And in the beginning...
When I was about four – well, no, probably older, as I could read – I found a really old book up in our attic: The Bible Story (In One Syllable Words). The hard cardboard cover with its full-color illustration of Pharaoh’s daughter and her maid servants finding baby Moses in the reeds caught my eye amidst my brother’s old Landmark series books.
The book reeks with that distinctive old book smell. When you open it up, you can barely make out the faded cursive pencil scrawl that says, “Mabel Gardner’s Book.” I have no idea who Mabel Gardner is – or was -- or where this book came from. The title page states: The Bible Story. In Easy Words for Children by Mrs. Helen W. Pierson, author of “History of United States, History of England, etc., etc., etc., in words of one syllable.” This book is OLD. I mean, really old. There is no date in it anywhere, but the pages are yellowed and fraying at the edges. And the binding is shot. My guess is that it’s from the mid to late nineteenth century, and since it is a much used children’s book, it’s not in the greatest shape. The book is heavily illustrated with detailed, elaborate black and white etchings where everyone looks rotund and voluptuous, has long flowing hair, and more often than not wields a giant sword or knife and is engaged in some sort of violence.
Mrs. Pierson was kind enough to include the following caveat in her preface:
It has not been thought advisable, in this story of the Bible,
to adhere to words of one syllable quite so strictly as has been
done in some other works. Simple and easy words have been
used which a child can read, but in order to convey exact state-
ments these words are sometimes of two syllables.
The liberties taken with other histories cannot be taken with the
Bible. In places where the exact words could be used, they have
been used. Where they were difficult, they have been put in a
simpler form, but it is hoped that the dignity and beauty of the
words of Holy Writ have not been sacrificed.
As a young reader, I read this book religiously (forgive the pun).
But it is not the words, one syllable or not, that I remember or that made such a deep, lasting impression on me. Rather, it was the illustrations. I was fascinated, if not downright terrified, by them. They became the images that come to my mind first, naturally, to this day, when I hear certain Biblical names, places, or stories. The book is actually only the Old Testament stories, so I do not have these same images when it comes to Jesus and the New Testament. For this reason, perhaps, God and the characters in the Old Testament seem somehow more intimidating and powerful and – well, a heck of a lot… OLDER.
God appears in an illustration on the second page of text in The Bible Story, during the Creation Story. He is an old, white-haired, white-bearded intimidating figure in flowing robes. He looks like John Brown. He stands in the middle of the clouds with his hands raised and light rays pouring forth from his being. The caption says: “Then God said, ‘Let there be light.’” He is authoritative and scary. He reminds me, albeit not in physical appearance, of my father.
God in The Bible Story did not seem like such a warm and friendly guy. I was scared of him. And his wrath (one syllable word for “anger”). Actually, in the bit about Adam and Eve -- you know, that part where they partake of the forbidden fruit, right before they are kicked out of the Garden of Eden – the book says, “And God was wroth with them.” I kid you not! It is right there on page 8. Sigh. People were always getting into trouble in The Bible Story, and there seemed to be a lot of fighting and bloodshed and big knives and swords.
Lest you think that The Bible Story (In One Syllable Words) really is in one syllable words – or those few two syllable words Mrs. Pierson knew God wanted young children to see, let me clarify that the book employs hyphens all over the place. While there is a plethora of one syllable words, the book uses multi-syllable words, usually no more than two but sometimes WAY more, by hyphenating them. Thus, for example, when Moses receives the Ten Commandments, which are called the “ten com-mands” and about which the author says, “We give them here in a short way,” number seven is referred to in the following way: “Sev-enth. Thou shalt not com-mit a-dul-ter-y.” OK. Fine. To a six year old kid, what the hell is “a-dul-ter-y”? Whatever it is, it has four, count ‘em, FOUR, not ONE, syllables. We know the book incorporates more syllables when it needs to, in order to stay true to the “Holy Writ,” so “a-dul-ter-y” must be one truly awful, horrific, terrible thing that NO human being would EVER want to com-mit.
