Henty Essay Contest Winners
SECOND PLACE WINNER
Sarah Byrum
FOR GENERATIONS to COME
The Writings of G.A. Henty
As the year draws to a close, and the world in which we live increases in its deception
and mixed culture, Christian parents everywhere look for innovative ways to affirm
the God-given roles their boys and girls were created with, roles that contrast
strikingly with those our phlegmatic, cowardly, feministic and godless world presents.
It is during the radiant time of their youth that the boys and girls of today need
strong tools to help build them up into Godly and honorable men and women, a strong
people to be used by the Lord Jesus. In their search for an affirming tool that
will extend itself to future generations, parents are greatly rewarded if they are
led to the beautiful writings of a man named G.A. Henty.
George Alfred Henty was a man of utmost integrity, a man whose writings speak clearly
for what he believed. As a young person reads his books, he or she is inspired to
live out their roles with purpose and zeal, and can see how much he despised cowardly
and feministic culture, as is strongly emphasized throughout his books and writings.
He knew that boys and girls learn best by example, and that examples have a strong
influence on every young person. He sought to create models who could not only teach
great lessons of character, but who could also affirm the roles of male and female
readers. He attained the first great step to his remarkable goal when he published
his first book, Out on the Pampas.
Masterfully crafted for his own children, Henty used incredible skill as he weaved
together the story of a British family who takes an astonishing action of faith,
and leaves the comfort of England to pursue pioneer life on the frontier of Argentina.
As children are enveloped into the excitement of the story, they learn how Charles
and Hubert, the two Hardy brothers, throw themselves heartily into the task of preparing
for frontier living. Without complaint, the boys manfully exercise themselves in
the studies of carpentry, farming, live-stock raising, and the use of firearms,
while Maud and Ethel, the lads’ two sisters, follow their brothers’ examples,
and willingly join their mother in their womanly tasks to prepare themselves for
an unaccustomed lifestyle. With great determination the little women cook, clean,
and study all the womanly skills necessary so that in time, they could become gracious,
hospitable, and well balanced keepers at home. The four children’s effort is
shown to be of wonderful use when they do leave the comforts of their native land
and step onto foreign soil. Their work produces remarkable harvest and profit, and
teaches that skills of trained men and women serve and benefit them greatly. Adventure
weaves its way through the story, and the boys and their father end up rescuing
their stolen livestock and their gentle, brave young sister, from the grasps of
the Indians. This fascinating book teaches many Henty ideals, and from it, children
are encouraged to live out their created roles with joy and purpose.
Through the thick danger in one of Henty’s later works, St. Barthlomew’s
Eve, readers learn about courage and perseverance as they watch the hero
of the story, Phillip Fletcher, encounter dangerous situations and battles in the
French Huguenot era of persecution. The manly way young Phillip handles the dilemmas
is extraordinary, while his presence of mind through horrific ordeals is tremendous.
The ladies of the story are equally remarkable, as they perform many acts of service
with love, even through castle sieges and battles surrounding them. With courage
and patience they strove on, a true example of faithful women who believe in their
calling and fulfill it beautifully. Lads who read this tale cannot help but be inspired
to live out their masculine roles courageously, while the young ladies who read
it are exhorted to be faithful, true, and dutiful-such women as God created and
wants them to be.
In another of his books, Beric the Briton, Henty’s admirers watch in
awe as a young chief of a British tribe masters Roman tactics of discipline, battles
with the Romans, sacks Roman cities with his fellow countrymen, and zealously strives
for freedom with his native country. Still more amazement follows when Beric and
his tribe are taken to Rome and made gladiators, yet without broken spirits or offended
pride. Beric’s courage is unmatched when Henty weaves in the exciting part
of Beric rescuing a defenseless, Christian girl from a cruel death to lions in a
Roman coliseum. From reading literature like this, boys are exhorted to “quit
themselves as men,” ever ready to die for the weaker, dependent human beings
of our world. Beric’s wife portrays great inner beauty, strength, and a sweet
spirit of joy, even though her own life was often at stake with her husband’s.
