The Christmas Carol as Christian Truth

Session Four: “I am the ghost of Christmas Past”

Word to Live By:

Mark 8:18 (KJV) Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

Session Truth: “Lord keep my memory green.”

Philip Swidger from Charles Dickens’ “The Haunted Man” from The Christmas Books.

Scripture:

Exodus 13:3 (KJV) And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten."

Joshua 1: 13 (KJV) "Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land."

I Thessalonians 1: 3 (KJV) "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;"

II Timothy 2: 8 (KJV) "Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:"

Acts 20:35 (KJV) I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Galatians 2:10 (KJV) Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

Ephesians 2:11 (KJV) Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

Introduction:  What role does memory play in our spiritual walk?

For all who come to Christ memory plays a vital role since memory brings up the sins which we recognize we need to be forgiven of and also for many of us the wittiness of those around us who made the Christian walk something to be desired.

Have you ever noticed that in various Christmas Carol dramatizations the one ghost who seems to have no consistency is the ghost of Christmas Past?  Marley, the giant of the Ghost of Christmas Present and of course the shrouded Ghost of Christmas future all look pretty much the same.  However consider this variety:

    * In the 1954 version of A Christmas Carol, the Ghost is portrayed as a white-robed lady.

    * In the 1962 animated Mr. Magoo version of A Christmas Carol, the Ghost is portrayed as a small boy with a flame  

       over head.

    * In the 1970's version titled Scrooge, the Ghost is portrayed as an elegant lady with a red dress and a black hat.

    * In the 1982 animated version of A Christmas Carol, the Ghost is portrayed as a Cupid-like young man.

    * In Disney's 1983 animated adaptation titled Mickey's Christmas Carol, Jiminy Cricket takes the role of the Ghost.

    * In the 1984 George C Scott version of A Christmas Carol, the Ghost is portrayed as a white-robed lady white blond

       hair and a candle snuffer.

    * In 1988's modern adaptation titled Scrooged, the Ghost is portrayed as a cab driver with a Brooklyn accent.

    * A Christmas Carol (1997), an animated production featuring the voice of Tim Curry as Scrooge has the ghost appear

       as a sparkly version of the artful dodger.

    * A Christmas Carol (1999), a television movie starring Patrick Stewart the ghost is white shirted thin gentleman from

       the late 1700s, slightly out of focus.

    * In the 2004 Kelsey Grammer musical titled A Christmas Carol, the Ghost is portrayed as a lady that lights the street

       lamp posts.

The following might explain why:

        It was a strange figure -- like a child: yet not so like a

child as like an old man, viewed through some supernatural

medium, which gave him the appearance of having receded

from the view, and being diminished to a child's proportions.

Its hair, which hung about its neck and down its back, was

white as if with age; and yet the face had not a wrinkle in

it, and the tenderest bloom was on the skin. The arms were

very long and muscular; the hands the same, as if its hold

were of uncommon strength. Its legs and feet, most delicately

formed, were, like those upper members, bare. It wore a tunic

of the purest white, and round its waist was bound

a lustrous belt, the sheen of which was beautiful. It held

a branch of fresh green holly in its hand; and, in singular

contradiction of that wintry emblem, had its dress trimmed

with summer flowers. But the strangest thing about it was,

that from the crown of its head there sprung a bright clear

jet of light, by which all this was visible; and which was

doubtless the occasion of its using, in its duller moments, a

great extinguisher for a cap, which it now held under its arm.

Even this, though, when Scrooge looked at it with increasing

steadiness, was not its strangest quality. For as its belt

sparkled and glittered now in one part and now in another,

and what was light one instant, at another time was dark, so

the figure itself fluctuated in its distinctness: being now a

thing with one arm, now with one leg, now with twenty legs,

now a pair of legs without a head, now a head without a

body: of which dissolving parts, no outline would be visible

in the dense gloom wherein they melted away. And in the

very wonder of this, it would be itself again; distinct and

clear as ever.

Dickens has presented the reader with a physical allegorical figure of Memory.

