Tip Lewis and His Lamp

by Pansy

Oh, that music! how it rolled around the ring! Tip was too busy looking and listening to keep out of people's way; he stepped back, still jostled by the crowd who were pouring in, and stepped directly in front of a man who was trying to make his way through the crowd around the entrance. Tip knew him in an instant; he was one of the circus men,--the one with the ugly face that he had noticed in the morning; it was ugly still, and red with liquor. He turned a pair of fiery eyes on Tip, and a dreadful oath fell from his lips as he swung him angrily out of his way.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Classics, Childrens

360 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1867

About the author

Note: In her lifetime, Isabella Macdonald Alden was usually published under the pseudonym Pansy, and occasionally under the name Mrs. G.R. Alden.

Aunt to Grace Livingston Hill

The sixth of seven children born to Isaac and Myra Spafford Macdonald, of Rochester, New York, Isabella Macdonald received her early education from her father, who home-schooled her, and gave her a nickname - "Pansy" - that she would use for many of her publications. As a girl, she kept a daily journal, critiqued by her father, and she published her first story - The Old Clock - in a village paper when she was ten years old.

Macdonald's education continued at the Oneida Seminary, the Seneca Collegiate Institute, and the Young Ladies Institute, all in New York. It was at the Oneida Seminary that she met her long-time friend (and eventual co-author), Theodosia Toll, who secretly submitted one of Macdonald's manuscripts in a competition, setting in motion a chain of events that would lead to the publication of her first book, Helen Lester, in 1865.

Macdonald also met her future husband, the Rev. Gustavus Rossenberg Alden, at the Oneida Seminary, and the two were married in 1866. Now Isabella Macdonald Alden, the newly-married minister's wife followed her husband as his postings took them around the country, dividing her time between writing, church duties, and raising her son Raymond (born 1873).

A prolific author, who wrote approximately one hundred novels from 1865 to 1929, and co-authored ten more, Alden was also actively involved in the world of children's and religious periodicals, publishing numerous short stories, editing the Sunday Juvenile Pansy from 1874-1894, producing Sunday School lessons for The Westminster Teacher for twenty years, and working on the editorial staff of various other magazines (Trained Motherhood, The Christian Endeavor).

Highly influenced by her Christian beliefs, much of Alden's work was explicitly moral and didactic, and often found its way into Sunday School libraries. It was also immensely popular, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with an estimated 100,000 copies of Alden's books sold, in 1900.

Information taken from:

readseries.com

isabellamacdonaldalden.com

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been wanting to read this book since grade school but didn’t get a copy until a couple years ago. Today I finally sat down and read it. It’s a lovely little story about what happens when a simple poor boy begins to take the Bible seriously. A number of things were far-fetched (such as his acrostic as a new Christian...not so likely he found those diverse verses on his own) but the story is so endearing that I loved it anyway.

Content: nothing, but the salvation plan isn’t spelled out entirely; just the effects, so it’s more encouragement than it is evangelical.

[Rebekah Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this reread even if this version has been edited and slightly changed from the original.
Tip and his trials and his change from a “young scamp” to a faithful Christian was an encouragement. And so was the message about not knowing what will happen to the seeds you plant. God knows.

[Joleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tip Lewis and His Lamp by Isabella Macdonald Alden aka "Pansy" 1841 – 1930
Genre: Historical Christian Fiction/Children's lit?
Format: The Librivox version was so annoying I bought a Kindle version and listened to it on text-to-speech
Characters:
Tip Lewis: Really bad kid who becomes a changed person
Kitty: His sister
Mr. Minturn: Man who helped Tip change his life
Bob: Tip's best friend who was also a really bad kid

So, I thought I'd try a change of pace. I went to the Librivox collection of Christian Fiction (...And yes! They did have it as a CF category to choose from!) I've read a number of Grace Livingston Hill books, but none by her aunt who is referred to as Pansy.

In this book a little boy named Tip was very lazy, selfish, always causing problems at home and at school where he got terrible grades. Basically he was a mischief maker. Funny example on the Fourth of July ...He (Tip) held a horse, which had been so frightened by fire-crackers that it wouldn't stand still a minute, and the owner gave him ten cents, with which he immediately bought fire-crackers for himself, and frightened the very next horse he saw.

On that same day the wealthy Mr. Minturn came across Tip and more or less befriended him. He was a good example to Tip, sharing stories and lessons from the Bible. Tip (or Edward as Mr. Minturn called him) was like a special project for him. Eventually Tip began to change. The lessons and care Mr. Minturn offered him made Tip want to be better. In turn, Tip wanted to share his new faith with others. Even when no one believed in the change coming over him, he stood his ground and prayed diligently to be the good boy he believed God wanted him to be.