Breaking big words down into their syllables really does not clarify their meaning. It might help beginning readers be able to read the words aloud, but meaning is left by the wayside. Still, as I said before, it was not the words in this book that left an imprint upon my mind. It was the illustrations.
Do I really think God is a deranged-looking, angry white man with an unkempt beard and long hair? No. Of course not. Is that the image that comes first and foremost into my mind?
Yes.
Yes, it is.
Even when I open and look at this book today, I start to tremble and feel fear. The God in this book is an angry one, and everyone always seems to be pissing him off. They have to drown, be turned to salt, wander around the desert, be swallowed by giant fish, and receive countless, unwarranted hardships (sometimes because they are so bad, and sometimes just ‘cuz). How am I, tiny little kid that I am, EVER going to measure up???
I am not. There is no way. No chance. I am hope-less-ly in over my head.
The angry old white man up in the sky is not happy with me. This, I have learned. This, I know.
So, even as I grow and mature and develop a more nuanced concept of God and the Divine, I am still haunted by this scary old dude in the flowing robes who looks down from on high. He is not a very happy God; he seems easily displeased. He is always testing people. I get the feeling I can never please him. No matter what I do, it will never be good enough.
And then, on the other hand, there is God’s son, who does not make an appearance in The Bible Story, but if he did, his name would be printed as “Je-sus.” He is not a scary, old guy with wild white hair and beard. He is more benevolent, more easy-going, more accepting. He hangs out with sinners, derelicts, prostitutes, and general riff raff. He travels around the land on foot, visiting people, and preaching in the flesh. He tells us to love and respect our God, our Father, but he seems to focus more on telling -- and showing -- us how we should treat one another. He does not scare me, he does not make me tremble. He makes me want to be more like him.
I am glad he did not make the cut into Mrs. Pierson’s Bible Story. I am glad she stuck to the Old Testament. I am glad I do not have a menacing, Rubenesque image of Jesus burned into my brain. Too bad I do for all of those other characters.
The book reeks with that distinctive old book smell. When you open it up, you can barely make out the faded cursive pencil scrawl that says, “Mabel Gardner’s Book.” I have no idea who Mabel Gardner is – or was -- or where this book came from. The title page states: The Bible Story. In Easy Words for Children by Mrs. Helen W. Pierson, author of “History of United States, History of England, etc., etc., etc., in words of one syllable.” This book is OLD. I mean, really old. There is no date in it anywhere, but the pages are yellowed and fraying at the edges. And the binding is shot. My guess is that it’s from the mid to late nineteenth century, and since it is a much used children’s book, it’s not in the greatest shape. The book is heavily illustrated with detailed, elaborate black and white etchings where everyone looks rotund and voluptuous, has long flowing hair, and more often than not wields a giant sword or knife and is engaged in some sort of violence.
Mrs. Pierson was kind enough to include the following caveat in her preface:
It has not been thought advisable, in this story of the Bible,
to adhere to words of one syllable quite so strictly as has been
done in some other works. Simple and easy words have been
used which a child can read, but in order to convey exact state-
ments these words are sometimes of two syllables.
The liberties taken with other histories cannot be taken with the
Bible. In places where the exact words could be used, they have
been used. Where they were difficult, they have been put in a
simpler form, but it is hoped that the dignity and beauty of the
words of Holy Writ have not been sacrificed.
As a young reader, I read this book religiously (forgive the pun).
But it is not the words, one syllable or not, that I remember or that made such a deep, lasting impression on me. Rather, it was the illustrations. I was fascinated, if not downright terrified, by them. They became the images that come to my mind first, naturally, to this day, when I hear certain Biblical names, places, or stories. The book is actually only the Old Testament stories, so I do not have these same images when it comes to Jesus and the New Testament. For this reason, perhaps, God and the characters in the Old Testament seem somehow more intimidating and powerful and – well, a heck of a lot… OLDER.
