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Interrupted
Interrupted follows the story of Claire Benedict, a young woman whose life is profoundly influenced by her faith. Claire's life is "interrupted" in various ways, both by external circumstances and internal spiritual awakenings. The narrative explores her journey as she navigates these interruptions and strives to align her life with her Christian beliefs.
Claire faces challenges and temptations that test her faith and commitment to living a righteous life. These challenges may come in the form of relationships, societal expectations, or personal desires. Throughout the story, Claire encounters situations that require her to make difficult choices, often between her own desires and what she believes to be God's will.
The title, Interrupted, refers to the unexpected events and disruptions that occur in Claire's life, as well as the moments of spiritual insight that "interrupt" her understanding and perspective. Through these experiences, she learns valuable lessons about trust, obedience, and the importance of maintaining a close relationship with God.
Claire faces challenges and temptations that test her faith and commitment to living a righteous life. These challenges may come in the form of relationships, societal expectations, or personal desires. Throughout the story, Claire encounters situations that require her to make difficult choices, often between her own desires and what she believes to be God's will.
The title, Interrupted, refers to the unexpected events and disruptions that occur in Claire's life, as well as the moments of spiritual insight that "interrupt" her understanding and perspective. Through these experiences, she learns valuable lessons about trust, obedience, and the importance of maintaining a close relationship with God.
247 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1884
16 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Pansy
338 books30 followersNote: 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 29, 2019
This is the richly beautiful tale of a wealthy girl, Claire Benedict, who after the death of her beloved father, moves from her home in Boston to a little village called South Plains to offer her services as a music teacher, and thus monetarily supporting her mother and young sister.
She is at first very discontent with her lot, with the shabby houses and coarse people, but most of all with the musty, unkept church- a stark contrast to the dear old church she always knew back home.
But did not God know what He was doing when He sent her to South Plains? Did He not, after all, have a beautiful plan for her life, that she might touch the lives of others in a special, meaningful way?
Ah, yes; that He did.
He sent her to be a light to a group of young music scholar girls who she taught; He sent her to Bud, the supposedly half-witted stable boy of the near by towns elite family. He sent her to Harry Matthews, to shed light upon his darkening soul. He sent her to Alice Ansted, and to Louis Ansted her brother, to lead them to the One who loved them. He sent her to uplift and encourage the pastor and his family. He sent her to Harold Chessney, the man she married.
Her work may have been interrupted in Boston, but, as said in the quote below,
"You were only interrupted in your work, you see," Mr. Chessney said, smiling down on eyes that were filling with tears. "Interrupted, that you might set some wheels in motion that had been clogged; now you are called back to finish the other, and I am here to help you."
I do wish that the character of Harold was developed much more, so I might have been better acquainted with Claire's choice of a husband, and thus feel the connection better between them; for when he was first mentioned, I supposed he was an elderly man, since He was the uncle of Harry Matthews, (Who I thought was in his twenties. )
My grievance being said, (I do so love a well-written love story ;) )
I will say now that I highly enjoyed the reading of this godly book, and learned so many lovely truths over again from it.
She is at first very discontent with her lot, with the shabby houses and coarse people, but most of all with the musty, unkept church- a stark contrast to the dear old church she always knew back home.
But did not God know what He was doing when He sent her to South Plains? Did He not, after all, have a beautiful plan for her life, that she might touch the lives of others in a special, meaningful way?
Ah, yes; that He did.
He sent her to be a light to a group of young music scholar girls who she taught; He sent her to Bud, the supposedly half-witted stable boy of the near by towns elite family. He sent her to Harry Matthews, to shed light upon his darkening soul. He sent her to Alice Ansted, and to Louis Ansted her brother, to lead them to the One who loved them. He sent her to uplift and encourage the pastor and his family. He sent her to Harold Chessney, the man she married.
Her work may have been interrupted in Boston, but, as said in the quote below,
"You were only interrupted in your work, you see," Mr. Chessney said, smiling down on eyes that were filling with tears. "Interrupted, that you might set some wheels in motion that had been clogged; now you are called back to finish the other, and I am here to help you."