These changes lead all the way to adulthood where eventually he became a minister. The lamp in the title is the light of the bible for the path he was always to be on. (Ps 119:105)

I sort of pride myself on enjoying a wide variety of book types, including some very old and unique books. This was written in 1895, so it's old and probably written for children. Which is all fine. It was the theology I had a hard time with. Perhaps the verbage of the day regarding salvation was not about making a decison for Christ, or even being saved. What the author always talked about was being, or becoming a Christian. Now, that's not bad, it was just different. When Tip wanted to share the gospel with his sister or his dad, he asked them if they wanted to become Christians. The plan of salvation (what Christ did on the cross) wasn't quite spelled out at any time. It was about being a Christian, or loving Jesus, or about how He loves us, or how He answers prayer, and helps us to do things. It was about wanting their lives to change, and asking God to help them to be good. In this culture today we speak of grace, of a response to a savior who took our sins on Himself at Calvary... not about becoming a Christian and being good.

Also, when Tip wanted to know why God didn't answer his prayer about his sister becoming a Christian, Mr. Minturn said perhaps it was because he didn't believe God would really do it. Like, God answering any prayer is predicated on whether the person really believes it. It helps the one who prays, for sure, but doesn't limit God in what He does.

All in all it was interesting as a form of literature, but probably not an author I will seek out again.

[Kaitlyn Rinehart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read for any Christian who truly believes and wants to be like Christ. The Scriptures that are mentioned go right along with the fiction story. I learned a lot from this book!

[Ravin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

So encouraging!!!!!! Very blessed to have read this book with my husband! Great book to read with your family or even just to your children!

[Nan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a tender story that I think that has some similarity with “Sunshine country”, by Christine Roy. It is about a boy who surrenders his life to Christ and so he helps change the lives of his neighbors as he grows up, both physically and spiritually. I wish could become the man of God he became and take the Bible as my lamp too, all the days of my life.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! It's a wonderful example and lesson on really using the Word of God as a lamp unto our feet - teaching us to truly examine what we do by the word of God. God says that if we love Him we will obey Him and to be doers of the Word, not hearers only! That is just what Tip did and teaches us to do as well!!

[aMandalin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Maybe it was for younger peoples, but I loved it. It was cute, encouraging, and inspiring. So many valuable lessons were learned in it!

[Chris Rasmussen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent depiction of intercessory prayer.

[D.J. Speckhals · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about "Tip Lewis and His Lamp"—the 19th-century colloquial style, the historic setting, the timelessly relatable characters.

I read this in 5 days, then turned around and started reading it to my children. They're thoroughly enjoying it too, and it's actually fun to read aloud.

The Christian life lessons outshine all else. Salvation, repentance, the new life, confession of sin, Bible reading, choosing good friends, working hard, witnessing, conviction, right attitudes...they're all there. I appreciated how the author so unambiguously shows these lessons and many more.

If you have an influence on children or want your own to read it, I would highly recommend it.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the beginning of the story, Tip Lewis has practically nothing going for him. His family lives in squalor, his father is dying, he’s doing poorly in school, and he runs around with bad boys. Then he hears a gospel story that makes him want to change. He decides to follow Jesus and totally turns his life around, but it’s a rough road. This reminded me of the Horatio Alger stories, but with more emphasis on basic Christianity. I enjoyed the upbeat message and the positive ending.

[Keith White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story . . . I always enjoy reading and re-reading this book.

[Anete Ābola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing childrens' book! Isabella Alden really captures the little hearts' yearning for sanctification. It is so relatable even with today's eyes. It makes you forget how long ago it was written.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a nice story, but not fancy/complex or anything. For me it's a one time Read.

[Chloe W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story!

[Elizabeth Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gem. I read this aloud to my children and we all loved it. Tip's transformation. Tip's love for others.

[Loretta F. Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has nothing to do with a genie or wishes. It's a splendid little story of the power of the Word of God! One doesn't know if the seeds will take root, but being faithful is key!

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new Lamplighter Ministries release and I was reading it as I did the first edit. I was SO encouraged and overjoyed to read this book. Tip Lewis is not just a remarkable character; he is down-to-earth, inspiring, and likeable. I can't wait for my little brother to read this book! Highly recommend! 9.5/10

The only thing I didn't love is that it showed Tip as an adult later on. I wish they had kept him as a bright-eyed kid excited about God's Word. It showed him maturing and, consequently, he lost some of his spunk. Otherwise, phenomenal story.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was sweet, straightforward, and hopeful. It reminded me of something that might be found in the Lamplighter collection. Despite poverty, a lack of parental guidance, and a self-serving, mischievous nature, Tip Lewis is miraculously transformed by powerful grace. This a story of how a boy's life was utterly and dramatically changed forever by the gospel.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is old-fashioned story of a bad boy gone good by committing to God. This is my second time reading about Tip and his Lamp. It’s such an encouraging story for parents and children alike. I’m looking forward to reading it to my sons (and daughter).

[Janelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very hard book to rate, and at one point I was about to give up on it, I'm glad I persisted with it, as though I found it challenging in many regards, I did benefit from reading it. While I believe it was originally intended to be a children's book, I'm very glad that I didn’t read it as a child. The Christianity in this book is rather rigid, and at times legalistic. Had I read it as a child it would have been a huge stumbling block to me. So I would suggest that if parents give this to their children to read/listen to, that they either experience it together, or they make it a topic of conversation. While the book's Christianity is deeply sincere, the cultural changes since it's writing, and certain theological issues warrant parental guidance.
I listened to the Librivox audiobook, and while I appreciate the narrator's efforts I did not find her enjoyable to listen to.