The Wykehamist
John Thorpe of Northanger Abbey describes the sin of excessive drinking as normal at Oxford University and refers to Members of Parliament appearing drunk at sessions.
Jane Austen contrasts such behaviours with her wholesome characters such as Fanny Price and Mr. Knightley – not at all fashionable but praiseworthy. Jane Austen was confident that faithful Christians could rise to the challenges placed before them, reflected by the behaviour of her heroes and heroines – she saw‘ the growth of virtue in her characters as showing an upward trend in the country’ s religious life, despite much evil improving.’ Jane Austen also demonstrates her expectation of moral decorum in Persuasion, through criticism by Anne Elliot of her cousin, Mr. William Elliot, for travelling on a Sunday and missing church – a behaviour of which Jane Austen deeply disapproved.
Jane Austen’ s Christian faith and wit charmingly blend in her poem regarding her fellow churchgoers, penned in 1807. Sunday was a farmer’ s only day off and sermons would typically last for a number of hours. tongue is the law of kindness.’( Proverbs 31:26)
Jane Austen’ s witty and often facetious style of writing, for which she is globally recognised and loved, is matched by the honest beauty of her three Evening Prayers, which demonstrate her gentle love, combined with strong practical faith in Jesus Christ. As with Jane Austen’ s novels, her prayers contain meanings‘ that reach far beyond elegant words or graceful phrases. They are personal and reflective, passionate and thorough.’ They illustrate devotion to the faith that defined her life and influenced the tropes of human goodness and morality which permeate her beloved novels.
“ May we now, and on each return of night, consider how the past day has been spent by us, what have been our prevailing thoughts, words, and actions during it.”
AMEN. Anna Matthews( G, 2024-)
“ Happy the lab’ rer in his Sunday cloathes! In light-drab coat, smart waistcoat, welldarn’ d hose, And hat upon his head, to church he goes; As oft, with conscious pride, he downward throws A glance upon the ample cabbage rose Which, stuck in button-hole, regales his nose, He envies not the gayest London beaux. In church he takes his seat among the rows, Pays to the place the reverence he owes, Likes best the prayers whose meaning least he knows, Lists to the sermon in a softening doze, And rouses joyous at the welcome close.”
Jane Austen’ s faith held fast even during the most difficult moments in her life. It was a firm foundation during her illness. Her deep belief in a loving, gracious Father and the promise of an eternity spent in Heaven provided her comfort in her final days on Earth. She was taught to love and know God from an early age and she did‘ not depart from it’ in her adult life( Proverbs 22:6).
Jane Austen died on 18 July 1817 and was laid to rest in Winchester Cathedral. The plaque at her place of rest speaks about Jane Austen’ s writing and her‘ Christian faith and piety’ ending with this Bible verse:‘ She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her
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