Posted in The Hedge of Thorns by John Hatchard

I cannot say enough how much I underestimated this little book. When I said it was a little treasure, I really had no idea. I felt hope and a gentleness from the first page I read.

It is a shame that most books today are not written with the same honesty and the same conviction that they were when there was nothing to be made from them but a valuable life lesson. Of course, this is a true story from a journal, and most books are not written in that manner.

I was just drawn in by all of the words pictures the writer gave us to pull us into his life. I felt as though I was welcomed into his world, into his yard and his garden. The olde words drew me into the simpler way of life they obviously had.   I felt their their poverty in material things, though they were juxtaposed to their wealth of desire for God and His Word. That was so humbling and inspiring at the same time.

The tender importance of his little sister was the sweetest picture to me. I know this first-hand and see daily the gentleness of a big brother doting on his new baby sister, so the gentle and loving way this was written was fresh and precious to me. His anticipation 'to teach her to say her prayers' was so lovingly impatient, that it didn't seem like impatience at all.

 The Scripture that is woven into his story and his heart and his memory are told in such simplicity. It is a simplicity that I have a hard time weaving into situations in my own life. We make things way too complicated, I think. His parents and his teacher obviously made him very comfortable with and well-acquainted with the Word and its place in real life. For this family to sell a cow to obtain the Word. Wow.

In this very short first chapter, I was just breathing more relaxed and taken back to a simpler time, which in turn prepared me to move to Chapter 2, looking at this story through the eyes and heart of a quietness and child-likeness.
I actually shuddered inside when I realized they were going to be going to school. I still do not know how I feel about my own reaction. Surely, I feel as though he and Bell should have been home, but I know times were different. I still cannot justify and reckon them walking two and a half miles both ways to be away from mom all day. I think that Mrs. Waring's endeavors to teach the Bible and educate the less fortunate is a generous thing, but I wonder if it would have been better served for her to travel to each home, teaching the parents as well and doing it for free. I do love the picture of them learning the alphabet with scripture so that the Word was well-planted in their hearts. And, then there is the hedge that they would not have passed twice daily had they been home. What do you think of that aspect? As a homeschool mom, did it rub you the wrong way? I know we excuse things many times for the furtherance of the Gospel, but is that ok to do?

   I felt myself completely taken back to my childhood as the hedge was described. I knew it was a figure of God's protective hedge in our lives, and it took me back to my sad childhood and the sad, distant little girl I have come to realize that I was. I pictured the hedge as HUGE. I pictured it as towering and dark and very full of thorns.  I could see myself walking along the hedge, in simpler times, a little girl; I painfully remembered being a young adult seeking after everything and anything to fill that "God-hole" in my life. It made me feel the sin I sought after and just to feel in my heart how God was there, trying to reach me.


I found myself wondering what was on the other side of the hedge. I wondered if they would actually follow through with their plan, and was saddened at the tactics John used to sway his little sister to join him. Even to the point that she mimicked his "we might find some apples under the trees" idea (p.25). It was sad to watch him be totally consumed by this temptation. Did you notice it was first his desire, and he swayed her, and then, in his own mind, it was 'their' desire to see what was beyond the hedge? I wonder if it ever was Bell's desire. One of her last statements before being put into the hedge was, "Brother, I am frightened. I think we had better not try to get through the hedge; perhaps our mother will be angry at us for it" (p.28)

I kept asking myself why. Why did going beyond the hedge become so consuming to him? It seemed as though he had so many other hedges - his mother and father, his teacher, even his little sister.  I understand human nature is to throw caution to the wind and assume "it will never happen to me", but I was perplexed at this total encompassing of his life. It made me wonder what John thought was so wonderful about the other side of the hedge. At the same time, it reminded me that boys do need to conquer. Was it something he needed to conquer? Was it something that was just a strength of character of leadership gone wrong? Will we see this rise up again and see the true strength of it in John's character?


(pp.28-29) Why, after hearing little Bell whining "that the hedge was too awful to get through" did he continue to prod her, as she whined, even to the point he "in a fit of passion, I pushed her forward with all my strength"? What must he have felt when he heard her sweet little voice cry out  "in great agony,  'My brother, my brother, the thorns, the thorns!' "  That was so heart-wrenching to read. Her body went silent.  For a young boy of about 10 or so see her little face, bloodied, thorns stuck in her beautiful face. Her precious eyes.  Can you imaging how he was swept back to her child-like love to wipe his tears with her pinafore?

Carrying her home the 2 miles must have been a long agony for him. He said it  "seemed like endless torment." Pushing himself as he ran. Can you imagine all that was going through this little boys' mind? You know, one of those, "please let me take it back Lord" moments. Do you think he thought much of the hedge? I think he must have thought of nothing else but Bell. Maybe his parents, but only Bell's welfare and his sin.

 And, his mother- the sense that something terrible had happened. It tore my mother's heart to even imagine. What of her admonishment? What of her having him hold his poor baby sister? What did you think?

So, Father comes home. This gentle teacher. This man who he greatly respects. He did not rant and go on teaching and quoting Scripture he surely had many times told John before. He walked in and silently took his baby girl and sat in front of the fire. Oh that pangs to the heart. His poor precious Daddy-heart. Something he could not fix for his baby. 
What do you think will happen next? Do you think John has learned from this hard lesson? Will it take more hard lessons to assuage his desire to see beyond the hedge or as he grows will this desire to cross hedges cause more suffering? I wonder if Bell is blind in that eye. How will this affect this sweet child, and how will that affect John? Will he or she become embittered?

Blessings!

Seeking Rest in the Ancient Paths Homeschool

 

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DISCUSSION: Chapters 4-7: We will be reading chapters 4- 7 and discussing it next Wednesday. You may read it as you wish, but please don't include it in your discussion this week; I hate spoilers! :)

DISCUSSION: NOTE: Please feel free to post your discussion here in the comments section. Post it on your blog too, by all means, but it will be easier to discuss it right here on this blog. I will be getting a Mr. Linky for you to link any other posts or projects you may do, but the discussion will be great in the comments section! I am not sure if Amanda and I will continue to do 2 different posts, it just worked out better this way this time, but please post your discussion on either.  Thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving!