Finding an Interesting Book (Installment two)

A person who doesn’t read is no better off than one who can’t, and I am thankful to be one who enjoys reading.  The public library offers a treasure of excellent books.  One that captured my interest is “The Pillars of the Earth,” by Ken Follett.  The story began in 1123 AD.

I am intrigued by the skill of architects and artisans who built English cathedrals in the ancient days when they had to invent their own equipment.  They suffered extreme poverty and hardship, and yet their devotion to the task enabled them to persevere and see the finished result.

At the same time, battles were being fought on foot and horseback, using swords and axes.  Bravery of the fighting men was amazing and the battlefield became littered with the bodies of both men and horses.  Atrocities were committed by ones in leadership because of their sense of power and to show what they could do to punish those who would not comply with their authority.  Pride, greed and immorality were driving forces.  Battles and the destruction of villages, along with their people, were terribly exciting; not for enjoyable reading, because it wasn’t, but because these events were a part of history that can’t be ignored as trivial.  Of personalities, some were admirable, others detestable.

To build a beautiful cathedral required hundreds of people to dig the basement and haul building materials from the quarry and forest.  Money wasn’t available to pay laborers and the monks in charge found a way to employ local citizens without having to pay them.  If they didn’t work, they would burn in the eternal fires of hell and if they volunteered, they were promised eternal life with God.  This was termed penance, or payment to God for their sins.  Most of those poor uneducated people were not able to read and didn’t know that the Bible tells us, “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  Ephesians 2:9

I admire the author for his ability to describe every situation or architectural design in minute detail, and I appreciated his fine vocabulary.  I began recording new words in my computer, adding their meanings from the dictionary.  I will use them on occasion.

Although the story is fictional, I’d recommend it to friends who have an interest in history, though they must be prepared for situations of cruelty.  One gets the sense of being there and sharing their poverty and labor, besides becoming sympathetic to those people for the misery being imposed upon them by individuals steeped in their own authority.  I’d not recommend the book to immature and sensitive individuals.

I admired Tom the artisan, building his beloved cathedral.  He built it stone by stone, seeing the walls go up and the arches adding beauty and strength to the church according to his design.  I was reminded of a poem referring to each of us a stone used in the building of Christ’s church.  Each is different, but together, we fit in place to make his church secure.

Christ builds his church with different stones
And makes each one secure;
All shapes and sizes fit in place
To make his church endure.
                                                  -Anonymous