I do wish that the character of Harold was developed much more, so I might have been better acquainted with Claire's choice of a husband, and thus feel the connection better between them; for when he was first mentioned, I supposed he was an elderly man, since He was the uncle of Harry Matthews, (Who I thought was in his twenties. )
My grievance being said, (I do so love a well-written love story ;) )
I will say now that I highly enjoyed the reading of this godly book, and learned so many lovely truths over again from it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2017
Inspirational
Written in 1885, this is another Alden novel I haven’t read, and like all her books has a Christian message. Regardless of the difference in how people lived in 1885 and how we live today, this story is timeless in that it is how one can rise above adversity. The Benedict family’s circumstances change overnight. Where once they were wealthy, they are now poor and the older daughter, Claire, is the only one capable of doing anything about earning a living to support her mother and sister. At first sight of her new home as a music teacher in an Academy in the small town of South Plains, far away from her home city, she feels bitter about having to live in such reduced circumstances, until she hears a sermon that seems to resonate in her heart. Her attitude changes overnight and she decides to bring her organising ability and capacity for creative thinking to do something about the deplorable state of the local church. She speaks about her ideas to her music students, and her enthusiasm inspires them to see that they can make a difference, even if only in a very small way.
But Claire is also a committed Christian and reaches out to those who don’t know Christ as their Saviour. The story of one person whose life was changed caused me to shed a few tears, and I was even more moved when Mrs Alden said that the person was real and was alive at the time she wrote the book. However, life is not all roses and Mrs Alden doesn’t shrink from inserting a few thorns along the way. Claire’s interrupted life became her new life and it was fuller and richer than she could possibly have imagined.
Very well-written and edited as all Mrs Alden’s books are, this story is very easy to read,one I thoroughly enjoyed, and can recommend.
Written in 1885, this is another Alden novel I haven’t read, and like all her books has a Christian message. Regardless of the difference in how people lived in 1885 and how we live today, this story is timeless in that it is how one can rise above adversity. The Benedict family’s circumstances change overnight. Where once they were wealthy, they are now poor and the older daughter, Claire, is the only one capable of doing anything about earning a living to support her mother and sister. At first sight of her new home as a music teacher in an Academy in the small town of South Plains, far away from her home city, she feels bitter about having to live in such reduced circumstances, until she hears a sermon that seems to resonate in her heart. Her attitude changes overnight and she decides to bring her organising ability and capacity for creative thinking to do something about the deplorable state of the local church. She speaks about her ideas to her music students, and her enthusiasm inspires them to see that they can make a difference, even if only in a very small way.
But Claire is also a committed Christian and reaches out to those who don’t know Christ as their Saviour. The story of one person whose life was changed caused me to shed a few tears, and I was even more moved when Mrs Alden said that the person was real and was alive at the time she wrote the book. However, life is not all roses and Mrs Alden doesn’t shrink from inserting a few thorns along the way. Claire’s interrupted life became her new life and it was fuller and richer than she could possibly have imagined.
Very well-written and edited as all Mrs Alden’s books are, this story is very easy to read,one I thoroughly enjoyed, and can recommend.
May 30, 2016
I love these old books - they both convict and encourage me in my Christian life. Claire is a little like the biblical Job, who lost everything and whose life was re-arranged as a result. Through her struggles, she comes to greater faith and greater trust in Jesus Christ, and leads those around her to the same. One of the themes of this book is keeping our places of worship in a state that honors the God we serve. We remember the magnificence of the Israelite temple, and some of the amazing cathedrals that have been built to honor God. And though He does not live in temples built by hands, but in our hearts, it behooves us not to allow our places of worship to fall into disrepair as though we did not value them.
Read on Project Gutenberg.
Read on Project Gutenberg.
February 1, 2019
Sometimes we are interrupted, but maybe it was God’s plan.
It would be a novel if I were to attempt to tell you just how much the Lord spoke to me through this book! I think my favorite quote is on kindle’s page 117, said by Mr. Chesney. Pansy has an awesome ability to have the characters change the whole atmosphere and attitude of a persin or persons. Praise God who gave her that gift! And praise God that miracles of that nature are still happening today!
