‘The utter incapacity of the chaplain to understand his wants was so sublime that it was nearly ridiculous enough to make him laugh. He turned his eyes downward to the texts. Good Meekin, in the fulness of his stupidity, had selected the fiercest denunciations of bard and priest. The most notable of the Psalmist’s curses upon his enemies, the most furious of Israel’s ravings concerning the forgetfulness of the national worship, the most terrible thunderings of apostle and evangelist against idolatry and unbelief, were grouped together and presented to Dawes to soothe him. All the material horrors of Meekin’s faith – stripped, by force of dissociation from the context, of all poetic feeling and local colouring – were launched at the suffering sinner by Meekin’s ignorant hand. The miserable man, seeking for consolation and peace, turned over the leaves of the Bible only to find himself threatened with “the pains of Hell,” “the never-dying worm,” “the unquenchable fire,” “the bubbling brimstone,” “the bottomless pit,” from out of which the “smoke of his torment” should ascent for ever and ever. Before his eyes was held no image of a tender Saviour (with hands soft to soothe, and eyes brimming with ineffable pity) dying crucified that he and other malefactors might have hope, by thinking on such marvellous humanity. The worthy Pharisee who was sent to him to teach him how mankind is to be redeemed with love, preached only that harsh Law whose barbarous power died with the gentle Redeemer on Calvary.’
Wikipedia describes this book as the best known novelisation of life as a convict in early Australian history. Reading it I got the impression that it was well researched. Amongst the shocking details are indications that teens and even pre-teens were removed to Australia along with adults; and few ever returned. The system pretty much ensured that those convicted could not return to the UK.
As the story develops, ministers and chaplains appear, but with a mixture of impotence and harshness. There is little grace and compassion for those to whom they were sent. And the paragraph quoted above highlights this gross weakness.