No matter what trial or difficulty they were forced to endure, she was ever ready
to smile, always cheerful and bright, bringing hope to even the most discouraged
of the tribesmen. Henty created her honorably, and through her, affirms Godly virtue
in girls.
Mr. Henty presented a strikingly different story when one of his later books, Facing
Death, was published. Set in Victorian England, the story opens in one of
the many coal mines of that era. Jack Simpson was a typical mining boy, hearty and
strong, but not at all bright, and without any life purpose. His life was drastically
changed when one day, God’s providence brought a new life goal for him. He
suddenly didn’t want to waste his life, nor just skip through it as his friends
were. A goal, a plan, a high idea of what he wanted to be consumed him, and with
great energy he strove to educate himself, labored to be a hard worker, and determined
to be a strong leader. Although others may have laughed at him, he never wavered,
never hesitated in his course, but always persevered. As young Jack grows older,
others become enthused with his high example and begin to pursue their own life
goals. Instead of “just making it through life,” Jack’s friends began
to see the joy in excelling. The young ladies of the mining village too, began to
work hard at becoming well equipped women who could cook tasteful meals for their
families, nurse the sick, tend to beautiful gardens, sew lovely clothing, and care
for their children. As a result of their effort, the homes of the coal miners changed
wondrously, and as time went on, this one little mining village became a shining
example to all the villages surrounding. Jack succeeded not only in his goal, but
also in making the goals of others. He becomes a hero when the mine has an enormous
explosion, and Jack, along with twenty other men, escape being killed due to a brave
deed of Jack’s. The story concludes victoriously; Jack, now a gentleman, attains
a high position of honor, and is rewarded beyond his expectations with a prosperous
and radiant life. Boys and girls are left having learned extremely valuable lessons
about the roles of men and women, and with a burning desire to portray their own
sacred callings as deliberately as Jack did.
Henty’s models are practically endless. He created Walter and Edith Somers,
medieval survivors of the Black Plague in his book, St. George for England,
who stood a strong couple together, serving the many victims with love through their
unique roles, regardless of the fact that their own lives were in immense danger.
In the Reign of Terror presents a young lad named Harry, who fearlessly encounters
numerous dangers and heroically rescues two brave ladies from a horrific death.
Mr. Henty’s beloved book In Freedom’s Cause, portrays yet another
brave man and woman who face the dangers of their day with faith. Archie is a brave
Scotchman and part of Bruce’s courageous party while his wife, Marjory, dignified
and feminine, joins the struggle in her womanly way, rescuing prisoners and serving
the needy with a compassionate spirit. These are but a glimpse into the world of
Henty that beautifully affirms the divinely appointed roles of men and women in
boys and girls.
G.A. Henty used his exceptional talent of storytelling to capture the hearts of
children and kindle a burning passion in them to be Godly men and women who are
confident and radiant in their callings. G.A. Henty gave boys and girls a bright
spark of inspiration to live out their roles with purpose, and vision to see into
future generations of courageous boyhood and virtuous girlhood. With G.A. Henty,
boys and girls soar in their goals, achieve their highest expectations, and become
the God-honoring men and women they dream of becoming. Through his writings, G.A.
Henty affirms the roles of boys and girls in a beautiful way, not affirming them
only, but also their generations to come.
ABOUT SARAH BYRUM
Sarah Byrum is a fifteen-year-old Christian homeschooled student who’s two
favorite pastimes are reading and writing. She is an avid reader of G.A. Henty’s
historical novels, and is of the opinion that no child’s curriculum is entirely
complete without his books. Sarah is passionate about restoring the lost vision
of Christian heritage and generational faithfulness in America. She desires that
every child raised in a Christian home be joyful, radiant, fulfilled, and confident
in their life’s role and purpose, and positively believes that G.A. Henty is
one of the most powerful tools to encourage them toward those goals. Sarah currently
resides in North Idaho with her parents and eight siblings, of whom she is the eldest
daughter.
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