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The Browns at Mt. Hermon
Mary Brown may have fortune and beauty, but she’s the loneliest heiress in town. She longs for a family and close friends, but she has only her bank account and mansion to keep her company. Then she receives an unexpected invitation to spend the summer at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp in California. It doesn’t take long for Mary Brown, the heiress, to realize the misdirected invitation is actually meant for a different Mary Brown—but that doesn’t stop Mary’s imagination from running wild.
Before she can change her mind, Mary is on her way to California, determined to spend her summer living in a tent at Mount Hermon ... even if it means she must pretend to be the “other” Mary Brown. It’s a radical change for Mary, and she enjoys every minute of her new life. But is a summer at Mount Hermon the only change Mary needs, or will her soul be made new, as well?
This edition includes a biography of the author, group discussion questions and an introduction to Isabella Alden's books by Christian author Jenny Berlin.
Before she can change her mind, Mary is on her way to California, determined to spend her summer living in a tent at Mount Hermon ... even if it means she must pretend to be the “other” Mary Brown. It’s a radical change for Mary, and she enjoys every minute of her new life. But is a summer at Mount Hermon the only change Mary needs, or will her soul be made new, as well?
This edition includes a biography of the author, group discussion questions and an introduction to Isabella Alden's books by Christian author Jenny Berlin.
- GenresChristian FictionFiction
First published January 1, 2008
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About the author
Pansy
338 books31 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 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 20, 2015
The first seven or eight chapters and the last three or four chapters created a good start and finish to the story. The preaching in the middle chapters became a drudgery to get through. The improbability of so many characters with the surname of Brown was a distraction.
The main character, Mary Brown, a young, college educated, single woman without family and plenty of money leaves her comfortable home and kind neighbors to inspect the house she inherits from her former nurse. When a job offering letter meant for another Mary Brown was delivered to her, she tries to deliver it to the correct person but learns that the other Mary Brown is already employed elsewhere. On a whim, she takes on the summer job herself. While not needing the income she finds herself exposed to many people in need. The possibilities of what she could do with her fortune to help so many left her with choices to make. Lo and behold, she also finds a spouse. All of this seems to occur in the first few and last few chapters.
The main character, Mary Brown, a young, college educated, single woman without family and plenty of money leaves her comfortable home and kind neighbors to inspect the house she inherits from her former nurse. When a job offering letter meant for another Mary Brown was delivered to her, she tries to deliver it to the correct person but learns that the other Mary Brown is already employed elsewhere. On a whim, she takes on the summer job herself. While not needing the income she finds herself exposed to many people in need. The possibilities of what she could do with her fortune to help so many left her with choices to make. Lo and behold, she also finds a spouse. All of this seems to occur in the first few and last few chapters.
May 24, 2022
I love this story. Not only does it have Isabella Alden's wonderful and clear christian messages that aren't preachy, but it also adds humor that makes me laugh. Each one of the characters, from Farmer Brown, to Mary Brown, to Mr. Brown, and all the others (yes, there are a lot of Browns which adds so much fun!), are unique and real. Personalities are not the same even if their names are the same or similar.
And the romance in this book! I wish the modern authors would learn from the Pansy books. I found myself sighing with delight when there were no "electric feelings" or constant thinking of someone's shape or how their shirt "hugs" them. Ugh! No, it was not focused on the sensual or physical at all, instead it was on things that mattered.
The ending just made me laugh.
And the romance in this book! I wish the modern authors would learn from the Pansy books. I found myself sighing with delight when there were no "electric feelings" or constant thinking of someone's shape or how their shirt "hugs" them. Ugh! No, it was not focused on the sensual or physical at all, instead it was on things that mattered.
The ending just made me laugh.
October 28, 2023
Listened to the Librivox recording. Not the first time. Husband got sucked in (he remembered it from last time) which made it easier to discuss some of the ideas esp the paradox of God's providence and our will.
We both love the chapter where a recently expelled young college lad is mistaken for a supply preacher and ends up becoming a new creature.
We both love the chapter where a recently expelled young college lad is mistaken for a supply preacher and ends up becoming a new creature.
August 14, 2018
Trying to keep track of all the Mr. Browns (and Mary Browns) in this story is a fun little challenge.
A very sweet story in harmony with the rest of Pansy's material. Mt Hermon is strongly reminiscent of early Chautauqua, with its tents and sessions and lectures.
A very sweet story in harmony with the rest of Pansy's material. Mt Hermon is strongly reminiscent of early Chautauqua, with its tents and sessions and lectures.
August 30, 2020
The joy of Jesus is contagious
My favorite thing about this book was when three certain people accepted Jesus Christ. It didn’t stop there. I loved how Jesus changed their desires and ways. Very well done!
My favorite thing about this book was when three certain people accepted Jesus Christ. It didn’t stop there. I loved how Jesus changed their desires and ways. Very well done!
November 10, 2020
Another book by Isabella Alden that I love<3 I love the mixture that Isabella Alden always has of serious, deep passages and humorous parts. And I really want to go to Mt Hermon!
February 6, 2021
Simply delightful!
October 16, 2025
Loved it like I always do!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews