Henty Essay Contest Winners

SECOND PLACE WINNER

Drew Burnham

HENTY YET SPEAKING

When I was 9 years-old I read my first book by G. A. Henty, Winning his Spurs, and was instantly captivated. Henty is a magician at taking well-researched, historical settings and adding realistic excitement and adventure to them. I have found Mr. Henty’s books to be energy-giving. They make me WANT to live boldly and honorably. I believe that other young people can be influenced for good by these energetic writings.

Some people might say that the stories of Mr. Henty are too outdated to be of value. I say that the Henty’s lessons of courage, duty, and honor are timeless tales that deserve to be read and even reread.

These influences are especially important in our day because we, as Americans, have freedom and are not faced with the horrors of war in our land. Young people can easily be absorbed in computer games, television, and sports and not think about being self-sacrificing or even dying for the greater good.

Some men and women might say that Mr. Henty’s main characters are too perfect?! Any dedicated Christian might LOOK perfect on the outside. We must remember, that we do not see their inner struggles with temptation and remaining sin. An author that wants God to be glorified through his writings understandably would want his main character to glorify God.

“The duty of man is plain and simple, and consists but of two points: his duty to God, which every man must feel; and his duty to his neighbor, to do as he would be done by.” —Thomas Paine

Mr. Henty creates pictures of duty so vivid that we cannot help but be influenced by them. In Dash for Khartoum, Rupert sacrificed his schooling to scour the Middle East for his missing adopted brother. In Lion of the North, Malcolm desired nothing more than to be on the field of battle against the Imperials. Yet when he received an urgent message from friends that their daughter was going to be forced into a nunnery to become a Catholic, he decide to leave the glory of combat to rescue her.

Young people today are called on to do their duty every day by glorifying God, obeying their parents, and doing their school work and chores. Mr. Henty’s writings about duty are an encouragement to young boys and girls to meet their obligations.

“Life every man holds dear; but the dear man holds honor far more precious dear than life.” —Shakespeare

The second quality that is commonly seen in the works of Mr. Henty is honor. His heroes act with integrity, having a keen sense of right and wrong. In St. Bartholomew’s Eve, Phillip Fletcher chose to fight for the cause of the Huguenot prince, Henry of Navarre, in spite of the terrible persecution of the Huguenots by the French Catholics. Gervase Trentham, in Knight of the White Cross, is captured by Turkish pirates who stole a necklace that had been given to Gervase as a favor by a Genoese noble’s daughter. After serving as a slave for months, Gervase escaped. He regained his honor by defeating his kidnappers and reclaiming the necklace.

Young people today act with honor when they defend someone who is getting picked on, when they immediately take the blame for something they did, or when they do not help a friend to cheat on a test. Standing up for what is right can be scary or embarrassing but it gives you a clear conscience.

“True courage is not the brutal force of vulgar heroes, but the firms resolve of virtue and reason.” —Whitehead

Boys and girls that read Hentys are always exposed to good lessons of bravery and courage. In Winning His Spurs, Cuthbert risked death under Richard the Lion-Hearted to save the Holy Land from the overwhelming forces of the Saracens. Walter Somers in St. George for England fought against the far larger forces of the French at both Crecy and Poitiers.

In the autobiography, How I Know. . . God Answers Prayer, Rosalind Goforth tells how her son was moved to courage and action by his Henty books. The family of missionary Jonathan Goforth was serving in China in the 1890’s when a Chinese group called Boxers began to oppose foreign influence. In 1900, violence erupted against Chinese Christians, missionaries, and other foreigners. Hundreds of Chinese Christians and more than 200 foreigners were brutally murdered. Jonathan Goforth’s family fled for safety in carts when a mob attacked. The nine year-old son, Paul, was riding in the last cart, separated from the rest of the family. Mr. Goforth’s neck was struck by a double-handed sword and he fell out of sight of his family. (He was miraculously preserved.) One fierce Boxer, sliced with his sword at the Goforth’s baby, but Mrs. Goforth parried the blow with a pillow. Young Paul ran through the fray to his mother, dodging sword thrusts and club blows. As they ran from the mob, he cried, “Mother, what does this put you in mind of? It puts me in mind of the Henty books!”

Although the writings of Henty are old, they are timeless. His characters may seem perfect; they are inspiring. Every century needs the lessons Mr. Henty gives us. I wish that every young person, when faced with opportunities that call for courage, honor, or duty, could say, “It puts me in mind of the Henty books!”

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