It would be a novel if I were to attempt to tell you just how much the Lord spoke to me through this book! I think my favorite quote is on kindle’s page 117, said by Mr. Chesney. Pansy has an awesome ability to have the characters change the whole atmosphere and attitude of a persin or persons. Praise God who gave her that gift! And praise God that miracles of that nature are still happening today!
May 9, 2017
Listened to LibriVox reading
December 29, 2024
Pansy's "Interrupted" is a glorious, religious, romantic temperance novel. I love Pansy and I found it interesting when she mentioned that some characters are real people and circumstances are reality. The message of giving to the church even when resources are low, is respecting and honoring Jesus Christ. The temperance angle is always truly sad in how many lives it takes.
Story in short- The wealthy Benedicts suffer a tremendous loss and Claire must move to South Plains Academy to earn some momey.
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert
I loved Dora and Claire. The loss of their father and his failure was a shock but the family rallies behind each other. Dora is having a hard time staying in town where she sees old friends who know her loss. Dora meets an old friend of Claire's who has married another wealthy girl and ignores Dora. I loved how Claire had followed her father's advice in letting God lead her and not thinking she does all but the Almighty is the architect and following leads to his will. I thought that Louis and Claire would be together but as things went on, their personalities were so different. Louis who drank himself helped Harry by telling Claire his story and the trouble that lies ahead for him if he did not stop drinking, his father had been ruined. I love Alice finding Christ and finally understanding helping Bud and trying to save her brother. Alice asked Claire about if she would marry a man who was not a Christian, she told her she couldn't. Claire liked Louis but it was not him as a lover but wanting to save him from drinking. Louis owned a distillery and his drinking was encouraged by the company his mother wanted him to keep. His mother did not understand that she drove her son to drink which she could not be honest to admit her compliance to his ruin. Harold had thought Claire a fashionable woman until he meet her, his nephew Harry was saved by her temperance work with him. Claire had a positive effect in awakening the town to Christ. It was so sad when Louis dies after his carriage accident. I loved that he found Christ as his savior and his helping after his death. I loved Bud wanting to learn and his faith in God awakened by Claire and the minister.
Story in short- The wealthy Benedicts suffer a tremendous loss and Claire must move to South Plains Academy to earn some momey.
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert
I loved Dora and Claire. The loss of their father and his failure was a shock but the family rallies behind each other. Dora is having a hard time staying in town where she sees old friends who know her loss. Dora meets an old friend of Claire's who has married another wealthy girl and ignores Dora. I loved how Claire had followed her father's advice in letting God lead her and not thinking she does all but the Almighty is the architect and following leads to his will. I thought that Louis and Claire would be together but as things went on, their personalities were so different. Louis who drank himself helped Harry by telling Claire his story and the trouble that lies ahead for him if he did not stop drinking, his father had been ruined. I love Alice finding Christ and finally understanding helping Bud and trying to save her brother. Alice asked Claire about if she would marry a man who was not a Christian, she told her she couldn't. Claire liked Louis but it was not him as a lover but wanting to save him from drinking. Louis owned a distillery and his drinking was encouraged by the company his mother wanted him to keep. His mother did not understand that she drove her son to drink which she could not be honest to admit her compliance to his ruin. Harold had thought Claire a fashionable woman until he meet her, his nephew Harry was saved by her temperance work with him. Claire had a positive effect in awakening the town to Christ. It was so sad when Louis dies after his carriage accident. I loved that he found Christ as his savior and his helping after his death. I loved Bud wanting to learn and his faith in God awakened by Claire and the minister.
July 7, 2021
This is a beautiful story about disappointed hopes and how God can lead us to a better life than we imagined. I was touched by Claire's predicament and her realization that happiness doesn't come from what we get in life, but what we give. I really loved this book!
March 26, 2021
I loved this story!
June 30, 2022
A mildly interesting, highly didactic/Christian/anti-alcohol read from 1884.
August 3, 2023
Wonderful story! I loved how gentle Claire and Dora were at taking care of their mother. The legacy that father left for his family and all those he came into contact with was a beautiful reminder that our lives are not just for ourself but for the Lord.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews