Very Superstitious / Writing on the Lectern | by Emory Cooper

In Church Going, Philip Larken tries to discount his visits to an old church building. He associates this icon of Christianity with ignorance and superstition, wondering if "delirious women" will come to "pick simples for cancer" and so forth (lines 28-31). Yet after saying he "Reflect[s] the place was not worth stopping for," he admits: "Yet stop I did: in fact I often do" (lines 18-19). Why then does the man feel compelled to stop? Aubade may lend a clue. Here, Larken struggles with mortal dread, the fear of death. Moreover, he recognizes that "religion" provided a way to dispel this fear: "Religion used to try...Created to pretend we never die" (lines 22-24).

Those of us who have been made believers in Christ understand that the Old-Time Religion is much more than a superstition. We have a Living Hope through Whom we will never die. Those verses on the lectern could have read: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned...Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life" (Romans 5:12-18). Here endeth.


[I commented on Lily's and Braylan's posts.]

Comments

  1. Abigale BellFebruary 1, 2022 at 9:17 AM

    Wow, great post! I hadn't considered the two poems lending insight together. But I see a constant thread in both of them. In "Church Going," Larking expounds on the belief that religion is dead (or should be). Why is it that he finds no meaning there, when, ironically, that is the only place he can find hope and purpose?

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  2. Song WhittingtonFebruary 1, 2022 at 9:33 AM

    Hey Emory. I love your reference in your title. I sympathize with the man for stopping, and his attempt to dispel his fear. Great post Emory, and great reference!

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  3. Lily CaswellFebruary 1, 2022 at 9:36 AM

    Great post, Emory! I hadn’t thought about the two poems coinciding with one another. I think that “religion” is just something that doesn’t necessarily get rid of the fear of death, but Christianity allows people to feel at peace about death and the afterlife.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Samantha TFebruary 2, 2022 at 12:32 PM

    Emory, I appreciate you taking the poem back to scripture. The reference is fun too! I agree that the dismal attitude is thwarted by scripture for Christians. -Samantha T

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