Without a Word: Introduction
Many books, movies, and perhaps even comic strips have been written about the poor young lady, betrothed against her will to an older gentleman, rich but impossible. The typical story shows her rebelling against her father and running away, or being trapped into the marriage for long bitter years until she finally finds relief in a series of extra-marital affairs or, perhaps, the death of her husband. Or both.
But the Christian writer, and the Christian reader, should expect better than that. Story after story in the Scriptures show the opposite. They show men and women compelled into situations not of their choosing who, nonetheless, choose to act in obedient, Godly ways. Indeed they even show ungodly men and women rising above their circumstances.
What is it that we wish to teach our readers and ourselves? To rebel against hardship, or to rise through it? What does Scripture command the Godly wife, the Godly child, and the Godly slave?
Without a Word is a historical fiction story set in 1808 and follows the struggles of a young woman, betrothed against her will to an older man. A Christian woman, and a man of very questionable morals.
Without a Word attempts to contrast Biblical advice against the advice of this age, even the advice of the church. It concerns a young, immature woman growing in her own Godliness through her obedience to an ungodly man. And who knows, perhaps she shall even win her husband.
I was tempted to sub-title this book, ‘A Sermon in Story’. So many times in discussing fiction, people say, “Well, it shouldn’t be preachy.” But many of the great old writers were preachy, and certainly, Scripture has a sermon or two.
To a certain extent, this story is an allegory. The name of the main character is ‘Hadassah’… which is a name we briefly see in Scripture. The name of a young Jewish girl who was taken into the harem of a pagan king. The name of her older, wiser maid is ‘Esther’… which is the name that same girl was given after inducted into that same harem. Younger, older. A pleasant life, a life filled with difficulties. This story is meant to be both a coming of age story, and a story that looks back on life.
I am hoping, in this book, to weave together a Biblical discussion of many subjects that are patently offensive to today’s Christians. I hope to present at least the beginnings of the Biblical case for:
A father’s role in marriage. Our modern inventions of dating and courtship are nowhere to be found in Scripture, particularly in the most Godly of marriages. Those inventions have resulted in disaster: with few marriages and many divorces. Nowadays, the Christian church has almost as many divorces as the world.
The sexual nature of marriage. Most modern wedding ceremonies don’t mention a word about the sexual relationship, even in euphemism, yet the Scriptures mention it constantly. Certainly, most modern marriage books, even ones which cover the honeymoon, skip over the physical relationship completely.
The importance of betrothal, of the father’s giving of a daughter in marriage. The time of covenant before consummation; when the two are husband and wife in the eyes of the law, but not husband and wife physically.
The obedience of the wife ‘without a word’. This does not mean a mute wife, a stupid wife, a wife wihout opinions, but one that doesn’t nag. The foundation for this book is I Peter 3:1, where it is the behaviour, not the words, of the wife which are said to be effective in winning her unGodly husband.
The picture of the gospel that is breastfeeding. Scripture teaches clearly, and all previously acknowledged, that the breasts were both sexually attractive and attractive for their use in feeding children. Scripture lauds the ‘blessings of the breast and the womb’, while simultaneously insisting the husband is to be ‘ravished always with her breasts’. Our modern American culture seems to be OK with bikinis but not breastfeeding. It revels in the gorgeous swell of the breast but is shocked at the milk-producing nipple.
Difficult obedience, especially when it doesn’t seem difficult. It is easy to see the difficulty of obedience when everything is going wrong, but harder to see the importance of obedience when things are going right. When the husband is rich, well known, and kind.
The importance of fruitfulness. Our society is committing demographic suicide. Our ‘number of children per woman’ is far, far below that which will be necessary to reproduce ourselves and support our elderly generations. And yet even the church nowadays preaches the ‘wisdom’ of birth control… something which the church historical called murder.
I have written this book as historical fiction. My hope is that the setting will bear at least a decent resemblance to the time period of the book. But I have also attempted to write a book which preaches the gospel. So some of my characters might act better, or worse, than the majority of their compatriots. But, then, history is not written about the average character.
These issues will be addressed again throughout the book, and in the conclusion. I don’t want to get into too much detail here, lest I spoil the story.
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Thank you for coming round Arthur’s Substack. I hope and pray it will be a blessing to you.
Arthur publishes with Wise Path Books and include the children’s/YA books:
The Bobtails meet the Preacher’s Kid
and
As well as GK Chesterton’s wonderful book, “What’s Wrong with the World”, for which ‘Arthur’ wrote most of the annotations.
Quite a few chapters of the Bobtails and No Ordinary School are here on this substack as audio.
I also write as Von, and I encourage you to check out that substack. There is a lot of theology and politics there, as well as quotes, poems, other articles, and links to other Science Fiction. But ‘Von’ also is publishing some serial books and stories. Much more adult and serious books than here, for the most part. Some of them.
Von is publishing the stories:
Contract Marriage
Contract marriage is an adult dystopia examining the issues of marriage. Like 1984 and Brave New World, Contract Marriage treats the relations between the sexes as a fundamental aspect of how a society is formed and, thus, how a society can go wrong.
Unlike those dystopias, Contract Marriage isn’t all horrible all of the time. The characters for the most part have a good time and get along in their society. But the issues of sexuality, of marriage or not, monogamy or not, faithfulness or not, and gender roles… keep coming up and causing tension and conflict and joy and pain.
My desire is that my readers would be thinking along with my characters about these issues and perhaps even arrive at the same place (minus the flying cars).
Article 17
Article 17 is a military science fiction story with aliens and romance. It is set in a future reminiscent of Napoleon era Britain. The war was going very poorly until the military installed a dictator. This story follows one of the dictator’s great men: Cladin Tomirosh, Leader, and thrice decorated hero.
Island People
Island People is a young adult fantasy book centring on a young prince. The book starts with his kidnapping and follows his adventures as he not only escapes from his kidnapper but gains critical allies and friends.
The entire book is scheduled on Substack, and there are several sequels. This is a book I wrote years ago, so it is in a bit of a rough form. Critiques and comments are more than welcome, they are requested.
…and his story ‘The Oracle’ is in haitus, but there are some chapters there. Feel free to check them out.
God Bless you as you read, and may you do all to the glory of God.