1.         Having white hair and young face: it shows the combination of the youthful

memories (notice the mention of a child’s proportions) with the experience of old age.

2.         Like memory it has a long reach and strong grip. “The arms were very long and

muscular; the hands the same, as if its hold were of uncommon strength.”

3.         It reveals the events of the spring and summer days of youth so it wears summer

cloths, but its carrying of a sprig of Holly shows these memories tie into Christmas and are brought up because of Christmas.

4.         It also shows the fragmented quality of memory: “the figure itself fluctuated in its

distinctness: being now a thing with one arm, now with one leg, now with twenty legs, now a pair of legs without a head, now a head without a body”

5.         It’s most important quality, however, is the light which flows from it: “But the

strangest thing about it was, that from the crown of its head there sprung a bright clear jet of light, by which all this was visible; and which was doubtless the occasion of its using, in its duller moments, a great extinguisher for a cap,”

It turns out that the “cap” is a candle snuffer designed to put out light and it is Scrooge and his kin not the spirit which created it. Remember “Darkness was cheap and Scrooge liked it.” Scripture reminds us that “Men loved darkness rather than light for their deed were evil” (John 3:19 KJV). This aversion to light just further demonstrates Scrooge’s alliance with evil and his lost state:

Perhaps, Scrooge could not have told anybody why, if

anybody could have asked him; but he had a special desire

to see the Spirit in his cap; and begged him to be covered.

`What.' exclaimed the Ghost,' would you so soon put

out, with worldly hands, the light I give. Is it not enough

that you are one of those whose passions made this cap, and

force me through whole trains of years to wear it low upon

my brow.'

The ghost in fact makes Scrooge’s state overtly clear:

Scrooge reverently disclaimed all intention to offend

or any knowledge of having wilfully bonneted the Spirit at

any period of his life. He then made bold to inquire what

business brought him there.

`Your welfare.' said the Ghost.

Scrooge expressed himself much obliged, but could not

help thinking that a night of unbroken rest would have been

more conducive to that end. The Spirit must have heard

him thinking, for it said immediately:

`Your reclamation, then. Take heed.'

Two points here, one is that Scrooge is of a “worldly mind.”  For Dickens’ audience it is very likely that Mr. Worldly Wise from Bunyon’s Christian allegory A Pilgrims Progress would have leaped to mind who leads the hero “Christian” astray for a time.  Marley calls Scrooge “man of the worldly mind” when Scrooge tries to logically demonstrate that things beyond his understanding can not exist.  The ghost of Christmas Past calls him one with “worldly hands” and it is entirely in character that when faced with such an apparition that Scrooge should ask him what business brings it to him:

Second Scrooge’s worldly mind does not allow him to believe that he will not be killed when he steps through the window.  However, the spirit shows him where real truth comes from:

`I am mortal,' Scrooge remonstrated, `and liable to fall.'

`Bear but a touch of my hand there,' said the Spirit,

laying it upon his heart,' and you shall be upheld in more

than this.'

Scrooge needs faith which has ever been the realm of the heart not the mind.

It is notable that in the text one never sees Scrooge do anything in the past which is illegal or even immoral.

He is shown himself as an abandoned child rescued by the joy of reading and of imagination.

He is shown himself as a desperate young man who is pulled out of a dark and economically oppressed environment by his loving younger sister Fanny.

He is shown his apprenticeship with Mr. Fezziwig which includes his friendship with someone named Dick Parsons.

He sees the day Bell releases him from their relationship.  He’s isolating fear is revealed.

He is forced to see what that choice cost him and his own isolation:

Note: he does not drive Fezziwig out of business or refuse to give him economic aid.  He does not evict orphans from their homes.  He does not refuse to see Marley as he is dying although he does put it off until the business day is over.

Scrooge evil is NOT societal.  It is spiritual.  The visit forces him to realize that he is debt to others which he though untrue.  He is forced to realize that his own choices have led to him being isolated.

Memory is vital for salvation:

against