of the church against persecution. As Henty reminds us, Christians did not lay down their lives only in defense of their personal faith, but of the church as a whole, believing that God working through providence would never let His church die but keep her militant until He gave her complete victory as He promised. Henty gave us a very powerful example of this when he showed the faith of the Huguenots in providence to preserve the Protestant church. It was often very difficult for the Huguenots to maintain their hope and trust in God’s preservation of Protestant worship when they suffered major setbacks, but they steadfastly believed in God’s providence to uphold their cause, encouraging each other even in their darkest times. As told in St. Bartholomew’s Eve, after the terrible defeat of the Huguenots at the Battle of Moncontour the illustrious Admiral Coligny, general of the Huguenot forces who had been grievously wounded, was thinking disconsolately about the future of the Huguenot faith when a seriously injured Huguenot soldier by the name of L’Estrange was laid near him. Though in great pain and aware of the complete failure of the battle for the Huguenots, L’Estrange held out his hand to the Admiral, saying “Yet is God very gentle.” The Admiral immediately roused his mind from despondency and replied “Thanks, comrade; truly God is merciful, and we will trust him always.” After this the Admiral was able to recognize providences of God even amid the destruction, for he rejoiced that Princes of Navarre were both unhurt and still able and willing to further the Huguenot cause, and soon commenced giving orders to his army to prepare for the next military confrontation.
Another area in which providence works is the personal lives of Christians, which aspect, though we may sometimes overlook it as we view the grand scheme of the world’s history, is nonetheless important. “Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered,” Jesus told His disciples in Luke 12. Henty, in showing specific works of providence in the individual lives of all his heroes and many other Christian characters, tells us that God has throughout history worked in the personal lives of all His people. One of my favorite examples is from The Cornet of Horse. The hero, a young Englishman named Rupert, was delayed from riding with his troop of cavalry because he had to dislodge a stone from his horse’s hoof. When Rupert finally caught up to a troop of horsemen at a crossroads, he was captured by the men, who were in truth French soldiers, not his English comrades. This at first seemed to be just what Rupert called it: "horrible luck." In actuality it was neither horrible nor luck; for in his subsequent visit to the French court he was able to rescue a young woman from an arranged marriage to a man who did not fear the Lord, and thus realized that it was providence that brought him, albeit through unpleasant means, to France. In later years Rupert in fact married the young lady, and was always grateful that God worked even the most disagreeable, difficult circumstances for his good, as was promised in Romans 8:28.
Like Rupert, often we do not recognize God’s work in troublesome situations while we are experiencing them. However, the more we study God’s past acts of providence, the more likely we are to recognize His present works, and Henty’s writings present to us many opportunities to see past works of providence. How encouraging it is to hear Henty’s characters of In the Reign of Terror often repeat the phrase “thank God!” in response to merciful acts of providence while going through circumstances probably far darker than our most difficult times! How could Henty’s characters have retained thankfulness and joy during persecution? They could only have been comforted by the knowledge that God was actively working for their good. God’s providence shone as a lone light amid the darkness of their trials, and so can it shine to us if we believe that providence does work for our benefit even if we do not always grasp how. As the great Benjamin Palmer, a contemporary of Henty, realized, “Providence is a guide whether we can comprehend it or not. He shuts us up here and there, and there and here; and as we turn upon every side, we see but one path open before us; and just because it is the only path, we understand our duty to go forward in obedience to the divine command, and trust upon the divine privilege and blessing.” By reading Henty’s works we may come to a more full discernment of providence, for he illustrated it in countless examples with remarkable clarity born of complete faith. Although an understanding of providence is of great benefit in every area of Christian life, it is indispensable in the study of history, for in failing to recognize historical providence, we fail to honor God’s omnipotence and sovereignty, and his care of and mercy toward His people. I am sure that every Christian who has read any of Henty’s works has, as I have, thanked God that His providence has been recorded and praised by the faithful pen of G.A. Henty.
ABOUT MOLLY ANDERSON
Molly Anderson is 17 years old and is currently in her senior year of high school studies. She has been taught at home for the majority of her school years and is a National Merit Commended Scholar, and also a Duke University TIP scholar. She is an award-winning violinist † who shares God’s gift of music in worship services and nursing homes, and teaches young students. Molly resides in Stockbridge, Georgia and she, her parents, her twin sister, and two younger brothers are members of Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church.
† You can hear Molly and her twin Courtney on their violins in the opening scene of the documentary video Warriors of Honor.
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