Where a Tree Grows

 

The Hardy Tree
London St. Pancras Tree

Literature of the Victorian era was strange. It was both romantic and humorous; it also dealt with serious social issues. I do not pretend to be an expert at all. What interests me, though, is the literature that I did not read until I was in college. This author is Thomas Hardy. 

Thomas Hardy strayed from the acceptable to eyebrow raising literature. During this era, women were chattel and sexuality was whispered about in closed rooms or closets. Hardy's work was exciting, just the ticket for a suppressed/oppressed/depressed
 society.  

His most known work is Tess d'Urbervilles, a book about a fallen woman. The real scandalous book Jude the Obscure was sold in brown paper bags.

One would think that this comprised the entirety of Thomas Hardy's talent. But, no. 

Thomas Hardy studied to be an architect, did so well that he won major prizes from the Royal Institute of British Architects. His success captured lots of attention and his work still is admired today. 

Here is the most amazing bit of his history: He was commissioned to excavate part of the graveyard of St. Pancras Old Church before its destruction to make room for the Midland Railway terminus. By golly, Hardy was creative to the point that he will be remembered by many just for this by many generations. 

Dating from 400 AD

Removing centuries of decayed bodies was deemed impossible, Hardy designed a way to honor them by collecting headstones and displaying them around an ash tree. The tree has since started growing into the headstones. The bodies were carefully and respectively removed.

Now, St. Pancras Old Church is a music venue in this 4th Century Church, which is just behind King's Cross station.

Lone Bellow playing on Jan. 22

Photo shoot on their "Mad Day Out"

Thomas Hardy was a man of many talents. Who knew?

Job, Job. Do you know?

The struggles of Job from the Old Testament are legendary. He had been a man whose love for God shone brightly.  His obedience was absolute, without question.

So what happened? Satan asked God who, of all His people, was the most faithful and holy.  God showed this man, Job, to Satan.  He challenged God that Job would reject God. God allowed Satan to destroy Job's obedience, if such could be done.

Job, as a prosperous man with a large family, was reduced to nothing when all was taken from him.

His good friends visited him as he cowered by a fire. Job was covered with boils and ash, and about as miserable as a man could possibly be. His good friends recommended that Job curse God and die. 

But Job held fast, despite abandonment from friends and seemingly from God.  Job cried out to God and questioned His plan.  God replied this:

Job 38: 1-18

Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?

Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.

Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me if you understand.

Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!

Who stretched a measuring line across it?

On what were its footing set, or who laid its cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, 

when I said, “This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt”?

Have you ever given orders to the morning, or show the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?

The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment.

The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken.

Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?

Have the gates of death been shown to you?

Have you see the gates of the depest darkness?

Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?

Tell me, if you know all this.

 What happened then?

Job remained true. All that he had lost--including his entire family, his wealth--could not be returned to him.  However, God renewed Job's losses with greater wealth, gifted him another wife and children. 

Mourning turned to sunlight, held back seas of agony, 

and settled Job down safely on the garment of God's creation.

What would I do? Would I stand the test? What would you do? Could you stand this test?  

I just don't know.