According to the Pattern by Grace Livingstone Hill, originally published in 1903

According to the Pattern

By Grace Livingstone Hill

Griffith and Rowland Press, 1903

Republished: J.B. Lippincott Co., Inc.  1977

 

This is an oldie, but a goodie.   The plot of the book revolves around Miriam Winthrop discovering that her husband, Claude,  is “spending time” with a woman of wealth and power.  She thinks that she is losing him because she has spent more time being a mother and homemaker, than trying to be part of society which he finds so important.  While her husband takes a two-month business trip to Paris, she sews stylish clothes for her children and herself, gets suggestions from a fashion magazine about making her way into society, and basically works herself to a frazzle attempting to join a world outside anything she has ever known and eventually collapses from the strain and is on the verge of death.   In the meantime, her husband goes through emotions ranging from pride to self-condemnation.  But in the end, through the help of her doctor’s brother, a seminary student, they both come to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and make changes in their lives to follow “the pattern.”  God blesses and provides for them in many ways after they come to faith.

 

 This is one of Ms. Hill’s early works, and it is written in early 20^th century style. It seems to have a type of fairy-tale ending, but that can also be attributed to the goodness of GOD. Although the style is old-fashioned, the concepts of sin, forgiveness and repentance, salvation, and the need for Godly living are truths that never change.  I liked the book for showing that trying to gain prestige and respect through worldly methods takes a toll on people.  A person may change on the outside, but the heart must be changed through the workings of GOD to actually see a transformation and know the true meaning of love and life’s priorities.