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We're Still Learning What Charles Dickens Taught CHRISTMAS CLASSIC: ANOTHER ANGLE, the Occasional Musings of a Kentucky pastor: This article was first printed 18 December 2005. It is a timeless commentary, very appropriate for the 2009 season. By the Rev. Joey N. Welsh E-Mail: joey_n_welsh@hotmail.com December 17 marks 166 years since the 1843 publication of the short book A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. Written to make quick money so Dickens could pay off some debts, the story of Ebenezer Scrooge has taken its place as a long-established icon of the Christmas season. In some ways the story is a traditional personal morality tale about the miserly and bitter Scrooge and his renewal into a generous and jolly soul. The narrative also contains a lot of direct commentary on the priorities of Victorian society and the wide social acceptance of poverty and injustice. (Original illustrations were by John Leech, an artist who earlier had drawn cartoons criticizing artists who ignored the social needs in the world around them.) Dickens' tale was never intended to be an example of gentle subtlety; its original title was The Sledgehammer. Dickens wanted to get his message across, and he did in a very big way. The book sold thousands of copies by its first Christmas, and it continued selling briskly well after Christmas had passed. In some ways popular and sentimental fascination with the book has never abated in the English-speaking world since 1843. In other ways, we yet need to have Dickens' sledgehammer used on us when we witness what passes for the Christmas observance in our own day and time. People are fond of repeating the cliche about remembering the "reason for the season," and, in truth, the teachings of Dickens in his little book are more about social and cultural observance than about true Christian, biblical meaning. Still, I would gladly trade a bigger dose of Dickens in our own current time for the stuff we witness nowadays. We need a little Dickens, and not just on our television and movie screens, because: *News on the day after Thanksgiving often shows people at the doorways of some stores in pre-dawn displays of violent incivility, literally stepping on one another in the mad rush to claim some big discounts on electronic gadgets just as soon as the businesses opens. (I wonder which of these electronic playthings will be obsolete by next year, setting up another mad rush for the next generations of the same items in Christmases to come.)In the face of such un-Christmas-like attitudes and conduct, I long for a larger helping of Dickens. We live in a society where people weary of donating a few bucks in the wake of the tsunami, our recent hurricane disasters, and the unbelievably destructive earthquake in Kashmir. We live in a time where Salvation Army Kettle offerings run behind while people opt for a commercial Christmas of business as usual. In such times, I'm enamored of the words of Marley's ghost replying to Scrooge on the matter the priorities of everyday business: "Business!" cried the Ghost, wringing his hands again. "Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!"To people who are kindred spirits of the befuddled women in the department store at the foot of the creche, I quote Scrooge's nephew as he explains why he observes Christmas: "There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say," returned the nephew, "Christmas among the rest.Finally, I am always fond of the kindly benediction delivered by Tiny Tim to the Cratchit family, and to all of us: "A merry Christmas to us all, my dears. God bless us!"Indeed, may God not only bless us, every one, but guide us and lend us wisdom and insight as we seek to observe Christmas 2009 in a more profound and meaningful way. This story was posted on 2011-12-25 04:13:33
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Merry Christmas from Martha Berry, outlander Lost Boston Terrier at Jackson place, Longhunters Mrs. Ora Pearl Compton, Green Co., KY (1914-2011) Today, SATURDAY with CM, Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2011 Skaggs home completely destroyed by Dec. 23, 2011 fire Another birthday to post for Christmas Eve Steve Hamilton, Adair Co. KY, native, also pro basketball player Paul Hinman sends letter of thanks to editor, CM readers Remembering Jimmy Forsyth: Will be missed by so many Old Fashioned Christmas Caroling now underway at courthouse View even more articles in topic News |
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