Henty Essay Contest Winners
FIRST PLACE WINNER
Alex Hilton
A LIVING LEGACY:
The Writings of G.A. Henty
For today’s evangelical Christian with a mindset geared towards Biblical patriarchy,
the search for classic literature that matches these criteria can be a long and
arduous task. But when one stumbles upon the writings of G.A. Henty, he has found
a true gold mine. As in the days of the California Gold Rush, a valuable treasure
has been uncovered for the benefit of many. A vast array of solid, rich reading,
examples of steadfast character that take us back to the good old days, and a core
understanding of thousands of years of history can be obtained. Through reading
the novels of Mr. Henty, one learns what concepts like duty, honor, and courage
meant in times past, and what they mean in the present. We remember the days when
men took leadership exemplifying the motto of women and children first, when ladies
were keepers at home, and when children showed due honor and respect to their elders.
The world of the twenty-first century is an environment where the concept of duty
is not a conventional one. In a society where pleasure is supreme and the popular
maxim is “look out for number one”, the sense of caring for one’s
fellow man and doing what is right - despite the cost to one’s own person -
is often misplaced. G.A. Henty understood the meaning of duty and the importance
of fulfilling it in life.
In With Lee in Virginia, a story set in the Civil War, Vincent Wingfield
is a young lieutenant in the Confederate army. The officer is attempting to make
his way back to rebel lines after escaping from a Federal prison when he comes to
a house occupied by a young Southern woman and her old servant. After being aided
by this lady, he takes his leave, so as not to endanger her by his presence, yet
planning to come back that evening. When Vincent sees a band of Yankee raiders ride
up to the house, he knows that he must do something. As a man protecting a woman
and as a friend of the devoted Southerner, this white knight knew where his obligation
lay. Young Wingfield quiets his servant’s objections by stating that “It’s
no use talking...it must be done anyhow.” Despite the fact that it would have
been much simpler to save himself alone, he knows that it is his duty to do his
utmost to save his friend. With the aid of his six-shooter and a good amount of
noise, Vincent manages to drive off the invaders with only the help of his servant.
Set in the era of the French revolution, Leigh Stansfield in the novel, No Surrender,
demonstrates another example of what it means to live up to one’s duty. When
his sister, Patsey, is captured and sentenced to execution, Leigh knows that it
is his business as a man and as her brother to rescue her from the impending danger.
He embarks on a daring enterprise, putting his own life on the line, and successfully
rescues Patsey from the hand of the revolutionaries.
Another trait that can be learned from Mr. Henty’s literature is the principle
of honor. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary declares the definition of honor as “
...A testimony of esteem...reputation; good name...” The hero in Henty’s
volumes understands the importance of a good name, as he strives to keep it in good
repute. When another willfully and wrongly brings dishonor on his name or challenges
his character, he stands ready to defend himself according to the ancient code of
chivalry.
In Through Russian Snows, a young British army officer named Frank Wyatt
had just such a chance, only it wasn’t his honor he had to defend, but that
of a fellow soldier. When an older captain repeatedly insulted and mocked Frank’s
comrade because of a speech impediment, young Wyatt decided to stand up for him.
When the captain challenged him to a duel, Frank accepted. Not wanting to take the
life of his challenger, Frank, relying upon his skill with the pistol, proceeded
to shoot off the captain’s trigger finger in the ensuing contest. He had put
his life on the line in an effort to preserve his friend’s honor, following
the Biblical mandate of loving one’s neighbor as oneself.
Courage is a quality that is easy to boast about, but harder to live, especially
in an event that presents extreme danger or in a scene of raging battle. Many a
mother or wife has been bereaved of son or husband, while many see him come home
maimed or crippled for life through this devastating institution called war. Though
sometimes necessary to preserve peace or to protect one’s land from invasion,
courage - true and abiding courage - is something that each soldier who embarks
into battle must possess. He must prepare for injury or even death. The man who
can face these possibilities and yet remain cool and collected throughout is the
one who is really courageous. G.A. Henty portrays just such character and depth
in his characters’ lives.
In For the Temple, John of Gamala, a young Jewish man, fights courageously
for his people against the world-renowned Roman army, who exceeded them both in
men and in superiority of training. Because he believed in the cause of his people,
John was able to face the extreme dangers that faced him and to place his life on
the line for those he loved.
Beric also shows the meaning of true courage when he risks his life to save a Christian
girl from death in the Roman arena in Henty’s novel, Beric the Briton.
Ennia, a Christian in the days of the Roman persecution, is condemned to be killed
by a massive lion when Beric steps in and begs Nero to allow him to battle the lion
instead. Nero agrees that the girl will be freed if Beric succeeds in defeating
the lion, imparting the one stipulation that he must fight unarmed. Beric accepts
the daunting challenge and proceeds to overthrow the lion, thus freeing this lady
from the imminent danger which threatened her.
Though the readers of Mr. Henty’s works may not have to embark into battle
or encounter the dangers that his characters brave, yet the timeless lessons of
courage can still be learned. It takes courage to do what is right in the face of
temptation, just as it requires a stout heart to stand up for Christ in front of
a mocking world. Resolution and fortitude are imperatives to endurance when everything
seems to be against us, just as adhering to the commands of Christ takes a special
kind of moral strength. Mr. Henty’s stories can also remind the boy
or girl of the twenty-first century to pray for their country’s armed forces
in distant lands. These brave soldiers are facing the dangers and struggles that
are immortalized in the writings of G.A. Henty.
How we as Christians live our daily lives is the question of the hour. One of the
most important queries a young boy or girl can make is: “Will I live a life
of character?” The poem How Did You Die? by Edmund Vance Cooke relates
to us what it truly means to live out qualities of duty, honor, and courage. In
the last verse he pens:
And though you be done to the death, what then?
If you battled the best you could,
If you played your part in the world of men,
Why, the Critic will call it good.
Death comes with a crawl, or comes with a pounce,
And whether he’s slow or spry,
It isn’t the fact that your dead that counts,
But only how did you die?
As Christians in the twenty-first century, we can strive to imitate the examples
that our forefathers have left us. They have bequeathed models of great courage
in the face of impending danger, patterns of creating a good name and then protecting
its honor at all costs, and the importance of doing one’s duty even when it
hurts. These are all things that every follower of Christ should strive to exemplify
in his daily walk. G.A. Henty left just such a legacy.
Every boy and girl of today would do well to consider the writings of G.A. Henty.
For a person in search of a combination of excitement and adventure intertwined
with the morals and values of a lost era, Mr. Henty’s books are a treasure.
As Henty teaches principles of duty, honor, and courage he weaves a masterful story
while teaching us from the lessons of history. Those who invest in the writings
of G.A. Henty will not be disappointed, for he has imparted more than the scratches
of pen on paper: he has left us a living legacy that with the help of God can extend
to future generations.
ABOUT ALEX HILTON
Alex Hilton is an eighteen-year-old home-schooled student currently residing with
his family in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He enjoys writing as well studying history
and reading a good book (especially those by G.A. Henty). He takes as his life’s
verse Matthew 6:33 which states: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
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