Meaning of this paragraph

Status
Not open for further replies.

Fear not only believe

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Croatian
Home Country
Croatia
Current Location
Croatia
Hello everyone!
The following paragraph is about a man who comes to a sick women, prays for her and anoints her with oil (as in days of Jesus and the Apostles)

Now, I've had some troubles understanding it, so could you please explain to me in English what the bold sentences mean?

"And the moment I prayed she was healed. That was this

like precious faith in operation. Then she was disturbed. Now
I could have poured in oil very soon. But I poured in all the
bitter drugs possible, and for three days I had her on cinders.
I showed her, her terrible state, and pointed out to her all her
folly and the fallacy of her position. I showed her that there
was nothing in Christian Science, that it is a lie from the
beginning, one of the last agencies of hell. At best a lie,
preaching a lie, and producing a lie."

This text is from a book called "Faith that prevails". https://www.google.hr/url?sa=t&rct=...Qnf35nQuYCRJXuM3rcshTrw&bvm=bv.63934634,d.bGQ (pg.6)
 

BobK

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Location
Spencers Wood, near Reading, UK
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Thank you for giving the context. This may have been coherent English in 1931, although I doubt it ;-) The bold passage in particular makes no sense at all.

b
 

BobK

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Location
Spencers Wood, near Reading, UK
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
I have a feeling that both the 'bitter drugs' and the 'cinders' may have been emetics. But it's really not clear..

b
 

Fear not only believe

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Croatian
Home Country
Croatia
Current Location
Croatia
I have a feeling that both the 'bitter drugs' and the 'cinders' may have been emetics. But it's really not clear..

b
Thank you, this might be the solution to dilemma!
 

Raymott

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Australia
Current Location
Australia
It could be used metaphorically for the words he was saying to her - oil as soothing words; bitter drugs, cinders as the effects of telling her the truths of how Christian Science is a lie. That is, he chose not to make her feel good immediately, but made her even more uncomfortable by having to face her false beliefs.
Truth can be a bitter pill indeed!
 

Fear not only believe

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Croatian
Home Country
Croatia
Current Location
Croatia
It could be used metaphorically for the words he was saying to her - oil as soothing words; bitter drugs, cinders as the effects of telling her the truths of how Christian Science is a lie. That is, he chose not to make her feel good immediately, but made her even more uncomfortable by having to face her false beliefs.
Truth can be a bitter pill indeed!
Well, that might make some sense, but if all that was said in a metaphor, why would he use the expression "and for three days I had her on cinders"? This indicates that drugs and cinders were concrete substances, but since my English compared to yours is nothing and I am here to learn, all suggestions are welcome!
 
Last edited:

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
It could have been a mixture of bitter drugs and words. I would go for the metaphorical, but I could be wrong.
 

Raymott

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Australia
Current Location
Australia
Well, that might make some sense, but if all that was said in a metaphor, why would he use the expression "and for three days I had her on cinders"? This indicates that drugs and cinders were concrete substances [...]
No, I'm sorry, "for three days" does nothing to make 'cinders' concrete. For three days, he used bitter words to help her realise the 'truth', then he used calming words. "Three days" is probably literal, but it doesn't make 'cinders' literal.
"To have someone on cinders" can be as metaphorical as "to have someone on tenterhooks", and the length of time has no bearing on the figurative use.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Might the three days be figurative - like the resurrection or the older idea of the Harrowing of Hell (cinders) - as she is reborn in a sense?
 

Fear not only believe

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Croatian
Home Country
Croatia
Current Location
Croatia
No, I'm sorry, "for three days" does nothing to make 'cinders' concrete. For three days, he used bitter words to help her realise the 'truth', then he used calming words. "Three days" is probably literal, but it doesn't make 'cinders' literal.
"To have someone on cinders" can be as metaphorical as "to have someone on tenterhooks", and the length of time has no bearing on the figurative use.

Might the three days be figurative - like the resurrection or the older idea of the Harrowing of Hell (cinders) - as she is reborn in a sense?
Now you got me all confused, all of a sudden the idea that he spoke metaphorically looks quite possible to me!
And as for the figurative three days, I don't think it was an allusion to resurrection; at the end of the day, Wigglesworth was quite plain at speaking/preaching, so I don't think there was some hidden meaning behind his words (that's the reason I thought the oil, bitter drugs and cinders were concrete substances in the first place).

But, who knows, this is after all a discussion for native speakers and I can only make suggestions.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Not at all- you know more about Wigglesworth than we do. I had never heard of the book until this discussion started and am only commenting on the words.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top