Posted in Enoch Roden's Training by Hesba Stretton
by Miss AmandaFrom just reading the first three chapters, I can tell that this book is going to be very beneficial in my life to read! Let's get discussing!
Chapter 1: Enoch's Ambition
I really enjoyed reading about the setting of Hills Close. Very old English setting! I really liked Old Mrs. Roden, Susan, and Mr. Drury's talk on one of my favorite passages of the Bible: Matthew 6. How often do we forget to not worry about our problems when life throws so many our way. From reading that chapter, I have tried so many times to not worry about the everyday problems that are in my life.
I don't understand why Susan was upset when Enoch said he wanted to be a missionary. He said that after that he wanted to be a printer, and Mr. Drury seems like the kind of man that would think that right and not take offense at it. I just don't know why Susan was upset by it.
Chapter 2: First Day of Apprenticeship
Mr. Drury's library sounds absolutely wonderful! I would love to go there! Old, beautiful books coming out of the woodwork sounds like a delightful place to live! :)
As I read about the accumulating debts Mr. Drury has from continuing to order book, and not selling them, I started to think about how many times we buy things we don't really need, but buy anyway putting us in some kind of bind. I hope I don't ever do that. It will be a burden on my family and will not honor God if I do. Speaking of burdens, it seems that Esther feels most of their burden and that is something that a 17yo shouldn't have to worry about!
I am excited for Enoch as he starts his first day of work! I hope this will be a great and profitable day!
OH NO! Poor Enoch! I am sure his little heart fell to his shoes when he slipped and dropped the advertisements! Hardy should have been the one going backwards up the stairs being less green than Enoch.
What a sweetie Little Lucy is! To encourage and want to help Enoch is so wonderful! I am sure his head was spinning when she told him she would teach him Latin!
Whoever put up those blank papers with "ENOCH RODEN'S PIE" was very wrong. I mean, if Mr. Drury said it was ok, then no one should have felt it was their place to admonish and humiliate him.
Chapter 3: Esther's Silver Salver
I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Drury about trusting in the Lord to provide for everything, but He also wants us to be good stewards with what we have and he wants us to be faithful with it too. I don't think that Mr. Drury is doing everything he should with his finances and it has become a huge burden on Esther!
How sad that Esther must give up her grandmother's silver salver! The one last thing of her own and she gives it up to help her father! That is the perfect example of a daughter!
What a wonderfully great thing that Enoch and Susan tried to do to save Esther from having to get rid of her salver! Sometimes what we think is right may be, although it may not be what God has planned.
I am glad that Esther was able to find joy in giving her father the money from her salver. I have found that most times when we give up what we really want in order to help someone else, we find true joy and happiness.
I do, however, think that Mr. Drury is very oblivious! He does not even ask his daughter how she came into the money to pay for their bills. I don't think that is right since he is her father.
If I had been Esther I would have given Mr. Drury just the amount that he needed to pay rent and saved the rest for the next time they would have to pay their bills.
Well I look forward to reading your discussions and also to next week's chapters to find out how everything will work out! You can post your discussions on your blog or in the comment section below! :)
The Daily Planet
by Jacque
I very much liked the intro of the characters in to the book. This again is going to be a book where the trials are experienced and brought before the LORD it seems.
Mr. Drury seems like a flighty man, but not in a bad way, just not bothered by the cares of the world. I think that is why it didn't bother him when Enoch said something about being a Missionary, but, rather, he directed him in the way he should think about getting there and what to do until he does.
I think that Susan was embarrassed, as if Enoch was not appreciative of Mr. Drury's noticing that he was interested in being a printer. Then, when Mr. Drury said that he could not help him become a Missionary and go to college, it may have seemed as if he thought that Enoch was fishing for a benefactor, which he likely was not, but it could have been taken that way. Perhaps she thought that in his youth he lacked the discretion to not say that in front of a man who would give his right arm to help people out. It was very kind of him to offer the job to him.
I think Mr. Drury's library sounds delightful also! books all over, olden books with leather covers; how quaint. However, knowing he has accumulated debt and seems to have trouble paying his normal bills, I wonder why he has so many books. Unfortunately, as Amanda said, it seems as though this has become a burden to his business, his home and his daughters.
I also think he is not doing as he should with Esther. It is not a bad thing for her to live through hardships. It is a bad thing for her to shoulder the entirety of the responsibility and stress of the money matters each month. This is something her father should and could be taking care of. He is allowing her to live in a bitter spirit, and that surely will not be good for either of them. It is almost as if she thinks of him as an aloof dreamer who is someone she has to make all of the decisions for and bail out of everything because he is unable. This will create a prideful spirit in her. I am afraid for her and what this may do to her spirit.Poor Enoch, but he seems to handle it in a mature manner. This is something that will help him as he grows and goes out into the world and workforce. He got right back on the horse, and that was good for him. Mr. Drury handled it well, even though Esther had a different opinion.
I agree with Rachel (babymakers) that she needs to just let him handle it. Young ladies at this age can very well handle the responsibility, but that is not the issue here. The issue is that God has set the family up for a purpose and in an order, and that is not the order she is walking in. I do think it is her father's final decision though, and he should be ther one to put an end to it. He could if he wanted to. I think that he is a dreamer. And she is doing them no favors by being in charge.
I am sorry that she must give up her Grandmother's salver, but by doing so, she is allowing him to keep all of those books he might be forced to sell if she didn't. He certainly would not have allowed her to do so, had he known, and perhaps he would have stepped up to the plate and taken care of it. And, if not, so what? So they lose some things? I think that is what they need. I agree that she is to be praised for giving, but I don't think she did it with the right attitude. She was very prideful and arrogant about it. I did not like the way she talked down to Susan, either, when she went in and asked about Enoch's job and giving it to the other boy whose mother would have paid them for it.
She is being allowed to create more problems than they already have, imo.
Oblivious is a good word, Amanda. Esther is enabling him into oblivion, though. It will be interesting to see how this works out. It is not right, and there are a lot of things going on that will have to have an effect later on.
Rachel, I agree... "how young men USED to be"... and, we are training them up to know once again! PTL!
Blessings all!!
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