God appears in an illustration on the second page of text in The Bible Story, during the Creation Story. He is an old, white-haired, white-bearded intimidating figure in flowing robes. He looks like John Brown. He stands in the middle of the clouds with his hands raised and light rays pouring forth from his being. The caption says: “Then God said, ‘Let there be light.’” He is authoritative and scary. He reminds me, albeit not in physical appearance, of my father.
God in The Bible Story did not seem like such a warm and friendly guy. I was scared of him. And his wrath (one syllable word for “anger”). Actually, in the bit about Adam and Eve -- you know, that part where they partake of the forbidden fruit, right before they are kicked out of the Garden of Eden – the book says, “And God was wroth with them.” I kid you not! It is right there on page 8. Sigh. People were always getting into trouble in The Bible Story, and there seemed to be a lot of fighting and bloodshed and big knives and swords.
Lest you think that The Bible Story (In One Syllable Words) really is in one syllable words – or those few two syllable words Mrs. Pierson knew God wanted young children to see, let me clarify that the book employs hyphens all over the place. While there is a plethora of one syllable words, the book uses multi-syllable words, usually no more than two but sometimes WAY more, by hyphenating them. Thus, for example, when Moses receives the Ten Commandments, which are called the “ten com-mands” and about which the author says, “We give them here in a short way,” number seven is referred to in the following way: “Sev-enth. Thou shalt not com-mit a-dul-ter-y.” OK. Fine. To a six year old kid, what the hell is “a-dul-ter-y”? Whatever it is, it has four, count ‘em, FOUR, not ONE, syllables. We know the book incorporates more syllables when it needs to, in order to stay true to the “Holy Writ,” so “a-dul-ter-y” must be one truly awful, horrific, terrible thing that NO human being would EVER want to com-mit.
Breaking big words down into their syllables really does not clarify their meaning. It might help beginning readers be able to read the words aloud, but meaning is left by the wayside. Still, as I said before, it was not the words in this book that left an imprint upon my mind. It was the illustrations.
Do I really think God is a deranged-looking, angry white man with an unkempt beard and long hair? No. Of course not. Is that the image that comes first and foremost into my mind?
Yes.
Yes, it is.
Even when I open and look at this book today, I start to tremble and feel fear. The God in this book is an angry one, and everyone always seems to be pissing him off. They have to drown, be turned to salt, wander around the desert, be swallowed by giant fish, and receive countless, unwarranted hardships (sometimes because they are so bad, and sometimes just ‘cuz). How am I, tiny little kid that I am, EVER going to measure up???
I am not. There is no way. No chance. I am hope-less-ly in over my head.
The angry old white man up in the sky is not happy with me. This, I have learned. This, I know.
So, even as I grow and mature and develop a more nuanced concept of God and the Divine, I am still haunted by this scary old dude in the flowing robes who looks down from on high. He is not a very happy God; he seems easily displeased. He is always testing people. I get the feeling I can never please him. No matter what I do, it will never be good enough.
And then, on the other hand, there is God’s son, who does not make an appearance in The Bible Story, but if he did, his name would be printed as “Je-sus.” He is not a scary, old guy with wild white hair and beard. He is more benevolent, more easy-going, more accepting. He hangs out with sinners, derelicts, prostitutes, and general riff raff. He travels around the land on foot, visiting people, and preaching in the flesh. He tells us to love and respect our God, our Father, but he seems to focus more on telling -- and showing -- us how we should treat one another. He does not scare me, he does not make me tremble. He makes me want to be more like him.
I am glad he did not make the cut into Mrs. Pierson’s Bible Story. I am glad she stuck to the Old Testament. I am glad I do not have a menacing, Rubenesque image of Jesus burned into my brain. Too bad I do for all of those other characters.
posted by delta at 1:30 PM
2 Comments:
"Do I really think God is a deranged-looking, angry white man with an unkempt beard and long hair?"
Occasionally, yes, yes I do.
I remember a vividly illustrated set of periodicals I had as a youngster that covered the stories of the Old Testament. I used to peruse them endlessly. I don't know why I found them so fascinating, maybe because they were so action-oriented and violent. The alternative was the Bobbsey Twins.
Post a Comment
<< Home