Circuit Riders Wife

by Corra Harris, William H. Everett (Illustrator)

Drawn from firsthand experience, A Circuit Rider's Wife is the fictionalized account of how Corra Harris sometimes followed, sometimes guided her husband through his missionary work in the north Georgia mountains. All along the hard-scrabble Redwine circuit the story vividly brings alive the strivings and strayings of an itinerant country preacher's restless flocks with warmth and humor.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

158 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1910

About the author

Corra Harris (born Corra Mae White) was an American writer and journalist.

Reviews

[Dawn Dishman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small book written by the wife of a circuit preacher in the hills of Georgia. It is her diary and memories of the struggles and joys of a lifetime minister of the gospel. It made me laugh from some of the stories of people they ministered to and sad by others.

It showed the hardships of a life devoted to others, of one who forsook all his own desires and needs for the sake of others. It also was a real account of his wife’s struggle with her husband’s choices of ministry.

She made this statement in the end of her book that I think is quite fitting for the saints who don’t get talked about in this life.

“No one has thought yet to erect a statue to the memory of the Methodist circuit riders, who are not less brave, but who have doubtless broken some Heaven records in simple goodness and self-sacrifice.”

[Phyllis O. Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valuable History

I enjoyed this book because I was married to a pastor of small churches for 52 years. I found so many similarities in our lives as preacher's wives and similarities in the husbands as well. The many people we were privileged to know and serve became our families.This was a vivid, truthful picture of a pastor's and the wife's calling and life.

[Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by Corra Harris, a native Georgian who died in my home county of Bartow, published in 1935, this book is the basis for the movie, "I'd Climb the Highest Mountain," starring Susan Hayward, William Lundigan, and Rory Calhoun, and screen-written by another Georgian, Lamar Trotti. Harris was a well-known and prolific writer and when the movie was released, it was the first and only movie that my mother and her oldest sister ever took me to see, at nine years of age, and they both cried through much of the movie.

Hayward played the part of Mary Thompson, the wife of an itinerant Methodist minister, William Thompson, and tells the story of the lives of the minister and his wife from the wife's perspective. The author, Corra Harris, had once been married to a Methodist minister and experienced the seemingly unnecessary hardships that the lifestyle brought to the wife of a Methodist minister who was known as a circuit rider, responsible for as many as ten churches at a time. Harris's husband was an alcoholic, unfaithful to his wife, and later in life became so depressed that he committed suicide.

The book goes into great detail about the hardships suffered by the fictional Thompsons and the life and decline of a man who was truly a Man of God. Mr. Thompson ultimately suffered from what we would call in today's vernacular, burnout, and his last sad days are beautifully told. The movie was filmed on location in North Georgia and made quite a good impression on our local folks in my hometown of Cartersville. The story is very realistic and I recommend this book.

[Bill Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great historical look at the life of a circuit-riding preacher, specifically from the view of his wife. Which, in all honestly, is going to be the closest you come to being there. The difficulties and beauty of pastoral ministry are timeless. It is interesting to hear Mrs. Harris say (paraphrasing) that the best place for a pastor's office is in his house where no woman can seduce him and his wife can protect his sermon prep time. I would highly recommend this book as Mrs Harris shows us the greatest characteristic all pastors should look for in a wife: she loves her husband more than anything and is his greatest fan. .

[Carol Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading about a preacher and his wife who lived at the beginning of the 20th century. That was my grandmother's era and I thought about her as I read. The denomination was different than what I've "been raised" in, but Corra Harris' thoughts are delightful and mixed with a measure of humor.

[Barbara D'Orio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical and Spiritual

I was fascinated to read an account of the spiritual thought of rural people in the late 19th century. I was also interested to see communism come up. For such a dry topic, it's actually a lot of fun to read. She tells good stories and makes interesting and believable characters.

[Bill Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent book

Great book with thought provoking insight of faith, religion and conviction. I would say a must read for a young minister and his wife. Better yet any Christian that wants a look into the inner life of a pastor.

[Faith Alexander · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the daughter of a Methodist minister who primarily served churches similar to the ones mentioned in the book, I really resonated with a lot of stories that were written.

It was a quick read, lighthearted but also had moments that really made you think. I do feel that the ending was little disconnected with the rest of the book and I felt a little unsatisfied at the end of it.

[Margarita]

a curious oddity

[Ora · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give it 4 stars if just using it for research. This is not a novel, but her humor and stories were enjoyable.

[Teresa Hurst · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring.

[Bobby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read