Book Reviews

Book Review: Elizabeth Prentiss

Elizabeth PrentissI first heard of Elizabeth Prentiss a few years ago when her novel, Stepping Heavenward, was recommended to me.  Since that first reading, I have re-read it many times.  But, until recently, I did not know much about the author.  But, because I enjoyed her book, I was excited to learn more about the woman who wrote it.  I originally picked up this book as part of the GirlTalk Blog Book Club, but on the day that it arrived, I peeked at the first chapter just to see what I was in for.  Bad idea.  Instead of reading along with the group, as I intended, I ended up finishing it within 2 days of it’s arrival!  I am currently reading it for the third time…but this time, I am keeping up with the group!

I have said it before, and I will probably say it many times in the future, but I love reading biographies – especially biographies of men and women who spent a lifetime pursuing the Lord.  I love getting a peek into their world.  My husband observed that reading a biography requires that you invest yourself in someone else’s life.  While I never really thought about it that way before, I think he is absolutely right!  When you read the story of someone’s life, you get to know them in a real and intimate way.  As the book opens, Sharon James observes that,

“All her life she was petite, observant, softly spoken in company, reserved and yet deeply affectionate.  And, throughout her life, she quickly won the love of those who met her.” (pg. 1)

You cannot help but love Elizabeth Prentiss after meeting her in this book.  Not because she was a perfect, saint-like individual, but because she was real.  One childhood friend noted that one of Elizabeth’s most endearing qualities was

“…an entire absence of all attempt to show her best side, or put the best face on anything that concerned her.  An ingenuous frankness about herself and her affairs – even about her little weaknesses – was one of her most striking traits.” (pg. 5)

She had struggles, quirks, and flaws.  But, she also had a sense of humor, a love of life, and an intense passion for the things of the Lord.

As I read through the letters, excerpts of journal entries throughout the book, she refuses to put a good spin on her own sinful, selfish heart.  She writes about her frustrations with herself honestly.  Shortly after her engagement (to George Prentiss), she wrote a letter to her cousin expressing a fear that her love for God would grow cold as she grew in love for her fiancé/husband.  And, after she and George were married Sharon James notes,

“we see her determination that in becoming a wife, she should not simply fulfill the role of a ‘cook and manager’.  She wanted to organize a happy home, as well as keeping up her reading, so that she could provide intelligent and spiritual companionship to her husband.” (pg. 57)

Like many women of her generation, becoming a wife and mother was Elizabeth’s expected future.  But, so often, the joys of motherhood were overshadowed by the death of their young children.  For many, the breakdown of their own health was a consequence that they must also pay.  Elizabeth was no exception.  She loved children, and was excited to be a mother, but experienced the deep pain of losing 2 of her children within the span of 3 months.  But, during this difficult time, she clung to the truth that, “God never makes a mistake.” (pg. 75)  Her book, Stepping Heavenward, gave her a vehicle for sharing this comforting truth with other women who were also grieving similar losses.

Elizabeth’s husband George was a well-known and much-loved pastor.  Although she believed that her first priority was in ministry to her family, and that should take “precedence over any other demands upon her time, whether in the form of service in the church or opportunities for writing,” (pg. 129), she also found great joy in her role as a pastor’s wife.  She enjoyed visiting the members of the church, bringing comfort to those who were ill, grieving, or suffering.  She enjoyed having them in her home, and listened to them as they shared their problems.

Though Elizabeth had a strong desire to honor the Lord in all she did, she was occasionally influenced by incorrect theological ideas, the trends of her day.  She was impacted by the writings of a French mystic, who advocated introspection.  She toyed with the ideas presented by the “perfectionists” on several occasions, though she eventually rejected their teachings.  Her novels (often a reflection of events in her own life), though filled with biblical principles about parenting, marriage, courtship, and life in general, sometimes also advocated culturally acceptable roles, rather than exhorting women to fulfill their roles as ordained by God in Scripture. 

Although this is the story of a woman who lived in the 1800’s, many of the struggles, temptations, and difficulties that Elizabeth faced transcend generational lines.  But, we also see Elizabeth’s unwavering confidence in God, her sincere love for Christ, her passionate pursuit of her own personal holiness, her devotion to her family, and her desire to serve and minister to those around her.  And, those qualities are just as relevant to women today. 

In the Foreword to this book, Barbara Hughes warns,

“If you would rather avoid a painfully sanctifying comparison of your own faith with that of this woman, perhaps you should stop reading now.” (pg. xi)

And, you should.  But, as Proverbs 13:20 observes “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” (ESV)  If you truly desire to “walk with the wise” in your life, even if it requires a little “painful sanctification,” I would strongly suggest that you start with the life of Elizabeth Prentiss.