An early eighteenth-century icon of All Saints. It shows Jesus Christ against a golden disc, with the four evangelists (Matthew as a winged man, Mark as a lion, Luke as a bull and John as an eagle) arranged about the edge. Surrounding the disc is a band of angels and saints; St Helen holds the True Cross below, Mary is to Christ’s right and John the Baptist to his left. Above him is the Throne of Preparation, symbolising the Judgement Seat: it is apparently empty because ‘no man has seen God at any time’. Paradise is at the bottom: ‘Abraham’s bosom’, representing the place where good men are gathered after death according to Lk 16:19-31, is on the left; on the right is the Good Thief crucified next to Jesus, to whom Jesus promised that “today you will be with me in Paradise” in Lk 23:39-43.
THESE are the footsteps which all the saints, as they were returning to their Country, left behind, that, treading in their prints, we might also follow them in their joys.* Let us consider that Paradise is our country,* as well as theirs: and so we shall begin to reckon the Patriarchs as our fathers.
Why do we not, then, hasten and run, that we may behold our Country and salute our parents? A great multitude of dear ones is there expecting us: a vast and mighty crowd of parents, brothers, and children, secure now of their own safety, anxious yet for our salvation, longs that we may come to their sight and embrace — to that joy which will be common to us and to them — to that pleasure expected by our celestial fellow-servants, as well as ourselves — to that full and perpetual felicity.
Translated from the Latin of St Bede (?672-735), in ‘Mediæval preachers and mediæval preaching’ (1856) by John Mason Neale (1818-1866). Some minor emendations have been made.
See Romans 4:12, where St Paul bids us follow in the footprints of Abraham. In 1 Peter 2:21, we are bidden to follow in the footsteps of Christ, and all the disciples of Christ follow one another in these same steps in [getjvref:2 Corinthians 12:18].
See Philippians 3:20: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ”. ‘Conversation’ is a Middle English word for what we today might call the business of daily relationships; Paul is saying that Christians should live as if they already lived in the country of heaven, adapting themselves to its culture and ways in advance.
Questions for Critics
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
Précis
Bede urged his listeners to think of themselves as citizens of heaven, living its culture as one nation with all who have gone before. He reminded them that this would include not only famous prophets and patriarchs, but also deceased family members, who even now keenly watch their progress in the race, and cheer them home to welcoming arms. (59 / 60 words)
Bede urged his listeners to think of themselves as citizens of heaven, living its culture as one nation with all who have gone before. He reminded them that this would include not only famous prophets and patriarchs, but also deceased family members, who even now keenly watch their progress in the race, and cheer them home to welcoming arms.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, if, must, or, otherwise, until, whereas.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Father. Fellow. Triumph.
2 Long. There. Tread.
3 Common. Do. Our.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Opposites Find in Think and Speak
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1.
Already.
2.
Better.
3.
Follow.
4.
Full.
5.
Great.
6.
Honour.
7.
Run.
8.
Swift.
9.
Triumph.
Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding un-.
Adjectives Find in Think and Speak
For each word below, compose sentences to show that it may be used as an adjective. Adjectives provide extra information about a noun, e.g. a black cat, a round table, the early bird etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Peaceful. 2 Secure. 3 Just. 4 Best. 5 Faithful. 6 Saintly. 7 Childless. 8 Full. 9 Praiseworthy.
Variations: 1.show whether your adjective can also be used as e.g. a noun, verb or adverb. 2.show whether your adjective can be used in comparisons (e.g. good/better/best). 3.show whether your adjective can be used in attributive position (e.g. a dangerous corner) and also in predicate position (this corner is dangerous).
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
x
0
Add
Your Words ()
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