Antique The Writing on the Shutter Religious Tract Society Halfpenny Reward Books Packet H

The Writing on the Shutter

The Writing on the Shutter
Religious Tract Society Reward Book
Halfpenny Story Books Series
Packet H
3 x 4.5 inches, 12 cm.

This blog post by Mary Katherine May of QualityMusicandBooks.com.

About the Book

Tied String Binding

A Christian Tract-Size booklet with frontis illustration.  16 pages in periwinkle blue paper wrap with gold-tone title in floral border. 

These were sold in packets containing 24 copies with two copies each of twelve stories.  (From General Catalogue of the Religious Tract Society’s Publications, sole agent in the United States: Fleming H. Revell Co., September, 1893).   This story was published in The Sunday Home Family Magazine for Sabbath Reading. London: Religious Tract Society, 1879.

Frontis Illustration
The Writing on the Shutter

Story Synopsis

     The Widow Hacklott lives a simple life with her son William on the island of Marken in Holland where he is in the business of unlading stranded ships. When Lenna Becker, niece and orphan of farmer Peter Grunken is apprenticed to William’s mother to learn domestic skills, a romance develops and eventually they marry. 

     Tragedy strikes when William is hurt while working at his business. Even when all hope for healing seems fruitless, the Widow and Lenna trust in God, clinging to the Bible promise, “In thy trouble keep thine eyes on God.” Having no paper on which to write the verse, Mrs. Hacklott writes it on the window shutter where she and Lenna can see it and be in constant reminder of God’s promise.  

In thy trouble keep thine eyes on God.

     Miraculously, William recovers. Long after the three have been received into Heaven, the story ends thus: 

Peasant mothers point it out to the children they lead by the hand, and travelers from far distant countries, who chance to visit Marken, yet linger awhile in front of the old cottage, to read and inquire about the writing on the shutter. 

     The booklet closes with the last three stanzas from the hymn (with slight variation), Come, Let Us Sing Our Maker’s Praise by John Burton (1803-1877).

God’s richest blessings from above

Prove his kind care and tender love;

What thanks to Him should we express,

The Father of the fatherless. (4)

Let us rejoice: above the skies

We have a Friend who never dies;

To him we may our prayer address,

The Father of the fatherless. (5)

Our Father, let thy heavenly grace

On every heart thine image trace;

Then shall we never cease to bless

The Father of the fatherless! 6)

John Burton

     John Burton (1803-1877), was a cooper by trade. His first contributions to hymnody were made when deacon of the Congregational Church of Plaistow under the ministry of Mr. Curwen.  He had a wonderful knowledge of Scripture.  As it turned out that he was suffering from smallpox caught in visiting a poor sweep, all his papers containing his last hymn revisions were burned. (Hymns and Hymn Makers by Rev. Duncan Campbell, Fourth Edition, 1908, p. 88.)

In all thy trouble keep thine eyes on God.
The Writing on the Shutter, The Religious Tract Society